Watersheds Canada lesson 3 – At-Capacity Cold Water Lakes factsheet

At-Capacity Cold Water Lake Trout Lakes

This lesson plan aims to educate students about biodiversity, interactions between biotic and abiotic components, and the impacts of development on freshwater resources. Students will learn about the importance of protecting cold water lake trout lakes and create an informational poster on the topic. The activity will help students understand and communicate the importance of reducing the cumulative impacts of development on deep cold water lakes. Students will also assess the impact of human activities on the environment and analyze ways to mitigate negative impacts and contribute to environmental sustainability.

Lake Trout Fact Sheet

The document discusses the unique native strain of lake trout in the Bancroft Area, which is sensitive to aquatic ecosystem health. Lake trout lakes are considered ‘at capacity’ for shoreline development if measured oxygen is below or predicted to fall below the dissolved oxygen criterion. The minimum dissolved oxygen concentration necessary to sustain a lake trout population is 7 mg/L. Shoreline developments can have detrimental effects on water quality and habitat.