Sudbury lakes report questioned over omissions

Sudbury city councillors will weigh development against water quality at a meeting tonight.They will review a report detailing the health of local lakes and hear staff suggestions on what to do with those numbers.

But some, like Little Lake Panache resident Debbie Powell are already questioning the list of lakes said to be most in danger. 

Powell has lived on the lake for 42 years and has seen a lot of changes — including camps turned into year-round homes and steel drums replaced with real septic systems.

A new city report lists her lake as one of the 33 in Greater Sudbury that's at the greatest risk.

But Powell said she believes the changes people have made on their own have kept the lake safe.

"I think they're not worried about it, they're concerned more," she said. “People are more conscientious now. We know more now than we did years ago."

Linda Heron, the chair of the Vermillion River stewardship, is "shocked" that algae-plagued lakes like Kelly, Simon and McCharles aren't on the list of 33.

"It makes me concerned about the whole foundation and framework of the report."

She said she's still hopeful the city will limit new building on the creeks, marshes and rivers that run into these troubled lakes.

"So, it's about development in the watershed, not just lot development,” Heron said.

List of 33 lakes and parts of lakes identified by city report as being most in danger:

Ashigami Lake
Beaver Lake W (Big) - LV
Bethel Lake
Boland's Lake
Bushy Lake
Clearwater Lake
Dixon (Little Joe) Lake
Ella Lake - W
Fairbank Lake
Forest Lake
Frenchman Lake
Hanmer Lake
Hannah Lake
Joe Lake
Lake Nepahwin
Little Panache Lake
Little Raft Lake
Lohi Lake
Makada Lake
Middle Lake
Page Lake
Raft Lake
Ramsey Lake
RBR 4
Richard Lake
Roland Lake - NR 2
Silver Lake
Skead Bay
Skill Lake
St Pothier Lake
Tilton Lake
Toweman's Lake
Whitson Lake