In 1994 a multi-stakeholder group, spear-headed by municipal staff, formed
to address longstanding concerns about environmental impacts from residential development
on Kings County lakes. This group comprised representatives from all three levels
of government as well as local community groups, (e.g. Aylesford Lake Property Owners
Society, Lake George Property Owners Society) and the development community. The
group's objective was to implement a tool which could be used to determine the extent
of development that could exist around a given Kings County lake while maintaining
its water quality at acceptable levels. This tool was to be used by the Municipality
in a planning context.
Municipal Council adopted a phosphorus loading model in 1997 which predicts
changes in water quality as a function of shoreline residential development, watershed
geology, and individual lake dynamics. Municipal staff are now in a position to
consider development proposals within the context of pre-determined water quality
objectives set for county lakes in the Municipal Planning Strategy.
Council implemented the Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program to validate and
calibrate the model, as well as to facilitate awareness and stewardship initiatives
in the county. The Kings County Wildlife Federation and The Acadia Center for Estuarine
Research (notably Dr. M. Brylinsky) have provided local involvement in developing
and coordinating this volunteer monitoring effort.
The Nova Scotia Department of the Environment has contributed funding and technical
support for all aspects of this initiative since its inception, including the monitoring
efforts. Similar support has been provided to other community groups involved in
volunteer monitoring activities; e.g. Bluenose Atlantic Coastal Action Program,
Soil & Water Conservation Society of Metro Halifax, Shubenacadie Watershed Environmental
Protection Society, and Shubenacadie Grand Lake Watershed Advisory Board.
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