June 2018 Update – Lake Utopia Preservation Association
First of all, as we roll into Summer, and on behalf of the Board of Directors I would like to wish all our members all the best of what our waterside environment has to offer. Be safe and enjoy, it is great to see everyone back.
Now for a few items of interest:
LUPA Website
• Our new website is now live at www.lakeutopia.ca
• This is a work in progress and stay tuned for further expansion. If there are any interesting stories or pictures that you would like to share, please do not hesitate to submit.
• If you access the site by way of a Google search you may be prompted to redirect to lakeutopia.com. That domain is no longer owned by LUPA.
NBALA Water Quality Working Group
• As you are probably aware LUPA is a member of the New Brunswick Alliance of Lake Associations. (NBALA) – http://www.nbala.ca/
• Over the past year NBALA has formed a working group that will pursue the monitoring of water quality in the 13 member lakes.
• NB Environment have discontinued Lake monitoring.
• NBALA have received funding from the Environmental Trust fund to carry out monitoring on the 13 Alliance Lakes. $75K was applied for and $55K granted.
• Some Lake groups in the Alliance have carried out past monitoring. This year all 13 Lakes will participate.
• NBALA are paying for the equipment used by the LUPA team which is the latest version of said equipment.
• Shannon Weatherhead and her Fiance have volunteered to carry out the monitoring this summer on Lake Utopia.
• Tests will be carried out for Dissolved Oxygen, PH, Temperature, and Conductivity at 3 sampling sites. A fourth site may be added in future years. These sites mirror the locations previously monitored by NB Environment.
• The data obtained from these tests will be tracked on a continuing basis, and will provide early information as to changing trends, and a picture as to how our Lake is fairing in comparison to other Lakes in the Province.
NBALA – Dam Regulation Working Group
• As you were advised previously, NBALA has formed a working group which has been tasked with lobbying Government for a more comprehensive Regulatory Regime for monitoring the operation of Private dams.
• Feedback from our April 17th meeting with NB Govt. reps has been most positive, and we look forward to continuing this dialogue over the coming months.
• The meeting in itself was most encouraging, in that in addition to the 5 reps. present from NBALA, there were 12 Govt. reps present from 5 different Govt. departments.
• The NBALA working group is comprised of Bruce Jackson and Larry Parks from LUPA, 2 members from the Magaguadavic Lakes Association, and the sitting chair of NBALA.
Recent Alewive (Gaspereau) Run in Lake Utopia
• I am sure that many of you noted the swarms of fish along the eastern shore of the Lake in early June.
• Larry Parks followed up with DFO and learned the following:
• In early June the heaviest run of Alewives in at least 20 years was experienced in Lake Utopia, and at least as far up river as Linton Stream. There were literally thousands along the eastern shore of the Lake for a couple of days.
• 3 years ago DFO captured 150 Alewives in the St. Croix system and relayed to the Linton Stream below the Fish Hatchery. 100 of these fish survived the transfer, and it is felt that these fish have now returned along with many thousands of others that they have attracted from other River Systems.
• This return of Alewives will have a most beneficial effect on our Lake, in that through their feeding cycles, levels of both phosphorus and harmful Algae will be reduced in the Lake. ( Algae / Phyto Plankton digests phosphorus — Zoo Plankton in turn feed on Phyto Plankton— Juvenile Alewives consume copious amounts of Zoo Plankton)
• Alewives do not feed on other fish, and in their early life stages are food for the other fish in the lake.
• In at least 2 river systems in Maine where Alewives have been successfully reintroduced, marked improvements have been noted with respect to water quality and reduction in unwanted algae levels. See attached web link — https://www.pressherald.com/2015/08/15/hungry-alewives-help-clear-maine-lakes-ponds/
Membership
• Just a friendly reminder as to membership renewal and dues for the 2018 year. The dues remain at $10.00 per year and if you haven’t yet had the chance may be mailed to the treasurer at:
Larry Parks
Treasurer
Lake Utopia Preservation Association
136 Woodbury Point Road
Utopia NB
E5C 2H6
• Cheques should be made payable to “Lake Utopia Preservation Association”
• Any of the following Directors can also receive dues and forward to Larry:
Shirlee Coleman, Ken Hanselpacker, Bruce Jackson, Bob Clinch, Tom Trynor, Sally Brown, Shirley MacLeod.
• If there has been any change in your email, phone number, etc. please advise so we can update the files.
• If you are aware of any friends or neighbours who are property owners in the Lake Utopia / Lower Magaguadavic River area, and who are not yet members, it would be appreciated if you could promote membership in LUPA.
• It is through strength in membership numbers that we are able to get the attention of Government and others, to address issues of concern in our Lake and River community.
Annual General Meeting
• We are currently considering holding the meeting sometime the week of Sept. 10th. We will advise later as to exact date and location.