Muskoka
Quick Tips
Good
things to know…
How
to Take a Water Sample for Bacteriological Testing:
Follow
these steps carefully so that the water sample does not become contaminated:
1.
Obtain a sample bottle from any office of the health unit or from
the Public Health Laboratory. The bottle contains a preservative
added by the manufacturer; do not rinse the bottle out. Keep
the bottle clean, dry and sealed until ready to take the sample.
2.
Remove the aerator or other attachment from the tap, preferably
the kitchen tap. If necessary, the mouth of a metal (not plastic)
tap can be disinfected with a match or a lighter. Flame the mouth
of the tap for about as long as it takes a match to burn down. Do
not wipe any soot off. Run cold water for two to three minutes.
If the tap is made of plastic and flaming is not possible, then
alcohol can be wiped around the tap opening using a clean tissue.
Run cold water for 3 minutes before sampling.
3.
Unscrew the cap from the bottle without touching the neck of the
bottle or the inside of the cap. Don't put the cap down. Hold it
facing down so airborne contaminants can't settle in the cap.
4.
Fill the bottle to the line and replace the cap snugly. If not
refrigerated, the bottle must be received by the lab within 6 hours.
If refrigerated, it must be received within 48 hours.
Provided
by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit
HOW
YOUR SEPTIC SYSTEM WORKS
In
simplified terms, your septic system consists of a tank, a network
of pipes and billions of microscopic organisms. The tank treats
sewage by letting the heavy solid materials settle and allowing
time for lighter materials (called scum) to float to the top. The
partially treated wastewater then flows into perforated pipes (the
leaching bed) where it filters into the ground and is further treated.
Bacteria and microorganisms in the soil digest and remove impurities
such as suspended solids, organic chemicals, viruses and bacteria.
The treated wastewater eventually finds its way to the groundwater.
Here
are many simple things that you can do to ensure that your septic
system functions properly:
·
Ensure your tank is inspected every two to three years by a
qualified person and is pumped out every three to five years
depending on use. Summer or early fall is the best time for
this.
·
Conserve water and reduce waste flow into your system - too
much water will overload your septic system and cause wastewater
to be released untreated.
·
Reduce your use of phosphate-based detergents and cleaners,
which can impair water quality and fish habitat.
·
Avoid construction and activities in the area over your leaching
bed - extra weight can crush the pipes or compact the soil.
·
Don't plant trees and shrubs on top of your leaching bed - the
roots can damage your pipes. Instead, plant a wildflower meadow
that can help filter wastewater and absorb excess nutrients.
·
Minimize grass watering around the leaching bed area - extra
water can reduce the bed's ability to absorb and treat wastewater
from the buildings.
·
Don't pour out or flush harmful chemicals and substances into
your system as they can kill beneficial bacteria and render
your system useless.
When
things go wrong with your system
There
are several signs that you can look for that tell you your septic
system may not be functioning properly. The ground over your leaching
bed may be wet and spongy or the grass may be unnaturally lush and
green. You may notice unpleasant odors in your house or drinking
water, or your toilets and drains run more slowly than usual. You
may notice significant algae growth in or around nearby lakes and
streams, or there may be high levels of nitrates, bacteria or other
contaminants in your well water.
Any
one of these signs is cause for concern. A malfunctioning septic
system can result in harm to the natural environment or public health
by polluting lakes or contaminating drinking water supplies.
If
you would like to have your septic system inspected, contact you
local town or township office for information about their septic
system inspection program. If you need to upgrade or replace your
system, look for a licensed installer in the yellow pages or ask
your township to recommend some names.
Provided
by the Muskoka Watershed Council
ECO
RESPONSIBLE SHORELINE DEVELOPMENT
If
you own a waterfront property, chances are you have a shoreline
structure of some sort. Now, any changes to a natural shoreline
will have some negative impacts; however, you can reduce these impacts
by limiting your shoreline development to no more that 25% of your
shoreline.
The
first step in reducing the impact of your shoreline structures on
the health of your lake or river is to pick an area no larger than
25% of the frontage where there is little or no vegetation and to
set it aside for your dock, boathouse, swimming area, etc.
Before
you begin altering the shoreline, it is important to remember to
obtain all the necessary permits. At least six federal and provincial
laws affect shore work in Ontario. According to the federal Fisheries
Act, the responsibility is on the landowner to ensure that shoreline
work does not "harmfully alter, disrupt, or destroy" fish habitat.
Failure to obtain approval before beginning shoreline alterations
can lead to hefty fines and even jail time.
When
developing your shoreline, there are a few environmentally friendly
practices you can follow to help ensure that your activities do
not affect fish or fish habitat.
The
first is to select structures that minimize disturbance to the river
or lake bottom. Cantilever, floating and post-supported docks and
boathouses are recommended because they only disturb river or lake
bottoms minimally, and they do not restrict the movement of water
near the shore.
