Wading in on water

Limnology: the study of the phenomena of lakes and other fresh waters.

For the next week, there will be a lot of learned discussion on this subject coming at a time when blue-green algae are the scourge of Quebec lakes.

The 30th Congress of the International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology is taking place at Palais des congrs, until Saturday drawing 1,500 participants from 61 countries to Montreal.

The Quebec provincial health and social services department currently has 107 lakes and rivers on a watch list of bodies of water affected by blue green algae.

For the rest of the week, scientists, researchers and university professors will be presenting the results of experiments, surveys and all the collected data on the the impact of residential development on lakefront, among other topics, at the conference.

It seems the insatiable appetite of baby boomers who want to retire on a lakeshore property is one of the causes of the proliferation of blue green algae. Summer cottages are being converted to full time homes and with that comes phosphate laden dishwasher water which feeds the algae.
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