Summary of findings
The project has validated the practicality of several nutrient assessment strategies for Jackfish lake water quality, highlighting the interplay between natural and social science. The study demonstrates new developments in understanding community values and concerns in terms of water quality for the benefit of communities and researchers. More data will be required to study the long-term impact of nutrients in lakes dominated by agricultural activities and human waste from cottage houses. A more promising approach would be an intensive long-term water quality monitoring over 5-10-year window aligning naturally with the CCME objectives for recreation and fishing. The relationship between nutrient and algae growth in surface water shows considerable similarities in the creeks. Such similarities can be explained by nutrient concentration, circulation patterns, and mixing process, combined with the geographical and hydrological variations in water bodies. Many sources can contribute to eutrophication, including agricultural runoff, livestock manure, and human waste from septic tank leakage. This suggests that the concentrations of nitrate and phosphate might have been due to natural runoff from agricultural farmland or sewage leakage.
Although it is difficult to predict precisely cause of an algal bloom due to the complexity of nutrient cycle, runoff in the spring and internal release of nutrient could be a potential cause of river eutrophication in Jackfish and Murray lakes. Attention should be paid to human activities and their impacts on algae growth. The box plot analysis approach worked well with the set of data and provided broadly similar comparison and conclusions for other water quality parameters. Analysis such as WQI and heat map provides the community with visual tools to tackle various water quality challenges. Both groups expressed genuine interest in protecting the lake for fishing and recreational uses. However, there is a difference of opinions on approaching the ongoing lake water quality challenge. We provided visual tools to help educate the community on water quality challenges in addition to the three nutrient monitoring options strategies. To address specific management issues, models need to be selected that operate at temporal and spatial scales appropriate to the management issue and the data available.