A fragile ecosystem
Being on the water at Clearwater Bay is an escape from everyday life. It is a deep, cold water basin at the north end of the Lake of the Woods in Northwestern Ontario
The Bay is a natural habitat for many forms of aquatic life and in particular a breeding ground for lake trout, which benefits from the clean, deep oxygen-rich waters and the clear shorelines for spawning.
A decline in the trout population began in the late 1980s. The then-Ministry of Natural Resources (MNRF) conducted scientific studies and determined nutrients levels in Clearwater Bay were twice as high as the average level of nutrients in other lakes in Ontario.
These increased nutrients levels resulted in algae blooms taking over the shoreline. When these blooms died off and decomposed, they reduced the oxygen levels of the water, causing severe degradation to the lake trout habitat and the overall water quality
Over the past 30 years the residents of Clearwater Bay, together with the MNRF, have worked to address these issues. By reducing nutrients entering the lake, the trout and pickerel stocks in Clearwater Bay have been recovering and the water quality is improved. CWBSF is fighting to ensure that these issues continue to remain a priority for protection.
what people say
Protecting Clearwater Bay from increased levels of nutrients is crucial to preserving the lake trout habitat and other aquatic life.
Your Voice Counts
Help protect the water
Join us and help preserve the water quality of Clearwater Bay for now and future generations.
We must protect the water
What happens when you clearcut?
- Removing trees causes run off of nutrients from the forest
- Increased nutrients levels resulted in algae blooms along the shoreline
- Decomposed blooms reduce oxygen levels of the water
- Low oxygen degrades the lake trout habitat and overall water quality
We need your help!
Become a member for $50 and help the fragile ecosystem of Clearwater Bay