A New Lake Plan - updating the State of Pike Lake
See the results from the recent Health of Pike Lake Survey results in red below.
What is a lake plan?
A lake plan is a community-made action plan that helps cottage owners protect everything they value about their lake—clean water, peaceful surroundings, safe swimming, good fishing, and beautiful views.
It brings together local knowledge, scientific data, and shared priorities to guide how to care for the lake now and in the future.
By identifying goals and outlining clear actions, a lake plan helps prevent common problems like water pollution, invasive species, and developmental pressures, while maintaining the natural and social qualities that make cottage life so special.​​​
Foundational Documents
The Pike Lake 2010 State of the Lake Report and the subsequent Keeping Pike Lake Healthy Handbook (2011) provided an overview of Pike Lake, a summary of the key issues facing Pike Lake, and simple, inexpensive, and effective actions we – individually and collectively – could take to keep Pike Lake healthy for present and future generations.
The reports drew on the outcomes of the several-year process in which Pike Lake property owners identified issues affecting the present and future quality of the water and the Pike Lake environment more generally, and discussed how to preserve and improve the water quality and the lake environment.
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For a Summary of the 2010 State of the Lake Report click here.
To read the 2010 State of the Lake Report click here.
To read the Keeping Pike Lake Healthy Handbook (2011) here.
Update to the 2011 Handbook Actions can be read here.
Steering Committee
A steering committee to update the 2010 and 2011 documents was struck by the Board of the PLCA in Spring 2025. The Committee is led by David Scott, PLCA Vice-President. Lake Steward Cathryn Bjerkelund is the advocate for the committee with the PLCA Board and with the lake community.
An email to all members encouraging their participation in the process resulted in several of the Pike Lake Community coming forward. (Current Steering Committee members list here). David presented the steering committee objectives and the proposed three key priorities (water quality, development pressures, protection of the natural environment) at the June 21 2025 AGM.
Next Steps
The steering committee identified several next steps to update the report:
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a survey of members to reaffirm priorities from 2016 or identify new ones - COMPLETE - See below
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the development of an implementation plan
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the collection of information
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development of info-graphics
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release of information on the Pike Lake website as information and results become available.
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rolling up gathered information into a comprehensive final report​
Health of Pike Lake Survey Results
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​A big thank you to everyone who filled out the Pike Lake Health of the Lake survey! Your feedback will shape the updated Pike Lake Plan — our shared roadmap for keeping the lake healthy and enjoyable for years to come.
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You can find a details of the survey results by clicking here.
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Who Responded:
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We received 70 survey responses, representing a great mix of long-time and newer cottagers. About two-thirds (67%) of respondents have been on the lake for more than 10 years, and most (81%) are seasonal residents. Just over half use the lake as their water source, and many enjoy both paddling and boating. Your input reflects a broad cross-section of how people use and value Pike Lake.
What You Told Us:
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Based on how participants ranked the issues, here are the top five priorities you identified:
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Protecting loons, waterfowl, and wildlife (89%)
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Addressing invasive species such as Eurasian milfoil, zebra mussels, and algal blooms (84%)
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Maintaining good water quality (79%)
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Supporting healthy fisheries (73%)
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Managing water levels (67%)
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Other important topics included shoreline naturalization, impacts from watercraft, and development pressures. These results will help the Steering Committee to focus our efforts where they matter most to the community. For a summary of all the responses please click here (links to the pdf survey attached below)
Next Steps
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The steering committee will review the survey results in more detail and start turning them into action. Watch for updates on the website and Facebook page as we roll out the next steps, including information, resources and practical tips for everyone.
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Volunteers Needed
To move forward with updating the lake plan we will need your engagement. Please consider volunteering to help us collect information, develop info-graphics, or raise awareness.
As we are all volunteers it is quite likely it will take over 2 years to gather the findings, hence the importance of releasing data as it becomes available.
Please continue to monitor this page as the steering committee moves forward with an implementation and engagement plan. If you wish to become involved please email info@pikelake.ca
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Key Issues
Water Quality
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Surface Water
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Ground Water
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Water Levels
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Fisheries Health
Developmental Pressures
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Impacts of Motor Vehicles
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Crown Lands
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Changes to Provincial Development and Environmental Regulations
Natural Environment
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Invasive species
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Wildfire risk
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Changes to Provincial Environmental Regulations
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Reduced scope of Conservation Authorities.