If
you need to use cribs in your structures, it is best if you use
an open-faced design. Open-faced cribs without solid planking provide
fish and aquatic organisms with spaces to hide from predators. Cribs
should be placed at least six feet out from the high-water mark.
Vertical
planking should not be used along the sides of your dock because
it can restrict the movement of water. Instead, you should use bridging
between cribs or poles that allows the water to circulate.
The
safest materials to use in shoreline structures are untreated woods
such as cedar, fir, hemlock and tamarack. When submerged, these
timbers will not decompose. Plastic wood can also last a long time
if it is installed properly.
You
want to avoid projects that require in-water dredging. Dredging
may be harmful to fish and their habitat, and permits will be needed
to carry out this work.
You
need to ensure that your in-water activities do not occur during
local fish spawning and nursery periods as the work can disturb
spawning behaviour, smother eggs and kill young fish.
Even
within the 25% of shoreline that you have set aside for development,
you should still minimize the amount of shoreline vegetation removed.
This vegetation will prevent the shoreline from eroding and causing
sedimentation problems in your lake or river. Building a small walkway
from your cottage to the dock or boathouse will help maintain the
shoreline vegetation by keeping people from trampling it.
Do
you want to have a boat launch on your property? Avoid constructing
it out of cement as this destroys the fish habitat it is placed
on. Alternatives such as gravel or a marine railway will have less
impact.
By
incorporating these environmentally friendly practices into your
shoreline developments, your projects will more likely be approved
and you will be reducing your impact on your watershed.
Leave
the remaining 75% or more of my shoreline in its natural state
Natural
shorelines have long been recognized as an important component of
healthy and productive water bodies. Unfortunately, it is still
all too common to see landowners clear away the "messy" vegetation
in their shoreline area and replace it with lawns and retaining
walls.
You
can still enjoy your waterfront property while preserving water
quality and wildlife habitat by limiting your shoreline development
to a small area and leaving the remaining 75% or more of your shoreline
in its natural state.
The
District of Muskoka has incorporated this guideline, suggested by
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, in their official policy. The policy
states that "where development is proposed, a natural, substantially
undisturbed buffer is recommended at the water's edge to generally
meet a target of 8 meters (26 feet) in width for three-quarters
of the water frontage."
It
is important to maintain the scenic beauty and natural character
of Muskoka's lakes and rivers, not only for aesthetic reasons, but
for practical ones as well.
Shoreline
vegetation benefits water quality by reducing the amount of sediment,
nutrients, organic matter and pesticides that enter our rivers and
lakes.
There
is no better way to prevent soil erosion that to leave your shoreline
in its natural state. Plant roots anchor the soil, preventing it
from being washed away by currents, waves and rain. This preserves
fish spawning beds, which can become destroyed by sediment accumulation
due to erosion.
Overhanging
branches from trees and shrubs shade the waters to prevent overheating
and provide cover for small fish and other aquatic organisms. Debris
such as logs and boulders also provide cover for many species, spawning
areas for fish, and will serve to reduce the impact of waves on
your shoreline.
There
are several ways to go about protecting or restoring your shoreline.
·
Preservation - a natural shoreline is retained and access to
the lake is designed in such a way as to avoid shoreline damage.
·
Naturalization - degraded shorelines are left alone to return
to their natural state.
·
Enhancement - native species are planted and non-native species
are removed.
·
Restoration - cleared areas are planted with native species.
The
simplest way to get your altered shoreline back on the right track
is through naturalization. Simply mark out an area reaching at least
10 feet back from your shoreline and stop mowing it. Native grasses,
shrubs and trees will colonize the area.
The
process is an interesting one, with wildflowers and grasses moving
in the first year, and trees and shrubs following a year or two
later. Non-desirable species can be selectively cut or hand pulled.
You can gradually increase the naturalized area each year.
Many
native plant species are extremely attractive. You can create an
aesthetically pleasing property while providing food and habitat
for wildlife, preventing erosion, and maintaining water quality.
Take the time to enjoy the view, instead of mowing the lawn.
Provided
by the Muskoka Watershed Council
BOAT
WAKE AND SHORELINE HEALTH
Many
people don't think that boat wake has a harmful effect on shorelines.
After all, haven't waves been around since before people came to
the area? Waves are a part of nature and so shorelines should be
adapted to them, shouldn't they?
Yes,
they should be, but when waves (and wake) are coupled with extensively
altered shorelines, degradation results. And in many cases, wakes
caused by boats are much higher than waves naturally caused by wind.
The
law in Ontario states that power-boaters must slow down to 10 kilometres
an hour within 30 metres of a shoreline, and ignoring this law can
result in fines of up to $500.00. There is good reason for this
law being in place. Not only are large wakes harmful to the environment,
but to people and property as well.
