Lake Scugog
Encyclopedia
Lake Scugog is an artificially flooded lake
in Scugog Township
between the town of Port Perry, Ontario
and the town of Lindsay
. The lake has been raised and lowered several times over its history. Though not technically part of the Kawarthas due to its shallow depths, it is often geographically linked to them. Its sole outflow
, the Scugog River
, connects to Sturgeon Lake
.
word meaning "marshy waters". However, according to Place Names of Ontario by Alan Rayburn, Scugog is a Mississauga
word meaning 'waves leap over a canoe' in reference, perhaps, to the flooding of the river valley, or, more likely, the quickness that waves can be whipped up in winds, owing to its shallowness.
with an average depth of 1.4 metres, Lake Scugog (44°10′N 78°50′W) is amongst the largest five lakes of the Kawarthas by surface area
. It is also the shallowest, alongside Mitchell Lake
, which leads to it commonly being excluded from the Kawartha lakes. It is fed by the Blackstock and Cawkers Creeks and the Nonquon River, as well as by many small unnamed tributaries. The Scugog River is the only outflow from the lake, flowing into Sturgeon Lake which drains through the Trent watershed
. Other communities surrounding the lake include Seagrave, Port Hoover, View Lake and Ceasarea. Scugog Island (whose island status is debatable due to the south-western edge being a seasonally flooded swamp) lay in the centre of the lake.
A 2.58 square kilometre Mississaugian
Indian Reserve of about 50 residents exists on Scugog Island, and includes the Great Blue Heron Casino
, amongst the many seasonal cottagers on the island and around the lake.
-producing lake, and the lake bottom consists of deep deposits of it. This gives the lake a murky appearance in warm weather, especially during the summer. The lake is reportedly filling in with this marl by about 1 millimetre per year.
In dry summer weather, the Scugog River ceases to flow out of the lake, and its tributary streams of Mariposa Brook and East Cross Creek flow backward into the lake via the river to offset the high evaporative losses off the lake and marsh surfaces.
y area along the north end. The lake was flooded approximately ten feet when William Purdy
and his sons dam
med the Scugog River
at Lindsay
(Upstream from the current dam and locks) in 1834 to power his grist mill. During this period of high water levels through the mid-thirties, todays so-called islands of Washburn, Nonquon (now Seven Mile), Ball, Platten, and the enormous centrally located Scugog came into existence as islands. Today, these form part of the mainland, with the exception of Scugog Island, which is generally maintained as an island by man-made channels around the swampy south end of the island.
The stagnant waters of the lake caused a wave of deadly fevers in the surrounding farms, and the new lake limits quickly became very unpopular with the local residents. On one day in the summer of 1838, settlers from the countryside surrounding the lake rose up and using axes, flintlocks and pitchforks, tore the dam apart, lowering the lake once more. No charges were laid due to the general anger towards the water height by residents, and because of a deal reached between Purdy and the Board of Works of the Province of Canada, on December 18, 1843. Mr. Purdy was forced to lower the elevation to something approximating its natural maximum spring high-water level, a reduction in the height of the previous dam by about three feet. The Board of Works constructed the dam and a lock for navigation into Lake Scugog, which was completed in 1844 and included a log flume
. In exchange, Purdy relinquished all claims against the damage done by residents, and maintained the dam and flume.
stands and cranberries
harvested by the native Mississaugas
. The flooding of the lakes contributed greatly to their destruction.
It is surrounded by swamp
s and marsh
es which provide ideal habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife.
Lake Scogog has an array of fish
, including an abundant supply of largemouth bass
, walleye
, crappie
, musky, perch, carp, catfish, rock bass, smallmouth bass and minnows. There is also a robust ice fishing season from January 1 to March 1. Because of this, it is a renowned fishing location in southern Ontario.
in the early nineteenth century. This resource became quickly exhausted with the rapid sawing of pine in the area. The Trent Canal (Now the Trent-Severn Waterway
) was constructed through Lindsay in late 1800s to facilitate steamboat
travel to Sturgeon Lake and Lake Ontario
as the boats were constructed in Port Perry.
Today, the lake is a tourist area, forming the southern boundary to "Cottage Country". The towns of Port Perry and Lindsay benefit from the recreational boating
through the Trent-Severn Waterway by vacationers in the summer. Fishing is also a major attraction of the lake, as its shallow weed-filled bed is host to an abundance of species.
, an introduced disease affecting the carp family, was ultimately determined to be the culprit.
Few carp deaths have occurred since, and in 2008, it was reported that the Lake had returned to its normal state.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in Scugog Township
Scugog, Ontario
Scugog is a township in the Regional Municipality of Durham, south-central Ontario, Canada. A smaller Scugog Township was also a historic municipality and geographic township prior to the amalgamation that formed the current municipality.-History:...
between the town of Port Perry, Ontario
Port Perry, Ontario
Port Perry is a community located in Scugog Township, Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. The town is located east of Uxbridge and southwest of Peterborough. Many residents commute to Toronto on a daily basis. Port Perry's municipal website reported a population of just over 9,500 in 2010.Port Perry...
and the town of Lindsay
Lindsay, Ontario
Lindsay is a community of 19,361 people on the Scugog River in the Kawartha Lakes region of south-eastern Ontario, Canada. It is approximately west of Peterborough...