Water Quality
2023 RVCA Watershed Condition Report
The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) released its Watershed Conditions Report
in 2023. The RVCA assigns a Water Quality Index (WQI) score to each lake. Pike Lake has
received top marks – a WQI rating of Very Good (Excellent) – between 2013-2021, which is
the latest data included in the report. This means that the water quality is protected with
virtual absence of threat or impairment, conditions are very close to natural or pristine.
The Watershed Conditions Report also highlighted issues of concern in the Rideau Valley, which includes increasingly low water conditions. Low water conditions were declared for 9 out of 10 years between 2011-2022 (compared to only one out of 10 years in the previous decade). Climate data suggests that we are experiencing increasing temperatures as well in the region, which could compound low water frequency going forward. Climate changes impacts are identified as an area of concern – including changing rainfall rates and an increase in extreme storms. In order to mitigate, where possible, these effects, the RVCA conducts hazard mapping and hydrological modelling to better predict future flooding and erosion. As well, continue sampling to track local climate conditions, water levels and the frequency of flood and drought conditions will help to determine trends and inform the development and implementation of new strategies to continue to protect the watershed.
Keeping shorelines healthy helps keep the lake healthy – a natural shoreline ‘buffer zone’ helps slow flow into the lake and keeps pollutants that could reduce water quality, such as salts, fertilisers and pesticides, out of the lake. When shorelines are cleared of their natural vegetative buffer zone, water temperatures rise, runoff increases, and waterfront residents see a rise in harmful algal blooms, reductions in healthy fish communities and declining water quality levels.
RVCA staff will use the findings from the Watershed Conditions Report to develop a comprehensive Watershed Management Strategy to implement targeted monitoring and conservation programs to address specific, and ongoing, areas of concern.
2020 RVCA Water Quality Data Report
The RVCA conducted water quality testing in 2020 at 9 sites on Pike Lake. Water quality indicators, such as nutrient counts, were comparable to data collected data between 2001 and the present. E. coli counts were low at all sites, and depth measurements indicated generally clear water.
So - let's keep it this way! As cottagers, actions to keep the lake healthy include ensuring septic systems are well-maintained, not using fertilizers or pesticides, minimizing disturbance to the shoreline, and keeping the shoreline natural.
You can download the water quality data provided by RVCA here.
The sample site locations are indicated on a map down the page at this link.
2019 RVCA Water Quality Report
​Our PLCA Lake Steward, Linden Davidson, recently corresponded with Sarah Maclead-Neilson, the Surface Water Quality Coordinator for Rideau Valley Conservation Authority. At his request, Sarah provided the 2019 water chemistry results for Pike Lake. She also included all the data they have on site D (Donnelly Bay). She noted the overall, water quality nutrient results, water clarity and E. coli counts were within recommended guidelines for 2019 with the exception of one sample at RVL-01D. (Site D - Donnelly Bay).
Linden expressed his concern regarding Site D and Sarah noted she was aware this has been highlighted as an area with nuisance plant/algae growth. This is the one location where the Provincial Water Quality Objective (PWQO) was exceeded during June 2019 sampling. In reviewing the complete dataset at this site she found that there was no evidence of a significant change in the total phosphorus concentrations, a slight downward trend (though not statistically significant) was observed in the graph.
Pike Lakers will recall that the creek flowing into this site was investigated in 2013 for possible influences on water quality, and Sarah supplied a copy of the report for our review.
Sarah noted, " I think the shallow, sheltered bay with wetland influences contributes to the abundant vegetation growth observed at this site, particularly when paired with the warm weather we have experienced recently."
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Here are links for the water quality report for 2019 including historical results and detailed information on the "Site D" results.
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2017 RVCA Pike Lake Subwatershed Report
​At the 2019 PLCA AGM Martin Czarski from the RVCA presented the recently updated 2017 Catchment Summary Report for Pike Lake. You'll find some great information on our lake clicking here.