Environmental
Impacts
Large
waves and wakes can impact upon the environment in several ways.
The most obvious result is erosion. Sediment from riverbanks and
shorelines are washed into the water, along with trees and other
plants whose roots have lost their support.
Sediment
washed into the water can cloud it, affecting swimming, boating,
and fishing, while trees that have fallen into the water can be
pushed up against docks or other structures and damage them.
Creating
wake in shallow areas causes water to drag along the bottom and
disturb plants, animals and eggs in the area. Churned up mud can
cause silting of fish spawning habitat and will stick to fish, insect
and frog eggs, depleting them of oxygen and causing them to die.
Large wakes also affect the environment by swamping the nests of
loons and other waterfowl.
Personal
Impacts
Wake can also have a negative impact on people. A large wave can
cause an undertow where the water is very shallow. Young swimmers
can be pulled under by the undertow, or be forced underwater by
a large wave crashing over them.
Wakes
can rock, swamp or capsize other boats. Passengers can be thrown
off balance or overboard when another boat passes too fast and too
close. Wakes may also damage docked boats by thrusting them against
their moorings.
Reducing
Your Wake
The size of a boat's wake depends on the hull size, boat speed,
distance from shore, and depth of water the boat is operating in.
Being aware of these factors while boating is the first step in
reducing your wake. Other steps to reduce your wake include:
·
Always being aware of your wake, especially when changing speeds
or boating in shallow waters.
·
Slowing down enough to eliminate your wake when required.
·
Installing trim tabs to get up on a plane quickly and keep your
boat level.
·
Boating in deeper waters and not getting too close to other
boats or the shore.
·
Positioning your passengers throughout the boat, instead of
just at the stern.
·
Slowing down well before you come across another boat or structure,
as your wake will move out at right angles from your boat.
By
being aware of the wake you create, and minimizing it whenever possible,
you will be ensuring that the natural environment you enjoy while
out boating is sustained for the years to come.
Provided
by the Muskoka Watershed Council
ENVIRONMENTALLY
RESPONSIBLE BOATING
Automobiles
and other on-highway vehicles have long been subject to strict regulations
concerning the amount of emissions they are allowed to produce.
Increased fuel efficiency and technological advances such as the
development of the catalytic converter have greatly reduced the
amount of pollution that these vehicles produce.
As
emission controls for on-highway vehicles have become more effective,
the relative contribution of small engine emissions to overall environmental
pollution has increased. It has only been in the last few years
that governments in both Canada and the United States have turned
their attention to developing regulations for reducing the amount
of pollution created by non-road sources such as snowmobiles, ATVs
and PWCs.
As
usual, the United States is ahead of Canada and already has legislation
in place to ensure that, by 2006, all new outboard engines and PWCs
sold in the U.S. will use low-pollution technology. Canada is in
the process of aligning its requirements with those of the EPA in
the United States.
The
Two-Stroke Engine: Advantages and Disadvantages
The
two-stroke engine has several advantages that make it an ideal choice
for use in tools and recreational vehicles in which the motor is
not used very often and a good power-to-weight ratio is important.
Two-stroke
engines do not have valves, making their construction fairly simple.
They also fire once every revolution giving them a significant power
boost. These advantages make two-stroke engines lighter, simpler
and less expensive to manufacture than other engines. They also
have a great power-to weight ratio.
Yet
despite these advantages, the use of the two-stroke engine is under
fire. It is easy to understand why when you take a look at the disadvantages
of these engines.
In
order to keep your two-stroke engine working, it is necessary to
mix special oil in with the gasoline. Because there is no dedicated
lubrication system, engine parts wear much faster. Oil consumption
in these engines is high, and gas efficiency is extremely low.
Two-stroke
engines are notorious polluters. The pollution from these engines
originates from two sources. Great clouds of black smoke can be
emitted when oil is burned along with the gasoline, and the inefficiency
of these engines leads to 20-30% of unburned fuel and oil being
discharged directly into the environment. This contributes to the
formation of smog and contamination of our drinking water sources.
There
are over 360,000 two-stroke outboards in Ontario and many more two-stroke
engines in snowmobiles, ATVs and PWCs. It is estimated that marine
engines discharge up to one billion litres of unburned oil and gas
into North American waters each year - a figure more than 15 times
greater than the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
Low-Pollution
Technology
The
call for more stringent regulations on non-road engine emissions
has resulted in more and more new engines being produced with low-pollution
technologies, including four-stroke engines and DFI (Direct Fuel
Injection) two-stroke engines.
Four-stroke
engines are the cleanest outboards available. Unlike two-stroke
engines, the exhaust port in four-stroke engines remains closed
until the gas has combusted, preventing raw gas from escaping into
the environment unburned. Manufacturers have been working at making
these engines smaller and lighter so they can be used in more applications.
