SOS-BeavertonOntario

On Dec 17, 2018 the Brock Voice reported Brock Township Council (Planning and Economic Development Committee) discussed the recent approval by LSRCA Board to have detailed plans drawn up to address agricultural run-off into Lake Simcoe from the Goodyear Farm north of Beaverton.  Work was awarded to the environmental consulting firm Emmons and Olivier Resources Canada (ERO).  Costs of the planning phase of work ($70K) are to be split between LSRCA and the Goodyear farm. Committee members voiced there support applauding the residents who have been fighting this issue for many years along with the Goodyear Farm who have finally agreed to address the issue. Notably missing from the discussion are any details related to further phases of activity including construction, water quality monitoring, maintenance of constructed facilities, and effort to repair damage done to the lake. Notable, too, was a report received by Brock Township from Ontario MECP Minister Rod Phillips dated Nov 06,

Kawartha.com news reports today that work will begin next spring to correct the agricultural run-off problem at Goodyear Farm north of Beaverton.  Run-off of sediment and other nutrients has been going on since the farm started operations in 2008.  Local citizens have been fighting to get this stopped since 2010 raising the awareness of this issue with all relevant authorities and noting the ongoing damage to the lake. Ugly brown suspended sediment plumes travel up and down the lake shore after rainfall events depending on wind conditions as can be seen in the above picture.  These are the result of run-off from any of the 7 watercourses that drain the Goodyear property, one of which can be observed in the 30 second video below from July 26, 2018 Lakefront property owners are now dealing with significant muck in front of their properties (90' from shore for some) where there was once hard packed sand.  This has also accelerated weed growth with the invasive Eurasian Milfo

Today Dec 14, 2018 is my first post on the new BLOG called SOS-BeavertonOntario.  SOS stands for Stop Ongoing Sediment and other nutrients running off the agricultural lands of the Goodyear Farm north of Beaverton, Ontario on Lake Simcoe.  It is an exciting day as the Lake Simcoe Regional Conservation Authority (LSRCA) Board has approved a report authorizing a detailed design plan to be developed by Emmons and Oliver Resources Canada (ERO) to stop the agricultural run-off from the Goodyear Farm. Target date for the plan is May 2019. The farm grows ~ 1000 acres of Asian vegetables.  Land is heavily irrigated and during rainfall events, sediment and other nutrients run-off into the lake through any of the 7 watercourses draining the farm land.  Over the years (since 2008) sediment continues to build in the lake causing huge ugly brown lake plumes,  accelerating weed growth, and causing unknown aquatic damage in the Bay between Mara Point and the Beaverton Pier.  This area includes