News

The results of the 2022 Kermit Long Fishing Derby, along with some great pics, are here: 2022 Fishing Derby

This message is to thank ALL of those involved in the successful KLRA 2022 Regatta, this past weekend! The event wouldn't have been possible without the support from the following incredible people: 

• Dave Purdon, owner of Muskoka Meats
• Catherine Dunphy, for supporting logistics
• Fred Hughes, setup/take down and water activity supervisor
• Ashley Savage, setup/take down and activity coordinator
• Kyle Achtenberg, setup/take down and grill master
• Tyler Ryan, organizer, setup/take down and grill master 
• Greig Holder, setup/take down
• Sean Andrews, for providing us with electricity and being a great neighbour
• Stephanie Boyd, for being a great neighbour
• Victoria Thompson, ribbon table manager
• Marlene Clune, ribbon table manager
• Nicole Pirko, art table manager
• Maddy Pirko, art table manager 
• Michele Phillippe, for KLRA membership table
• Sandra Moad, for KLRA membership table
• Leslie Pinard, for KLRA Boutique table
  Marcus Mazza, take down 
• Gabriel Mazza, take down
• Larry, setup/take down
• Paisley Pinard, for communication promotions 

After a two year hiatus, It was amazing bringing this event back into our community.  Nagaya Beach is a wonderful space for KLRA members, and being back at the Beach was incredible. I feel so happy to have seen so many of your faces again in person, as well as meeting all the new friends and families to have joined our beautiful Kahshe Lake community!!

This event is one of a few events that the KLRA provides each year. Your membership in the KLRA organization helps support these events. If you're not a member we would love you to join the organization, click here for more details!

With love, 

Alison Ryan (alisonsmitherss@gmail.com | 416-930-0865)

[Great photos are here]

The Regatta is back for 2022 and there a few pictures to see.

The 2022-23 Kahshe Photo Contest

The judging of the contest is deferred until July 2023. Photos taken since  July 2021 are eligible.

The 2022 Photo Contest did not receive very many submissions. You can still send your best three jpegs to us at photocontest@kahshelake.ca and they will be added to the web site record.  The contest will end at 4:00 pm on July 21, 2023 and all winners will be notified by e-mail.

Prizes will be awarded at 12:00 noon at the Regatta.

Attention Members!

You are all invited to attend the KLRA AGM, to be held in person this summer at the Gravenhurst Opera House Saturday June 25th 10am-12pm. We are preparing an informative & what we hope to be an exciting event for our members. You are welcome to arrive at 9.30 for sign in, coffee/donuts & check out the Boutique which will be set up for purchases.

The agenda will include timely topics of interest including Waste Management, Water Quality, Boat Safety, Financial review, Committee updates & the presentation of our Good Neighbour award.

An agenda & list of guest speakers will be posted in the coming weeks. Please mark June 25th 10-12PM on your calendars!

For the record, the KLRA has spent countless hours in communication with the District over the past 2.5 years to delay the removal of the bins and to find a better solution to our waste collection options for water access cottagers.

Sadly, even with the real threat of losing them, the bins continued to be abused with illegal dumping. No matter who the culprits are, this has ruined it for the rest of our community. We feel the collective pain of the loss of the bins that is being discussed on our website and social media. Many of our board members are water access cottagers who understand the major, logistical challenge this will create this summer.

HOWEVER, please know that your Board has not given up finding the best solution possible. We cannot stop what has been mandated by the Ministry of the Environment but we can continue to let our concerns be known to our local and provincial representatives. We will be closely monitoring the Sunday drop off day and will provide regular feedback to the District.

We encourage all those affected to contact the District directly. In addition, you can comment on the KLRA's Facebook, Twitter or website pages which will provide an on-line dialogue over the course of the next few months.

We will have a representative from the District at our annual AGM planned for Sat June 25th 10-12pm at the Gravenhurst Opera House. This will provide an excellent forum for our members to speak their minds and to be heard.

