Fairy Lake Annual General Meeting Dave Macpherson Water Management Technical Specialist Parry Sound District Ministry of Natural Resources

Fairy Lake Annual General Meeting

Dave MacphersonWater Management Technical Specialist

Parry Sound District Ministry of Natural Resources

Parry Sound District Water Management

The Team Andy Heerschap District Manager

Trevor Griffin Area Supervisor, Bracebridge Office

Amanda Vincent Area Technician

Ken Molyneaux Area Technician

Dave Macpherson Water Management Technical Specialist

Steve Taylor Water Resources Coordinator

Summary The Ministry of Natural Resources has been actively managing

nearly 40 (38) dams in the Parry Sound District for over 40 years. In total The Parry Sound District Ministry of Natural Resources owns

over 70 (76) dams The experience gained over this period is reflected today in the rule

curves that the present staff use to make daily management decisions.

Dam Operating Manuals and Water Management Plans contain detailed information that is used to help balance the needs of the many stakeholders that rely on the reservoirs.

On a daily basis staff check and record water levels on 16 Lakes, discharge in 12 rivers, precipitation at 6 locations and the weather forecast from three sources. This information is used to decide how to manage individual dams to achieve the goals described in Water Management plans

Dams In the Parry Sound District Dams range from large

multiple opening structures that require frequent visits to small structures that to the untrained eye may not be recognizable as a water control structure.

Water Levels Water levels are managed by removing or replacing stop logs into the dam. By adjusting the size and elevation of the dam opening we adjust the amount of water moving

through the structure. If the reservoir level needs to go up we make the opening smaller so there is less water leaving

the reservoir then entering it. If the level needs to go down we make the opening bigger so more water is going out than coming into the reservoir

How do we know what to do?

Water Levels in Parry Sound District Reservoirs are directed using a rule curve approach.

The rule curve guides operators so we can adjust lake levels to meet the needs of different stakeholders at different times of year

LAKE MUSKOKA WATER LEVEL

224.3

224.4

224.5

224.6

224.7

224.8

224.9

225.0

225.1

225.2

225.3

225.4

225.5

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225.7

225.8

225.9

226.0

226.1

226.2

226.3

224.3

224.4

224.5

224.6

224.7

224.8

224.9

225.0

225.1

225.2

225.3

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225.6

225.7

225.8

225.9

226.0

226.1

226.2

226.3

Recreation & Navigation

Ecology & Flood Control

Hydro Production

Climate & Hydro

Flood Control

Climate & Ecology

Water Management Plans The need for Water Management Plans originated

from Hydro deregulation and is administered under the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act

The Muskoka River Watershed is managed following the direction of the Muskoka River Water Management Plan.

The plan was developed to balance the needs of the many stakeholders on the system and is a valuable tool for Water Control Staff.

A similar but less formalized approach is used for reservoirs outside the Muskoka River Watershed

A Water Management Plan involves extensive research and consultation to establish priorities for water level management, this way operations staff can focus on managing the lake to a level that is most appropriate.

The MRWMP uses an adaptive management approach. The performance of the plan is evaluated midway through and at the end of the term and changes can be made to address needs of stakeholders if this can be done without compromising another objective.

Longer Period of higher water levels provides a better opportunity for wetlands and other seasonally inundated areas to develop & provided sustained discharge during the Walleye Spawning and incubation period.

Reduced winter drawdown helps minimize impacts on lake trout eggs that develop over winter

Declining summer water level provides fresh water during a period of typically dry weather

Increased fall drawdown reduces difference between fall and winter level & fish to spawn at lower elevations

Revised Target Operating Level

Meeting the Objectives The volume of water moving

through the system can vary greatly depending on climate conditions.

Periods of dry of wet weather can result in less or more water in the system

Dams must be adjusted accordingly so water levels can be maintained as close to the target operating level as possible.

On a daily basis water control staff review and document watershed conditions to plan operations at water control structures in the district

Challenges There are many different stakeholders with different and sometimes

conflicting interests. It is not possible to meet the needs of all stakeholders at the same time. It is not uncommon to have perceived high or low water issues coming from

the same group at the same time

Complicated System As water moves

through a watershed any changes at one dam affect the ones below it

Operations must be coordinated between dams and agencies to ensure the objectives of the Water Management Plan are met

Too Much Water Water Levels can

change rapidly in response to runoff.

In the Parry Sound District Spring is typically the most volatile time of year.

Large volumes of snow combined with rain can result in rapidly rising water levels.

