Preserving Lac Sam
Protecting the lake AND your property value – it starts with the quality of the water.
What we do at the cottage has a direct impact on the quality of the lake water. Our septic waste systems, cleaners, dock construction, outdoor lighting and boating practices are just a few things that can hurt or help the lake.
We measure the quality of the water by measuring the phosphorus levels in Lac Sam at various locations twice a year. A healthy, uninhabited lake would have phosphorus levels under 4 ug/L (micrograms/litre). Lac Sam’s average phosphorus level is 7.4 ug/L for the period 2008-2016. Our goal is to keep Lac Sam’s phosphorus levels well under 8 ug/L.
Recent Environment Related Articles:
Living with Generators (when needed) (and how to get your neighbours to embrace them)
Power disruptions at Lac Sam are a recurring event, and some seasons too recurring. When the outages stretch over days, not hours, we naturally get concerned about the food in…
How to Choose Eco-friendly Household and Personal Care Products
We know more today than at any other time in history about the impact humanity has had and continues to have on the environment. This knowledge must motivate us to…
No Soap No Suds in the Lake
Don’t be fooled by marketing terms such as eco, green, pure and natural.
Septic system tips…
Really, it does not get much more basic than septic systems! In the city, connected to municipal sewer systems, it is easy to not think nearly as much about what happens to all the…
Fire! How to Prevent it
The cottages of Lac Sam are vulnerable to fire. We are remote, our treed paradise provides fuel for fires, and much of our soil is peat, a perfect fire starter. …
12 Ways to Reduce Lake Pollution from your Boat Motor
Motor boats impact water quality of our lake. Unburned fuel, and cleaning and protecting chemicals discharge or leach into the lake and can severely affect the delicate ecosystem. Here are 12 ways in which we can reduce the damaging effect of our boat motor:
The Do’s and Don’t’s For your Shoreline
A healthy shoreline helps keep a healthy lake. What makes a healthy shoreline? What can you do and with what regulations must we comply to keep Lac Sam’s shores and water healthy? Here are some tips on shoreline do’s and don’ts:
7 Things Not to Dump in the Lake
Most of us know not to dump garbage or toxic waste into the lake. Yet, there some things that are harmful to the lake that may not be so intuitive. …
How Not to ‘Kill’ Lac Sam
One of the largest sources of water pollution is caused by fertilizers and pesticides. Here are some safer tips to deal with pests and weeds without killing our lake!
Love Your Lake? Watch Your Wake!
There’s a good way and a bad way to drive your boat. Do you know the difference? One causes damage to our shore, property and wildlife nests. The other is smooth sailing! Here are tips to reducing your wake!
How to Keep Invasive Species Out!
How do we protect the beautiful nature at Lac Sam from nasty invasive species? Prevention, fellow cottagers, is the best defence. Here’s what we can do…
50 Ways to Lose Your Plastic
Fantastic and easy tips to reduce your plastic use and waste!
What to put in what garbage bin at Lac Sam
Lac Sam Enviro book
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When the Power Goes out – tips on Generators and more