April Drane, President

As noted earlier, the MECP was notified of a small remaining algal bloom in the east end of the lake on November 12 and they carried out an investigation today. I've been notified that the bloom was no longer present and as such, no sampling was conducted.

Unless there are further developments, this concludes the algal bloom alert for 2021.

Ron Pearson

Kahshe and Bass Lake Steward

On November 2, the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) returned to the site on Sam Cook Road that was confirmed as a Blue-Green Algal Bloom in early October and collected another sample to determine if toxins (microsystin) were still present in the water. The laboratory analysis of the sample failed to detect any toxins, and as such the MECP notified the Simcoe Muskoka Health Unit (SMHU) and they in turn changed the health Alert status from Active to Resolved on November 10.

However, I have been informed that an algal bloom still exists in at least one area at the end of the lake, and the MECP have been notified and asked for clarification regarding the status of the alert in areas where the bloom still remains. I will keep you informed when I hear more from the MECP.

Ron Pearson

Kahshe and Bass Lake Steward 

Blue Green Algal Bloom

ALGAL ALERT UPDATE-OCT 12, 2021

I have just spoken to the staff member at the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) who did the water sampling of Kahshe Lake last week regarding the blue-green algal bloom that was documented in the East end of the lake. She has clarified a number questions I had as noted below:

• When she investigated two of the reported algal blooms on October 4th, there wasn't any algal growth present, so she submitted a sample collected by the property owner for analysis at the MECP lab.
• She received the results confirming the blue-green algal bloom and passed them on to the Simcoe-Muskoka Health Unit (SMHU), and they issued the Health Alert for the ENTIRE lake, as there had been a number of other reports of algal bloom development over the past couple of weeks.
• She agreed to my request for more information and will send me the lab report with the algal species that were identified as well as the toxin analysis results.
  
• She also said that she won't be re-sampling the lake for another 3-4 weeks, as the bulk of the toxins are typically released as the algae start decomposing.
• As soon as the results from the resampling in November are in and show no evidence of toxins, the SMHU will be advised and they will remove the Alert from their website.
• I'll keep you posted as I hear more, but for now, the health advice applies to the entire lake if a bloom is visible in the vicinity of your waterfront.
• And I've now received the actual alert issued by the SMHU and it as well as some warning signs that need to be followed have been posted below.

Ron Pearson

Kahshe and Bass Lake Steward

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  Media Coordinator

Public Service Announcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                       

                                                                                                  Media Desk

                                           705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 (x 8533)                        Heather Howe (x7472)/Kara Thomson-Ryczko (x7417)

                                                                                                           mediainquiry@smdhu.org

Town of Gravenhurst - Residents and visitors to Kahshe Lake in the Town of Gravenhurst are being cautioned about a confirmed blue-green algae bloom impacting the lake.  

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is asking residents and visitors to exercise caution where blue-green algae is visible and to take the following precautions:

§  Do not use the lake water for the preparation of infant formula

§  Do not allow pets or livestock to drink or swim in the water where an algae bloom is visible

§  Be cautious about eating fish caught in water where blue-green algae blooms occur

§  Do not use herbicides, copper sulphate or other algaecides that may break open algae cells and release toxins into the water

§  Avoid swimming and other water sport activities where an algae bloom is visible.

Blooms may make the water look bluish-green, or like green pea soup or turquoise paint.

Many species of blue-green algae (also called cyanobacteria) have the potential to produce toxins that are harmful to the health of humans and animals. The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks will be further analyzing samples to determine the presence of any toxins.

Symptoms from consuming toxins from a blue-green algae bloom can include headaches, fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and can be more serious if water is swallowed in large quantities.

The health unit and the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks will continue to work together to monitor the algal bloom and updates will be provided on our website (www.smdhu.org/algae) as we receive new information.

To learn more about blue-green algae visit the health unit website at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org, or call Health Connection weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520.

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