Monitoring Program at the Experimental Lakes Area
Fisheries and Oceans Canada will undertake a science monitoring program at the Experimental Lakes Area from May to September 2013. This monitoring will address remediation requirements and will help prepare the facility, watersheds and lakes for future operations under the International Institute for Sustainable Development. This work is also in accordance with the Memorandum of Agreement with the Government of Ontario to ensure that the site is in good condition.
As an important part of this agreement, Fisheries and Oceans Canada will conduct sampling through the summer of 2013 as part of the transition to maintain important scientific research and ensure that long-term data sets can continue uninterrupted. The department will work with scientists who have active research at the Experimental Lakes Area to support their needs for the upcoming summer research season including sampling activities and requirements to access their equipment.
Sampling will be taking place for several different reasons as part of the monitoring program:
Monitoring Recovery
Over more than 40 years of operation at the Experimental Lakes Area, only a small number of the 58 lakes set aside for research has been used for science experiments. Many of these lakes have been assessed as having returned to their pre-experiment state. However, the department is committed to ensuring the recovery of all lakes from environmental disturbance. As a result, the department has begun sampling to monitor recovery. This sampling is necessary to determine whether and when each lake has recovered.
The department will continue to work with the landowner, the Province of Ontario, to determine the longer-term requirements for monitoring the recovery of specific lakes at the Experimental Lakes Area.
Maintaining the Reference Lake Program
Researchers at the Experimental Lakes Area have been collecting data on natural lake ecosystems for many years in support of, and as controls for, the experimental studies. This long-term data set includes data from five dedicated long-term reference lakes. This data set is an invaluable record for freshwater ecosystem research and is an important asset of the Experimental Lakes Area. The department will continue to sample the reference lakes at the Experimental Lakes Area this summer to ensure the maintenance of this important data set.
Supporting Ongoing Research Projects
Studying the reaction of lakes to, and their recovery from, environmental experiments has been a key aspect of the multi-year, whole ecosystem science experiments at the Experimental Lakes Area. Research projects are collecting data, including studies on eutrophication (a process that water bodies go through when they receive too many nutrients), mercury, nanosilver, and water diversion. Fisheries and Oceans Canada will work with the research community to minimize disruption to these ongoing research projects.
We have contacted the lead researchers for the various projects to discuss and support their needs to maintain their projects at the site. Our discussions with them include scientific equipment at the site, access to the site, and coordination between their project activities and remediation efforts. These discussions will continue.
Ministerial Statement:
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