Often the volume of water is greater than can be passed through a dam and water levels rise to damaging levels

•Water levels 30cm above summer levels generate many complaints and can damage infrastructure

•Lakes in the Parry Sound District have extensive valuable infrastructure in the Flood Plain

Too Little Water Low Water Levels caused by dry periods can result in difficulties with navigation and

can be harmful to the environment During dry periods it is important to maintain discharge in reached downstream of

lakes. This can make it impossible to keep lakes at the preferred level for navigation

How do we deal with variability? Higher spring levels so water is stored in case of a dry summer Winter Drawdown to make room for the melt Operators monitor weather conditions closely and make decisions based on forecast

and observed information

Communication Helping the public understand what is happening Providing warning to partners Receiving and using information

Water Body Drainage Area

% of Total

Big East River 732km2 60.5%

Buck River 219km2 18.1%

Lake Vernon

(Not including Big East and Buck River)

139km2 11.5%

Fairy Lake

Not including Vernon)

56km2 4.6%

Peninsula Lake 62km2 5.1

Total (at Dam) 1208km2 100%

Drainage AreaFairy Lake has a large drainage area

Approximately 1/5 of the entire Muskoka River Watershed area is above Fairy Lake

80% of all the water that goes through the Huntsville Dam travels through Lake Vernon

