Lake associations, the volunteers keeping our water clear

Duhamel brags about its two hundred lakes. Mulgrave-et-Derry counts more than 130. Ripon has 27 with names, Saint-Émile-de-Suffolk 13. Nobody in government can keep a close eye on all that. So the people who live on them do it, through lake associations, often for decades, almost always as volunteers.

That clean lake you swim in every July? Odds are someone gave up a Saturday to watch over it for you.

If you own a cottage here, this piece is really for you. Your association is probably the single best way to protect what you paid for.

What they actually do

The work varies lake to lake, but the same themes come up:

• Watching for Eurasian watermilfoil, an invasive plant that spreads from lake to lake on boats and trailers.
• Sampling the water, often through Québec's volunteer lake monitoring network (RSVL).
• Following up on bylaws with the municipality, and briefing new owners.
• Taking a stand when a project threatens the lake. In recent years, a proposed mine in the region has been the big rallying point.

Duhamel

The elder statesman is the Lac Gagnon Property Owners Association (APLG). Founded in 1968, it's one of the oldest lake associations in Québec, with about 350 members. Every summer it trains around thirty volunteer "sentinels" who patrol the lake looking for milfoil. Site: aplg.ca.

Duhamel also lists associations for lakes Iroquois, Lafontaine and Doré, and for Petit lac Preston. The Lac Doré group posts lake news in a Facebook group.

Lac Simon

The Lac Simon Property Owners Association (APLS) is a non-profit incorporated in 1995 that brings together owners on Lac Simon and Lac Barrière, between 100 and 200 members a year. Membership is $25. Lately the APLS has been very active against the proposed mine in the region. Site: apls.ca.

On Lac Simon, the rule visitors notice most is the mandatory boat wash before every launch, at the station at 105, chemin du Parc. And boats over 30 feet aren't allowed.

Ripon and Viceroy

The Lac Viceroy Property Owners Association (APLV) was founded in 1973, making it one of the oldest shoreline associations in the Outaouais. Lac Viceroy, shared by Ripon and Lac-Simon, is known for very clear water, and the association has tracked its quality for decades. Site: aplv.ca.

Younger, the Lac Daoust Shoreline Association (ARLD), founded in 2017, brings together most owners on Lac Daoust and stands up for its water quality.

Val-des-Bois and Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette

APPLA, the association protecting Lac de l'Argile, is five volunteers on a board working with Val-des-Bois, Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette and the Royal Papineau campground, notably against invasive species. Plenty of people will tell you l'Argile is the best swimming lake around. Site: appla.ca.

APLO, on Lac de l'Orignal, has been active since the early 1990s. It brings together shoreline owners and owners with right-of-way access, publishes a guide for new residents and keeps an eye on environmental rules. Site: lacdelorignal.org.

Val-des-Bois also set up a free boat wash station on chemin Legris, near the Lièvre launch. And on the village's Lac Vert, no gas motors.

Montpellier

The Lac Schryer Property Owners Association informs and mobilizes residents to protect the water and shoreline: water-quality sampling and fighting milfoil. Its board meets monthly.

The Union des propriétaires et citoyens du lac Vert de Montpellier runs a fairly lively website with news on the environment, loons and biodiversity around the lake.

Saint-Émile-de-Suffolk and Lac-des-Plages

On Lac des Îles, where the Petite-Nation River begins, the shoreline owners' association (APRLDI) has about 70 owners and users. It monitors the lake's health and publicly opposed the La Loutre mine project. Downstream, the Lac St-Émile association, right in the village, has the same mission.

In Lac-des-Plages, APELDP monitors and controls milfoil, samples for the RSVL and follows up on bylaws with the town. It's always looking for volunteers. Site: apeldp.ca.

Boileau and Saint-André-Avellin

In Boileau, the town keeps a list of contacts for lakes Champagneur and au Loup, and for the Lac Papineau Nord area. Go through the town office (819 687-3436) to reach them. In Saint-André-Avellin, the Lac-Hotte Property Owners Association can be reached by email at adplhinc@gmail.com.

What the rules protect

Fishing rules help keep lakes healthy too. On Lac Papineau, rainbow trout stocking stopped in 2019 to let lake trout recover. On six lakes (Simon, Papineau, Gagnon, Viceroy, de l'Argile and Petit lac Preston), lake trout must be 55 cm to keep. Details in our fishing guide, and the ramps with wash stations in our boat launch piece.

What you can do

Protecting the lake starts at the ramp: a washed boat, a washed trailer, every single time.

1. Join your lake's association. At the APLS, for instance, it's $25.
2. Wash your boat, kayak included, especially if it's been on another lake.
3. Look after your septic system. Outside the villages it's a tank and leach field, and several towns, like Lac-Simon, run pump-out programs. A neglected system near the water is a cost the lake ends up paying.
4. Give a few hours. A sentinel shift on Lac Gagnon, a sampling run on Lac des Plages: it's done by canoe on a summer morning.

Your association isn't in our directory? Add it. All the others are in the Community section.

DuhamelLac-SimonRiponVal-des-BoisNotre-Dame-de-la-SaletteMontpellierSaint-Émile-de-SuffolkLac-des-PlagesBoileauSaint-André-Avellin

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