Brome Lake Blog

Subject: Brome Lake low water levels Fall 2009

After spending some of my spare time lately observing the receding water line in Brome Lake. I wonder if anybody has noticed the unusually large numbers of geese and ducks still present on the lake.
While it’s true the weather has been mild, I believe the reason for their hanging around longer this year and in such numbers, has more to do with the abundance of food they are finding, due to the artificially induced extremely low lake water levels.
All along the shoreline in Soles Bay and over to Bondville, Canada geese can be seen in the hundreds, if not occasionally thousands, all with their bottoms tipped up scavenging / ravaging the bottom.

Normally they would not have access to these areas 30-60 ft from shore because the water would be 4-5 ft deep and they don’t ever seem to dive completely underwater for food. Not only are they now able to consume all the bottom dwelling food resources normally utilized by our lake fish. But consider the mass of fertilizer being depositing in our low water lake !

As stated, the area they are feeding so heavily on, is also an important feeding area for many of our native lake game-fish. The question is, will there be anything left for the game-fish to eat when the lake is finally returned to normal levels ?

With virtually no water or cover in our feeder brooks and creeks, are we about to lose an entire generation of lake fish so the roads dept. can play at bridge building ?
Can they not build a bridge without lowering the lake ?
Bridges are replaced everywhere, all the time, with no apparent need to lower water levels in close by waterways.
What would they do if instead of being adjacent to Brome Lake, they were next to Lake Ontario ?

Did the parties involved ever consider the environmental impact of lowering the lake to this extreme low level, at this late date ?

Will the normally shallow Soles Bay ( 3-5 ft,) a powerhouse nursery for thousands and thousands of juvenile fish coming out of Pearson Creek and the adjacent marshes’ waterway system, freeze solid this year at it’s present low 1-2 ft level ?
What then happens to these schools of small fish ? What happens to all the creatures / plants dependent on there being adequate water in the creeks, brooks,swamps and marshes, turtles, frogs, muskrats ? Does anybody know ? Does anybody care ? Is a disaster looming ?

Is this another example of “we’re the government and we don’t care” ?

I, along with my grandchildren, just as I along with my grandfather, get/got a lot of pleasure out of fishing on the lake. One of the few activities a 66 year old and a 6 year old can share and enjoy equally.
Nowadays,( thankfully) we catch, photograph and release everything,( no fish to clean, great ) but lots of great photos and memories.
Oh, maybe one fish fry a summer.

I have one more observation for the custodians of the lake, I submit it respectfully.

This was the first year of the no lawn cutting within 30 ft of the lake’s shoreline rule.
I have observed most people, trying to help out the lake, conforming to the rule.

This August however, when looking at the juncture between green mown lawn and “aux natural” uncut shoreline grasses. I observed most of the uncut natural grasses had by then gone to seed, dried up and turned yellow, some stalks were broken over and starting to rot.

It occurred me that there was no doubt as to which lakeshore grasses (cut or uncut ) were more effective in absorbing and using up more unwanted fertilizer present in
run-off water entering the lake.
Freshly mown grass is traumatized and the plant immediately attempts to rejuvenate itself, this puts a strain on the roots to provide more nutrients, more fertilizer.
(The reason for the large amounts of fertilizer used on golf courses)

If we are diligent in removing shoreline grass cuttings so they cannot decompose into fertilizer, the roots must find and absorb even more nutrients from their surroundings. A desired effect. Another plus, green grass growth and nutrient (fertilizer) usage may still be going on as late as November. Another positive.

Dead, dried up vegetation, i.e…natural grasses, not only demand no nutrient fertilizers at all,( often by mid August ). but because they’re life cycle is over, they are starting to decompose and turn themselves into nutrients, fertilizers ! Not Helpful.

Morris Croghan Fulford

Monday, May 17, I arrived at the clinic here in “Ville de Lac Brome” for blood tests which included a sugar test.
I arrived at 8:05, after waiting my turn to submit my number to the receptionist,(around an hour later) I was informed by her that “Sorry, we don’t do sugar test here, you have to go to Cowansville for that, but at this time you are too late, better arrive there around 7:30 a.m.”
Needless to say, I was Very annoyed, I know that it is not the receptionist fault that they do not have the “Knowledge” to do sugar test in at the Ville de Lac Brome Clinic, but could they not have a sign posted by the door, as one walks in, so one does not wait for an hour to be told that you have to go elsewhere.
Nurse’s and Doctors time is precious, as we are all aware, but so is mine.
That hour of sitting for nothing could have been spent on something more beneficial, my waiting ( and I am sure I am not the first patient waiting for this test or maybe other test that they don’t do here) should and could have been avoided, if only they would take the time to be considerate of people and their time, and post a bilingual sign in the clinic, or by the entrance door. Katie