Water quality sampling around Lake Ontario

At 1:00 pm, Pat Kriwoy and I followed up on a promise we made as part of the Paddle Across the Lake event, to sample the club waters around Toronto and report on the water quality for these areas.

Although we recognize the results of this sampling will not tell us anything definitively about water quality in Lake Ontario, we feel it is an important first step in the longer term goal of promoting and protecting the Lake for those, such as the paddlers, who love the Lake and spend a great deal of time in and on it.

Special thanks for making this project possible, goes to the Ministry Of Environment who have shown great support for our goals and are providing the lab sample results.

Tuesday was a very windy day, maybe the windiest day of the year for us to be out on the water. It was sunny, with clouds, 20C and gusts up to 54 khm per hour. I note for the purposes of analyzing the sample results later, that there was a great deal of rain on Monday.

The first sample we collected was in the Pier 4 marina. Pat took 2 samples from lab bottles, marked for organics and bacterial, marked them PK, LOK, Sept. 23/03, P-4. The time was 1:00 and the temperature 19C.

GPS: N 43 38.334, W 79 23.085

The second sample was taken at 1:40 from the middle of the Toronto Harbour. Again, sampled for oganics and bacteria. Marked LOK, PK, September 23,03 - TH. Temperature 19C.

GPS: N 43 37.576, W 79 22.777

The third sample was called OTH which was taken from the Toronto outer harbour, near Cherry Beach.The time was 2:00 and the temperature of the water was 18C. The 2 bottles were marked as LOK, PK, Septemeber 23, 03 - OTH.

GPS: N 43 38.442, W 79 19 988

The 4th sample was taken at Scarborough Bluffs, at the outlet of the Bay on the West side of the Bluffs. Time was 3:00 and temperature at 19C. Bottles were marked LOK, PK, Sept. 23, 03, SCAR.

GPS: N 43 42 065, W 79 14.383

The 5th sample was taken at the Eastern end of Scarborough Bluffs - just off the beach, about 300 feet out on Lake. Bottles marked PK, LOK, Sept. 23, 03 - SCAR2

GPS: N 43 42.889, W 79 13.344

The 6th sample was taken from the Lake, out between the Bluffs and the Island. Bottles labeled LOK, PK, Sept. 23/03 - LAKE.

GPS: 43 38.154, W 79 16.386

We then made the big trip across the huge waves, from the East to the West of the City. We could only make it to the Humber River outlet - and arrived there at 5:20. The river was running out into the Bay very brown. Took excellent pictures of the plume. The Humber discharges reminded me of the crazy idea of Toronto beach interests to deal with the water by building a spit to send the river out into the Lake. More dilution and less impact on the beaches. However, what about just cleaning up the Humber?

The 7th set - we took the 2 samples and marked bottles - LOK, PK, Sept. 23, 03, - Humber. The temperature was 17.5 C. GPS: N 43 37.908, W 79 28.283

The 8th set of samples were taken inside the breakwall at Sunnyside just West of the White building. Bottles marked - LOK, PK, Sept 23,03 - SUN.

GPS: N 43 38.131, W 79 27.590

We then returned to the marina. Very tired, as the wind and the sun were quite extreme, as well as the rocking and rolling.

All samples were stored in coolers and placed in the trunk of Pat's car.

The next morning, Pat took the 9th set of samples at Frenchman's Bay Pickering. The time was 9:45 am, Sept. 24,03, LOK, PR. GPS: N 43 48.836, W 79 05.064

Then, at 10:35 Pat took samples in Missausauga at the Credit River. Marked as Credit - LOK, PR, Sept. 24, 03. GPS: N 43 33.071, W 79 35.418

Finally, at MBS at 10:52 - 2 more samples taken marked LOK, PR, Sept. 24, 03, MBS. GPS: N 43 33.742, W 79 33 503.

All samples then transported in cooler to labratory.

-- Mark Mattson