In 2021, the Municipality of Whitestone partnered with Georgian Bay Biosphere to coordinate and conduct benthic monitoring on two (2) lakes within the Municipality. This was the first year of what will be a multi-year monitoring program .
Benthic macroinvertebrates (or benthos) are small aquatic organisms (including insects, crustaceans, worms, and mollusks). These animals are well suited as indicators of water and sediment quality as they spend most or all of their lives (1-3 years) in constant contact with lake sediments and the water in a specific area. Furthermore, they are relatively easy and inexpensive to sample and they have different tolerances to disturbances and pollution.
Benthic monitoring requires consecutive years of sampling data to allow results to be compared. Results from the first few years of the benthic monitoring program are for information purposes and to set a baseline for future interpretation.
2020 Report (prepared for the Whitestone Conservation Association) Whitestone Lake
2021 Report (prepared for the Municipality of Whitestone) WahWashKesh Lake and Whitestone Lake
2022 Report (prepared for the Municipality of Whitestone) WahWashKesh Lake, Whitestone Lake and Lorimer Lake
2023 Report (prepared for the Municipality of Whitestone) WahWashKesh Lake, Whitestone Lake and Lorimer Lake
2024 Report (prepared for the Municipality of Whitestone) Lorimer Lake (including a discussion of WahWashKesh Lake and Whitestone Lake