Drawing_water

Feature

May 2000

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Drawing Water from our Lakes

by D. Brison

OMYA (Canada) Inc. in Glen Tay has applied to the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE) for a permit to take one million gallons of water a day from the Tay River. A number of lakes in South, Central and North Frontenac supply water to the Tay River. The Tay River starts at the east end of Bobs Lake, at the dam in Bolingbroke. Bobs Lake is a reservoir for the Rideau Canal. The dam is opened (typically in August), when water levels in the canal are low. Water levels in Bobs Lake can be lowered 4.5 feet or more during the summer. Joyce Barr, a South Frontenac Councillor who has lived all of her 62 years on Bobs Lake, is greatly concerned about the effect that the use of water by OMYA might have on Bobs Lake and the other lakes that feed into Bobs -- Long, Eagle, Crow, Duncan, Leggat, and Elbow.

"What will happen when OMYA needs water and the water levels on Bobs Lake are already low because water is needed in the canal? Will they take more water for their needs and leave our wildlife habitats drained? Fish spawning will be affected, and frogs and turtles can't survive. Also, if water in Bobs is low, there will be pressure from Bobs Lake cottagers and residents to let more water through the dam at Eagle Lake, leaving that lake low."

Mel Fleming is a member of the Bobs and Crow Lakes Association, and is responsible for the Association's fisheries portfolio. He has observed the impact of low water levels on the fisheries and wetlands. "In the fall, lake trout spawning areas are affected, and in the spring there is the same impact on walleye spawning areas. Water taking from the Tay by OMYA is likely dangerous and ill-advised." OMYA processes calcite, the primary ore of calcium, at their facilities in Glen Tay. Calcite forms the base of cement, and is indispensable in the construction industry. It is the main component of chalk, and is also used in the manufacture of many drugs, fertilizers, metals, glass, rubber, paint and important chemicals. OMYA counters the criticism by saying that they will stop pumping if flow rates in the river drop below rates to be determined in consultation with appropriate agencies. Based on historic flows in the Tay River, they think that the amount of water they take will not have a significant impact, and will not cause the river to dry up. OMYA has also given significant amounts of money to the study of the Tay Watershed. Joyce Barr has recently made presentations to the Frontenac Management Board, her own South Frontenac Council, and to the Bathhurst Burgess, Sherbrooke (BBS) Township Council (where OMYA has its large processing facility and where the water from the Tay will be pumped off). The Frontenac Board and the South Frontenac Council will both recommend to the MOE that a permit not be granted until the impact on Bobs Lake and the feeder lakes can be thoroughly studied. BBS agreed to send a submission to the MOE and gave $5 000 to the Tay River Watershed Round Table for a study on the Tay Watershed. The matter was also considered by the Central Frontenac Municipal Council on March 28. Council recommended that the impact on the feeder lakes in the region (Bobs, Long, Eagle, Crow) be studied before the permit is granted. Bill MacDonald, Mayor and Chair of the Frontenac Management Board, said, "Although I am in favour of economic development, and I understand that in many respects OMYA is being a good corporate citizen, I think the studies on the impact on our lakes and rivers should be completed before the permit is granted." The Tay River Watershed Plan Executive, a volunteer group of citizens concerned about the ecology of the Tay River, is asking that this application be delayed until more accurate and comprehensive flow data have been assembled and a thorough environmental impact study on the Tay Watershed has been completed.The Watershed group is asking the public to submit comments directly to the MOE. Comments should be sent to the Supervisor, Water Resources Unit, at: Eastern Region, Technical Support Ministry of the Environment 133 Dalton Avenue, PO Box 820 Kingston, Ontario, K7L 4X6 Fax (613) 548-6908Comments must contain the Ministry's Registry and Reference numbers (Registry number IA00E0427 and Reference number ER-9062). The deadline for comments is April 9, 2000.