Sunfish Lake (Ontario)
Encyclopedia
Sunfish Lake is a small, 25 hectare meromictic
lake located north-west of Waterloo, Ontario
in the village of St. Agatha in northern Wilmot Township
, and is the source of Laurel Creek. It is one of a few meromictic
lakes in Ontario, that is, its deep bottom waters (21 metres or 70 feet) are totally devoid of oxygen. The surface and bottom layers do not mix, and the lake is vulnerable to environmental damage.
Restrictions on lake use include no motorized boats, no fertilizer or pesticide use, and regular septic tank
inspections.
Sunfish Lake is often compared to Paradise Lake which is about 3 km to the north west, also in Wilmot Township
. Paradise Lake is a much larger lake and accommodates many more properties the ability to live year round.
There are about 20 cottages and homes on the lake, of which only a small handful are zoned for year round residence, the rest are zoned recreational and are not used nor lanes cleared during the winter.
was formed in 1961 and is an incorporated, charitable group with a mandate of stewarding and protecting the Sunfish Lake area. The Sunfish Lake Association has been instrumental in engaging the media and the community in the Region of Waterloo’s Environmentally Sensitive Lands initiative, which is similar to a local greenway. They have also been supportive of Ontario Nature’s greenway initiative and regularly share their experiences with engaging landowners and the broader community. The group owns and stewards 50 acres (202,343 m²) of woodland and wetland surrounding Sunfish Lake. They have undertaken tree planting projects and have conducted a fish survey of Sunfish Lake.
Meromictic
A meromictic lake has layers of water that do not intermix. In ordinary, "holomictic" lakes, at least once each year there is a physical mixing of the surface and the deep waters...
lake located north-west of Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
in the village of St. Agatha in northern Wilmot Township
Wilmot, Ontario
The Township of Wilmot is a rural township in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Its 2006 Census population was 17,097.-Communities:*Baden* Mannheim*New Dundee*New Hamburg* Petersburg* Phillipsburg*St...
, and is the source of Laurel Creek. It is one of a few meromictic
Meromictic
A meromictic lake has layers of water that do not intermix. In ordinary, "holomictic" lakes, at least once each year there is a physical mixing of the surface and the deep waters...
lakes in Ontario, that is, its deep bottom waters (21 metres or 70 feet) are totally devoid of oxygen. The surface and bottom layers do not mix, and the lake is vulnerable to environmental damage.
Restrictions on lake use include no motorized boats, no fertilizer or pesticide use, and regular septic tank
Septic tank
A septic tank is a key component of the septic system, a small-scale sewage treatment system common in areas with no connection to main sewage pipes provided by local governments or private corporations...
inspections.
Sunfish Lake is often compared to Paradise Lake which is about 3 km to the north west, also in Wilmot Township
Wilmot, Ontario
The Township of Wilmot is a rural township in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Its 2006 Census population was 17,097.-Communities:*Baden* Mannheim*New Dundee*New Hamburg* Petersburg* Phillipsburg*St...
. Paradise Lake is a much larger lake and accommodates many more properties the ability to live year round.
There are about 20 cottages and homes on the lake, of which only a small handful are zoned for year round residence, the rest are zoned recreational and are not used nor lanes cleared during the winter.
Sunfish Lake Association
The Sunfish Lake AssociationSunfish Lake Association
The Sunfish Lake Association is a non-profit association of individuals and property owners with the common goal of protecting the environment at Sunfish Lake and the surrounding Waterloo Moraine area...
was formed in 1961 and is an incorporated, charitable group with a mandate of stewarding and protecting the Sunfish Lake area. The Sunfish Lake Association has been instrumental in engaging the media and the community in the Region of Waterloo’s Environmentally Sensitive Lands initiative, which is similar to a local greenway. They have also been supportive of Ontario Nature’s greenway initiative and regularly share their experiences with engaging landowners and the broader community. The group owns and stewards 50 acres (202,343 m²) of woodland and wetland surrounding Sunfish Lake. They have undertaken tree planting projects and have conducted a fish survey of Sunfish Lake.