Lake Vernon Watershed

Pen & Fairy Lake Watershed

Muskoka River Water Management Plan Changes vs. Hackner Holden

HUNTSVILLE LAKES RULE CURVE

282.7

282.8

282.9

283.0

283.1

283.2

283.3

283.4

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283.6

283.7

283.8

283.9

284.0

284.1

284.2

284.3

284.4

284.5

284.6

284.7

1-Ja

n6-

Jan

11-J

an16

-Jan

21-J

an26

-Jan

31-J

an5-

Feb

10-F

eb15

-Feb

20-F

eb25

-Feb

2-M

ar7-

Mar

12-M

ar17

-Mar

22-M

ar27

-Mar

1-A

pr6-

Apr

11-A

pr16

-Apr

21-A

pr26

-Apr

1-M

ay6-

May

11-M

ay16

-May

21-M

ay26

-May

31-M

ay5-

Jun

10-J

un15

-Jun

20-J

un25

-Jun

30-J

un5-

Jul

10-J

ul15

-Jul

20-J

ul25

-Jul

30-J

ul4-

Aug

9-A

ug14

-Aug

19-A

ug24

-Aug

29-A

ug3-

Sep

8-S

ep13

-Sep

18-S

ep23

-Sep

28-S

ep3-

Oct

8-O

ct13

-Oct

18-O

ct23

-Oct

28-O

ct2-

Nov

7-N

ov12

-Nov

17-N

ov22

-Nov

27-N

ov2-

Dec

7-D

ec12

-Dec

17-D

ec22

-Dec

27-D

ec

282.7

282.8

282.9

283.0

283.1

283.2

283.3

283.4

283.5

283.6

283.7

283.8

283.9

284.0

284.1

284.2

284.3

284.4

284.5

284.6

284.7START OF HIGH WATER ZONE

TOP OF NORMAL OPERATING ZONE

TARGET OPERATING LEVEL

BOTTOM OF NORMAL OPERATING ZONE

TARGET OPERATING LEVEL PRIOR TO MRWMP

TOP OF LOW WATER ZONE

Lake Spring Draw Down Spring Peak Fall Draw Down Winter Peak

Huntsville Lakes 7cm higher Unchanged 2cm lower Unchanged

Lake of Bays 10cm higher Unchanged 15cm lower Unchanged

Mary Lake 24cm higher 12cm higher 6cm lower Unchanged

Lake Muskoka 20cm higher 8cm higher Unchanged-earlier 12cm higher

Normal Operating Zone =Unchanged

HUNTSVILLE LAKES 1980 - 2007

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283.0

283.1

283.2

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283.7

283.8

283.9

284.0

284.1

284.2

284.3

284.4

284.5

284.6

284.7

1-Ja

n6-

Jan

11-J

an16

-Jan

21-J

an26

-Jan

31-J

an5-

Feb

10-F

eb15

-Feb

20-F

eb25

-Feb

2-M

ar7-

Mar

12-M

ar17

-Mar

22-M

ar27

-Mar

1-A

pr6-

Apr

11-A

pr16

-Apr

21-A

pr26

-Apr

1-M

ay6-

May

11-M

ay16

-May

21-M

ay26

-May

31-M

ay5-

Jun

10-J

un15

-Jun

20-J

un25

-Jun

30-J

un5-

Jul

10-J

ul15

-Jul

20-J

ul25

-Jul

30-J

ul4-

Aug

9-A

ug14

-Aug

19-A

ug24

-Aug

29-A

ug3-

Sep

8-S

ep13

-Sep

18-S

ep23

-Sep

28-S

ep3-

Oct

8-O

ct13

-Oct

18-O

ct23

-Oct

28-O

ct2-

Nov

7-N

ov12

-Nov

17-N

ov22

-Nov

27-N

ov2-

Dec

7-D

ec12

-Dec

17-D

ec22

-Dec

27-D

ec

282.7

282.8

282.9

283.0

283.1

283.2

283.3

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283.6

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283.8

283.9

284.0

284.1

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284.3

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284.5

284.6

284.7START OF HIGH WATER ZONE TOP OF NORMAL OPERATING ZONE TARGET OPERATING LEVEL BOTTOM OF NORMAL OPERATING ZONE MAX9075MEAN2510MINTOP OF LOW WATER ZONE

June-August

80% within a 15cm

50% within 10cm

In future the mean will probably gradually move more towards the

green line

Fig. 20 WATER LEVEL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEASURING POINTS ON HUNTSVILLE LAKES AND HUNTSVILLE AUTOMATIC WATER LEVEL GAUGE

-1.30

-1.20

-1.10

-1.00

-0.90

-0.80

-0.70

-0.60

-0.50

-0.40

-0.30

-0.20

-0.10

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

0.90

1.00

1.10

1.20

1.30

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275

DISCHARGE - cms

WA

TE

R L

EV

EL

DIF

FE

RE

NC

E f

rom

HU

NT

SV

ILL

E A

UT

OM

AT

IC G

AU

GE

-

m

Lake Vernon at KinsmenBeach MP

Huntsville Town Dock StaffGauge

Huntsville AutomaticGauge to Fairy Lake MPat Huntsville Marine -estimated

Huntsville AutomaticGauge to Brunel Road Bridge M.P.

Huntsville AutomaticGauge to Huntsville Lock Upper MP (formerstaff gauge location)

LEGEND

NOTE: Use Brunel Bridge water level as headwater elevation at dam for dam discharge calculations.

See Table 15

MP = Measuring Point

During an average spring ~100CMS the water level at the G8 centre is approximately 30cm higher than at the dam!

During periods of high flow the volume of water entering Fairy Lake exceeds what can leave it and water levels rise the further

upstream you travel from the dam

North Muskoka River at Port Sydney Discharge 1915-1997

0

50

100

150

200

250

1-J

an

15

-Ja

n

29

-Ja

n

12

-Fe

b

26

-Fe

b

12

-Ma

r

26

-Ma

r

9-A

pr

23

-Ap

r

7-M

ay

21

-Ma

y

4-J

un

18

-Ju

n

2-J

ul

16

-Ju

l

30

-Ju

l

13

-Au

g

27

-Au

g

10

-Se

p

24

-Se

p

8-O

ct

22

-Oct

5-N

ov

19

-No

v

3-D

ec

17

-De

c

31

-De

c

month

MAX

90

75

MEAN

25

10

MIN

HighFallsCapacity

Although hydro production is important it is not the primary objective for water management and discharge routinely exceeds the plant capacity at high falls. There are also requirements restricting the

minimum outflow from the lakes in a dry summer water levels will be low but the goal is to protect downstream ecology not to generate

hydro

Questions?

