fairy lake annual general meeting dave macpherson water management technical specialist parry sound...
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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
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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
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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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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
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-0.10
0.00
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1.00
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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
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an
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MAX
90
75
MEAN
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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
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283.5
283.6
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284.7
1-Ja
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Jan
11-J
an16
-Jan
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an26
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31-J
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Feb
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-Feb
20-F
eb25
-Feb
2-M
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Mar
12-M
ar17
-Mar
22-M
ar27
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pr16
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ay26
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ep13
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ep23
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27-D
ec
TARGET OPERATING LEVEL
TARGET
TOP OF NORMAL OPERATING ZONE
BOTTOM OF NORMAL OPERATING ZONE
Mean 1990-2005
WATER LEVEL 2011
Pre 2006
HUNTSVILLE LAKES WATER LEVEL 2010
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
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284.7
1-Ja
n6-
Jan
11-J
an16
-Jan
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an26
-Jan
31-J
an5-
Feb
10-F
eb15
-Feb
20-F
eb25
-Feb
2-M
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Mar
12-M
ar17
-Mar
22-M
ar27
-Mar
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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
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un15
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Jul
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Aug
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ug14
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Sep
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ep13
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ep23
-Sep
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ct13
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Nov
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-Nov
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-Nov
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Dec
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-Dec
17-D
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TARGET OPERATING LEVEL
TARGET
TOP OF NORMAL OPERATING ZONE
BOTTOM OF NORMAL OPERATING ZONE
Mean 1990-2005
WATER LEVEL 2010
Pre 2006
HUNTSVILLE LAKES WATER LEVEL 2009
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
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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
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un15
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un25
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Jul
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20-J
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30-J
ul4-
Aug
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19-A
ug24
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Sep
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ep13
-Sep
18-S
ep23
-Sep
28-S
ep3-
Oct
8-O
ct13
-Oct
18-O
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-Oct
28-O
ct2-
Nov
7-N
ov12
-Nov
17-N
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-Nov
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Dec
7-D
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-Dec
17-D
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-Dec
27-D
ec
TARGET OPERATING LEVEL
TARGET
TOP OF NORMAL OPERATING ZONE
BOTTOM OF NORMAL OPERATING ZONE
Mean 1990-2005
WATER LEVEL 2009
Pre 2006
HUNTSVILLE LAKES WATER LEVEL 2008
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 OPERATING LEVEL
TARGET
TOP OF NORMAL OPERATING ZONE
BOTTOM OF NORMAL OPERATING ZONE
Mean 1990-2005
WATER LEVEL 2008
Pre 2006