DFI
two-stroke engines use a computer to inject fuel into the cylinder
as soon as the piston covers the exhaust port. This prevents raw
gas from escaping through the exhaust port unburned.
Both
of these types of engines cost a little more to buy than conventional
two-stroke engines, but the extra money you spend up front is quickly
saved in reduced fuel costs. These engines will actually save you
money in the long run.
The
Clean Air Foundation (www.cleanairfoundation.org) is currently examining
options to address the pollution emitted by two-stroke outboard
marine engines. Over the next year, they will be looking at programs
to encourage the adoption of cleaner four-stroke technology in the
recreational boat market. Who knows, in the coming years they may
have a program in place similar to their lawnmower exchange program,
where replacing your two-stroke lawnmower with an electric or rotary
one entitles you to rebates at participating Home Depots.
Benefits
of Low-Pollution Marine Engines
·
Burn 40-80% less gasoline.
·
Use up to 50% less lubricating oil.
·
Reduce air emissions by up to 90%.
·
Reduce water pollution by reducing the amount of gasoline released
into surface waters.
·
Are significantly quieter, and reduce smoke and fumes.
·
Provide easier starting, faster acceleration and quicker throttle
response.
·
Are less disruptive to wildlife and are better for Muskoka's
watersheds.
Did
You Know?
·
Two-stroke marine engines emit an estimated 100,000 tonnes of
hydrocarbons, nitrous oxides and carbon monoxide into Ontario's
environment each year.
·
The EPA estimates that using a two-stroke 70 horsepower motor
for one hour emits the same amount of hydrocarbons as driving
over 8,000 kilometres in a new automobile.
·
Conventional two-stroke engines exhaust 25-30% of unburned fuel
and oil directly into the environment.
·
Four-stroke engines use 40-80% less fuel, consume up to 50%
less lubricating oil and reduce hydrocarbon emissions by up
to 90%!
Provided
by the Muskoka Watershed Council
What
is a Shore Road Allowance?
During
the initial layout of road allowances in Ontario, sixty six foot
road allowances were established adjacent to navigable rivers and
shores of lakes. Such roads, although infrequently opened, were
originally intended to provide access for public and commercial
passage. The fact that most allowances have never been opened for
use, in no way limits the original conveyance nor obstructs the
right of use by the public. To establish whether a shore road allowance
exists, review the property deed and search for the following wording;
save and except that portion of land consisting of a sixty six foot
shore road allowance.
Can
I close a Shore Road Allowance?
Under
the Municipal Act, municipalities have been empowered to affect
closure and resolve title issues. The Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources has established certain guidelines to encourage municipalities
to retain these allowances where the lands contribute to the preservation
of fish or wildlife habitat. Any person contemplating an application
to close a shore road allowance will be required to make certain
applications and bear associated costs as determined by the local
municipality. Policy, procedures and costs concerning shore road
allowances change from time to time, and we recommend strongly that
persons considering an application seek professional assistance.
Cautions
Regarding Shore Road Allowances
When
contemplating the closure of a shore road allowance, owners should
be aware of certain situations that may arise
·
Non Conforming Status; some cottages may fall under non conforming
status due usually to age of the structure. The acquisition
of the shore road allowance may disrupt this status, and require
other changes to the property, such as set back requirements,
site plan agreement, environmental regulations, etc…
·
Cost of Individual Application; Cost may be substantial, depending
on the property in question. Owners may expect to cover costs
such as survey, purchase price of shore road allowance and costs
associated with negotiations with the municipality
·
Diminished Frontage Acquired; In some circumstances, the frontage
being acquired could effectively be less than existing frontage
measurement, as in the case of a wedge shaped lot with lesser
measurement on the lakeside of the property. In future, this
may effect compliance with zoning and regulations affecting
concerning alterations.
·
Fish Habitat Considerations; Ministry of Natural resources has
a mandate to protect the fish habitat, and thus complicated
negotiations may ensure and effect the costs, timing and amount
of land which may be conveyed.
What
is a Right of Way?
The
right to pass over another’s land, more or less frequently, according
to the nature of the easement.
An
easement may be created whenever a land owner decides to grant a
privilege, called a right of way, to an adjoining land owner. An
easement is defined as the right enjoyed by one land owner over
the land of another, and is obtained for a special purpose rather
than for general use or and occupation of the land. The dominant
tenement enjoys the right of way over the servient tenement to which
the easement applies.
Easements
can be expressly granted for a period of time, or it may be granted
forever. If granted forever, the right of way runs with the land,
and will pass from owner to owner.
Many
Muskoka cottage transactions involve rights of way. We recommend
consulting with an experienced Muskoka lawyer to address any questions
or concerns you may have with a particular situation, prior to establishing
a firm agreement of purchase and sale.
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