. The lake has been raised and lowered several times over its history. Though not technically part of the Kawarthas due to its shallow depths, it is often geographically linked to them. Its sole outflow
Discharge (hydrology)
In hydrology, discharge is the volume rate of water flow, including any suspended solids , dissolved chemical species and/or biologic material , which is transported through a given cross-sectional area...
, the Scugog River
Scugog River
The Scugog River is a river in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario which flows north from Lake Scugog to empty into Sturgeon Lake on the Trent-Severn Waterway....
, connects to Sturgeon Lake
Sturgeon Lake (Ontario)
Sturgeon Lake is a lake in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Trent-Severn Waterway. The lake is Y shaped and has the communities of Fenelon Falls, Lindsay, Sturgeon Point and Bobcaygeon at the north-west, south, central and north-east points of the Y respectively...
.
Etymology
The name "Scugog" may be an OjibweOjibwe language
Ojibwe , also called Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of the Algonquian language family. Ojibwe is characterized by a series of dialects that have local names and frequently local writing systems...
word meaning "marshy waters". However, according to Place Names of Ontario by Alan Rayburn, Scugog is a Mississauga
Mississaugas
The Mississaugas are a subtribe of the Anishinaabe-speaking First Nations people located in southern Ontario, Canada. They are closely related to the Ojibwa...
word meaning 'waves leap over a canoe' in reference, perhaps, to the flooding of the river valley, or, more likely, the quickness that waves can be whipped up in winds, owing to its shallowness.
Geography
With 68 km²1 E8 m²
To help compare different orders of magnitude and geographical regions, listed below are areas between 100 km2 and 1000 km2. See also areas of other orders of magnitude.* Areas less than 100 km2* 100 km2 is equal to:** 1 E+8 m²...
with an average depth of 1.4 metres, Lake Scugog (44°10′N 78°50′W) is amongst the largest five lakes of the Kawarthas by surface area
Surface area
Surface area is the measure of how much exposed area a solid object has, expressed in square units. Mathematical description of the surface area is considerably more involved than the definition of arc length of a curve. For polyhedra the surface area is the sum of the areas of its faces...
. It is also the shallowest, alongside Mitchell Lake
Mitchell Lake (Ontario)
Mitchell Lake is a small, man-made lake in south-central Ontario, located in the former Eldon Township, of Victoria county...
, which leads to it commonly being excluded from the Kawartha lakes. It is fed by the Blackstock and Cawkers Creeks and the Nonquon River, as well as by many small unnamed tributaries. The Scugog River is the only outflow from the lake, flowing into Sturgeon Lake which drains through the Trent watershed
Trent River (Ontario)
The Trent River is a river in southeastern Ontario which flows from Rice Lake to empty into the Bay of Quinte on Lake Ontario. This river is part of the Trent-Severn Waterway which leads to Georgian Bay. The river is 90 km long...
. Other communities surrounding the lake include Seagrave, Port Hoover, View Lake and Ceasarea. Scugog Island (whose island status is debatable due to the south-western edge being a seasonally flooded swamp) lay in the centre of the lake.
A 2.58 square kilometre Mississaugian
Mississaugas
The Mississaugas are a subtribe of the Anishinaabe-speaking First Nations people located in southern Ontario, Canada. They are closely related to the Ojibwa...
Indian Reserve of about 50 residents exists on Scugog Island, and includes the Great Blue Heron Casino
Great Blue Heron Casino
The Great Blue Heron Casino is located on Scugog Island, just east of the town of Port Perry, Ontario, and northeast of Toronto. Both the Casino and the land on which it is built are owned by the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation...
, amongst the many seasonal cottagers on the island and around the lake.
Hydrology
It is a hard-water marlMarl
Marl or marlstone is a calcium carbonate or lime-rich mud or mudstone which contains variable amounts of clays and aragonite. Marl was originally an old term loosely applied to a variety of materials, most of which occur as loose, earthy deposits consisting chiefly of an intimate mixture of clay...
-producing lake, and the lake bottom consists of deep deposits of it. This gives the lake a murky appearance in warm weather, especially during the summer. The lake is reportedly filling in with this marl by about 1 millimetre per year.
In dry summer weather, the Scugog River ceases to flow out of the lake, and its tributary streams of Mariposa Brook and East Cross Creek flow backward into the lake via the river to offset the high evaporative losses off the lake and marsh surfaces.
History
The lake has had a history of water level changes. Originally, it was essentially two lakes connected via a broad channel flowing through a marshMarsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
y area along the north end. The lake was flooded approximately ten feet when William Purdy
William Purdy
William "Bill" Frederick Purdy was a provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1971 to 1986. During his time in office he sat with the governing Progressive Conservative party...
and his sons dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
med the Scugog River
Scugog River
The Scugog River is a river in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario which flows north from Lake Scugog to empty into Sturgeon Lake on the Trent-Severn Waterway....
at Lindsay
Lindsay, Ontario
Lindsay is a community of 19,361 people on the Scugog River in the Kawartha Lakes region of south-eastern Ontario, Canada. It is approximately west of Peterborough...
