Huntsville - Lake of Bays Lakes Council

Hello all again,

I inadvertently left Fairy Lake's name off the list of lakes below that were working together on this issue. Sorry!

Elaine

----- Original Message -----
From: Elaine and Gord Jackson
To: Carl Heck ; Dan McKeon ; Jane Earthy ; Neil Haist ; George Young
Cc: Patricia Arney ; Kathy Hunter ; Dan.Kerr@kitchener.ca ; Mary McCulley
Sent: Friday, June 29, 2007 5:10 PM
Subject: Water Level Concerns - Various Lakes in Huntsville Area

Hello all,

As most of you are aware, the Huntsville Lakes Council has been trying to form a co-operative effort between the various lakes in the Huntsville area that have been experiencing probelms due to high water levels, especially during the April-June time period annually. My lake, Fox, has had erosion problems for many years and the past two years since the new Muskoka River Water Management Plan came into effect have been worse.

I have been in touch with most of you via phone re this issue either this spring or last summer. I have spoken with Dan Kerr of Mary Lake, but have been unable to reach the right person at his lake association on this issue, so am circulating this email to you, Jane, as President of Mary Lake in the hope that your association can become part of this united quest for lower water levels. We know of the problems Mary Lake has been experiencing.

Kathy Hunter, President of Fairy Lake, has already circulated a letter to her lake residents, seeking their opinions on their water level issues. With Kathy's permission, I am attaching her letter and the responses she received from her constituents as well as a response from Steve Taylor, MNR Water Resources Co-ordinator for Parry Sound District.

I am also attaching a similar letter that could be used, if you wish, by your lake association to seek opinions of your residents. Please feel free to use/change this letter to suit your needs. Fox Lake will be circulating a similar letter to our residents shortly. We would like to separate people's concerns about the actual water levels and associated issues from the concerns they may have about difficulties in communicating with MNR staff re their problems, as these issues, although related, are also separate issues for identification and action.

It is my hope that once the lakes and rivers that have indicated an interest in this issue have polled their residents and accumulated the necessary data, Huntsville Lakes Council, with the assistance of these lakes/rivers (Vernon, Peninsula, Mary, Buck, Fox Lakes and the Muskoka River) will be able to take this issue forward to the Muskoka River Water Management Board and the Ministry of Natural Resources for a satisfactory resolution.

Patricia Arney of the Muskoka River Water Management Board and Muskoka Watershed Council, has indicated her willingness to work with us to try and resolve this problem. She has already initiated some communication with the MRWMB and MNR on this issue on our behalf.

Please let me know how you are making out on this project, and don't hesitate to call or email me if you need help, have questions, etc. I look forward to your assistance on this project.

Elaine Jackson, Co-chair, HLC
Chair, Water Levels Action Committee
705-789-2831
maplejay@vianet.ca