HUNTSVILLE LAKES WATER LEVEL 2011

282.7

282.8

282.9

283.0

283.1

283.2

283.3

283.4

283.5

283.6

283.7

283.8

283.9

284.0

284.1

284.2

284.3

284.4

284.5

284.6

284.7

1-Ja

n6-

Jan

11-J

an16

-Jan

21-J

an26

-Jan

31-J

an5-

Feb

10-F

eb15

-Feb

20-F

eb25

-Feb

2-M

ar7-

Mar

12-M

ar17

-Mar

22-M

ar27

-Mar

1-A

pr6-

Apr

11-A

pr16

-Apr

21-A

pr26

-Apr

1-M

ay6-

May

11-M

ay16

-May

21-M

ay26

-May

31-M

ay5-

Jun

10-J

un15

-Jun

20-J

un25

-Jun

30-J

un5-

Jul

10-J

ul15

-Jul

20-J

ul25

-Jul

30-J

ul4-

Aug

9-A

ug14

-Aug

19-A

ug24

-Aug

29-A

ug3-

Sep

8-S

ep13

-Sep

18-S

ep23

-Sep

28-S

ep3-

Oct

8-O

ct13

-Oct

18-O

ct23

-Oct

28-O

ct2-

Nov

7-N

ov12

-Nov

17-N

ov22

-Nov

27-N

ov2-

Dec

7-D

ec12

-Dec

17-D

ec22

-Dec

27-D

ec


TARGET



Mean 1990-2005

WATER LEVEL 2011

Pre 2006


282.7

282.8

282.9

283.0

283.1

283.2

283.3

283.4

283.5

283.6

283.7

283.8

283.9

284.0

284.1

284.2

284.3

284.4

284.5

284.6

284.7

1-Ja

n6-

Jan

11-J

an16

-Jan

21-J

an26

-Jan

31-J

an5-

Feb

10-F

eb15

-Feb

20-F

eb25

-Feb

2-M

ar7-

Mar

12-M

ar17

-Mar

22-M

ar27

-Mar

1-A

pr6-

Apr

11-A

pr16

-Apr

21-A

pr26

-Apr

1-M

ay6-

May

11-M

ay16

-May

21-M

ay26

-May

31-M

ay5-

Jun

10-J

un15

-Jun

20-J

un25

-Jun

30-J

un5-

Jul

10-J

ul15

-Jul

20-J

ul25

-Jul

30-J

ul4-

Aug

9-A

ug14

-Aug

19-A

ug24

-Aug

29-A

ug3-

Sep

8-S

ep13

-Sep

18-S

ep23

-Sep

28-S

ep3-

Oct

8-O

ct13

-Oct

18-O

ct23

-Oct

28-O

ct2-

Nov

7-N

ov12

-Nov

17-N

ov22

-Nov

27-N

ov2-

Dec

7-D

ec12

-Dec

17-D

ec22

-Dec

27-D

ec


TARGET



Mean 1990-2005

WATER LEVEL 2010

Pre 2006


282.7

282.8

282.9

283.0

283.1

283.2

283.3

283.4

283.5

283.6

283.7

283.8

283.9

284.0

284.1

284.2

284.3

284.4

284.5

284.6

284.7

1-Ja

n6-

Jan

11-J

an16

-Jan

21-J

an26

-Jan

31-J

an5-

Feb

10-F

eb15

-Feb

20-F

eb25

-Feb

2-M

ar7-

Mar

12-M

ar17

-Mar

22-M

ar27

-Mar

1-A

pr6-

Apr

11-A

pr16

-Apr

21-A

pr26

-Apr

1-M

ay6-

May

11-M

ay16

-May

21-M

ay26

-May

31-M

ay5-

Jun

10-J

un15

-Jun

20-J

un25

-Jun

30-J

un5-

Jul

10-J

ul15

-Jul

20-J

ul25

-Jul

30-J

ul4-

Aug

9-A

ug14

-Aug

19-A

ug24

-Aug

29-A

ug3-

Sep

8-S

ep13

-Sep

18-S

ep23

-Sep

28-S

ep3-

Oct

8-O

ct13

-Oct

18-O

ct23

-Oct

28-O

ct2-

Nov

7-N

ov12

-Nov

17-N

ov22

-Nov

27-N

ov2-

Dec

7-D

ec12

-Dec

17-D

ec22

-Dec

27-D

ec


TARGET



Mean 1990-2005

WATER LEVEL 2009

Pre 2006


282.7

282.8

282.9

283.0

283.1

283.2

283.3

283.4

283.5

283.6

283.7

283.8

283.9

284.0

284.1

284.2

284.3

284.4

284.5

284.6

284.7

1-Ja

n6-

Jan

11-J

an16

-Jan

21-J

an26

-Jan

31-J

an5-

Feb

10-F

eb15

-Feb

20-F

eb25

-Feb

2-M

ar7-

Mar

12-M

ar17

-Mar

22-M

ar27

-Mar

1-A

pr6-

Apr

11-A

pr16

-Apr

21-A

pr26

-Apr

1-M

ay6-

May

11-M

ay16

-May

21-M

ay26

-May

31-M

ay5-

Jun

10-J

un15

-Jun

20-J

un25

-Jun

30-J

un5-

Jul

10-J

ul15

-Jul

20-J

ul25

-Jul

30-J

ul4-

Aug

9-A

ug14

-Aug

19-A

ug24

-Aug

29-A

ug3-

Sep

8-S

ep13

-Sep

18-S

ep23

-Sep

28-S

ep3-

Oct

8-O

ct13

-Oct

18-O

ct23

-Oct

28-O

ct2-

Nov

7-N

ov12

-Nov

17-N

ov22

-Nov

27-N

ov2-

Dec

7-D

ec12

-Dec

17-D

ec22

-Dec

27-D

ec


TARGET



Mean 1990-2005

WATER LEVEL 2008

Pre 2006

Documents

Fairy Lake Annual General Meeting Dave Macpherson Water Management Technical Specialist Parry Sound District Ministry of Natural Resources