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Many members of the Home and Cottage Association were involved in raising this issue with council, expressing their concerns, meeting with MTO, and agreeing to pitch in and help if necessary. Thanks to everyone who pitched in on this one. Members of Township Council played a key role in assisting in the resolution of this issue, as did members of Township Staff. And ... thanks to staff at the Ministry of Transportation for listening to our concerns, and taking a real interest in finding out if indeed the lake level was affected following the construction of the culvert. But ... the Summer of 2005 will be remembered as the year the lake was drained ... click here to see a few of the docks that were High and Dry, Beached or Docks on the Rocks. The fish hatchery installed several years ago by volunteers of the Association was at least a foot above the new water level. Here's how the campaign to correct the water level issue unfolded ... Following the road construction on Highway 124 last year, it appeared that the outflow level of the lake may be lower than it was before the construction, resulting in the lower water levels for McKellar Lake. Parry Sound Hydro does not control the water level on McKellar Lake. McKellar Lake is a flow-through lake. Parry Sound Hydro controls Lorimer Lake and Grey Owl using the dam at the north end of McKellar Lake, and they control Manitouwabing Lake. They indicated that removing a log from the dam at the top of McKellar Lake would not raise the water levels for more than a couple of days, as all the additional water would simply flow out to Manitouwabing given the new outflow arrangement at the bottom of McKellar Lake. The roadwork was contracted by the Ministry of Transportation. Representatives of the Association presented the issue to the Township during the July 18, 2005 council meeting. Click here for the council minutes. It was agreed that the Township would arrange a meeting with the Ministry of Transportation, Fisheries and Oceans and our Association to discuss the implications and possible remedies available. On August 31, representatives from the MTO met with McKellar Township officials, members of the Association and the MNR to discuss the issue and possible remedies. At the September 4th meeting of the Association, those attending agreed to continue to press for corrective action, and to offer the assistance of the Association to the MTO and Township to install a temporary solution if necessary. A letter was sent to the MTO on September 11, 2005 to follow up on the August 31 meeting, the discussion surrounding the building a temporary solution, and to offer Association assistance to install a temporary solution. A response was received from the MTO indicating that they intend to determine their position on this issue by mid October 2005. The Township also sent a letter to the MTO indicating their support for the Association's position. On October 17, the MTO presented the Township of McKellar with a plan for corrective action, and the plan was accepted by Township Council at their meeting on the same day. Still to come ... installation and then we'll have to wait for water to flow into the lake again to bring the water levels up. Let's keep an eye on it again next summer to see if the remedy solves the problem. |
© 2008 McKellar Lakes Home and Cottage Association
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Good
news! The Ministry of Transportation has agreed to raise the level of the
outflow at the bottom end of McKellar Lake - which will raise the lake level
back to pre-construction levels - that is, before the new bridge and culvert was
constructed between McKellar Lake and Manitouwabing.