(Upstream from the current dam and locks) in 1834 to power his grist mill. During this period of high water levels through the mid-thirties, todays so-called islands of Washburn, Nonquon (now Seven Mile), Ball, Platten, and the enormous centrally located Scugog came into existence as islands. Today, these form part of the mainland, with the exception of Scugog Island, which is generally maintained as an island by man-made channels around the swampy south end of the island.
The stagnant waters of the lake caused a wave of deadly fevers in the surrounding farms, and the new lake limits quickly became very unpopular with the local residents. On one day in the summer of 1838, settlers from the countryside surrounding the lake rose up and using axes, flintlocks and pitchforks, tore the dam apart, lowering the lake once more. No charges were laid due to the general anger towards the water height by residents, and because of a deal reached between Purdy and the Board of Works of the Province of Canada, on December 18, 1843. Mr. Purdy was forced to lower the elevation to something approximating its natural maximum spring high-water level, a reduction in the height of the previous dam by about three feet. The Board of Works constructed the dam and a lock for navigation into Lake Scugog, which was completed in 1844 and included a log flume
Log flume
A log flume is a flume specifically constructed to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. These watertight trough-like channels could be built to span a long distance across chasms and down steep mountain slopes...
. In exchange, Purdy relinquished all claims against the damage done by residents, and maintained the dam and flume.
Natural history
The marshes of the lake prior to flooding were filled with wild riceWild rice
Wild rice is four species of grasses forming the genus Zizania, and the grain which can be harvested from them. The grain was historically gathered and eaten in both North America and China...
stands and cranberries
Cranberry
Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus Oxycoccus of the genus Vaccinium. In some methods of classification, Oxycoccus is regarded as a genus in its own right...
harvested by the native Mississaugas
Mississaugas
The Mississaugas are a subtribe of the Anishinaabe-speaking First Nations people located in southern Ontario, Canada. They are closely related to the Ojibwa...
. The flooding of the lakes contributed greatly to their destruction.
It is surrounded by swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s and marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es which provide ideal habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife.
Lake Scogog has an array of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, including an abundant supply of largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, walleye
Walleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
, crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, musky, perch, carp, catfish, rock bass, smallmouth bass and minnows. There is also a robust ice fishing season from January 1 to March 1. Because of this, it is a renowned fishing location in southern Ontario.
Economy
Like many of the lakes of southern Ontario, Scugog served for a time as a vessel for transporting logs downstream to TrentonTrenton, Ontario
Trenton is a community in Southern Ontario in the municipality of Quinte West, Ontario, Canada. Located on the Bay of Quinte, it is the main population centre in Quinte West....
in the early nineteenth century. This resource became quickly exhausted with the rapid sawing of pine in the area. The Trent Canal (Now the Trent-Severn Waterway
Trent-Severn Waterway
The Trent–Severn Waterway is a Canadian canal system formerly used for industrial and transportation purposes and now for recreational and tourism purposes, connecting Lake Ontario at Trenton to the Georgian Bay portion of Lake Huron at Port Severn...
) was constructed through Lindsay in late 1800s to facilitate steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
travel to Sturgeon Lake and Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
as the boats were constructed in Port Perry.
Today, the lake is a tourist area, forming the southern boundary to "Cottage Country". The towns of Port Perry and Lindsay benefit from the recreational boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
through the Trent-Severn Waterway by vacationers in the summer. Fishing is also a major attraction of the lake, as its shallow weed-filled bed is host to an abundance of species.
Fish deaths
In June 2007, waterfront residents and boaters on Lake Scugog were finding that carp had begun dying. Residents around the lake were finding massive numbers of dead carp floating and landing on shore. The Carp were dying from an unknown cause. The smell of rotting fish was everywhere. The local authorities allowed dead Carp pick-up days to keep the smell down. After MNR testing, it was suspected that the bacteria columnaris was one of the causes of this massive carp massacre. However, the Koi herpes virusKoi herpes virus
Koi herpes virus is a viral disease that is very contagious to the common carp Cyrpinus carpio. It is most common found in ornamental koi, which are often used in outdoor ponds or as feeder stock. The first case of KHV was reported in 1998, but not confirmed until later in 1999.KHV is a...
, an introduced disease affecting the carp family, was ultimately determined to be the culprit.
Few carp deaths have occurred since, and in 2008, it was reported that the Lake had returned to its normal state.
Watershed
A list of rivers feeding to and from the lake:- Nonquon River
- Cawkers Creek
- Mariposa Brook
- Blackstock Creek
- Scugog RiverScugog RiverThe Scugog River is a river in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario which flows north from Lake Scugog to empty into Sturgeon Lake on the Trent-Severn Waterway....