Water Quality Monitoring

Water Testing

Lake Partner Program (LPP)

Bob Lake has participated in Ontario’s Lake Partner Program since 1997. This initiative, coordinated by the Dorset Environmental Science Centre in partnership with the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations, provides valuable data on various water quality parameters. The program focuses on assessing calcium, phosphorus levels, and water clarity at various depths, which are indicators of potential algal blooms and overall lake health.

Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP)

In addition to the LPP, the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) has also been testing Bob Lake since 2001 as part of a special study on lake trout lakes in the Haliburton County (nearly 100 lakes in total). A report packed with information and showing test data from 2014 – 2016 can be found here.

Since 2001, the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) has been conducting water quality tests on Bob Lake as part of a special study on lake trout lakes in Haliburton County. This extensive study, covering nearly 100 lakes, provides detailed insights into the lake’s ecological status. A comprehensive report detailing test data from 2014 to 2016 is available for review here.

SGS Laboratory Testing

For several years, community member Sue Pyke has been sending water samples from Bob Lake to SGS laboratories for various tests. These tests, previously funded by the South Bob Lake Property Owners Association, have been instrumental in monitoring water quality. The Bob Lake Association has now assumed funding for these additional tests, ensuring continued oversight.

Benthic Biomonitoring Project

In 2021 Bob Lake began participating in a Benthic Biomonitoring project coordinated by the community based research organization U-Links. This project assesses the health of the lake’s bottom-dwelling organisms, providing insights into the overall ecological health of the lake. You can read about all about the project on U-Links’ Benthic Project webpage and view Bob Lake’s Benthic Assessment results at the following links:

In addition to their Benthic project, U-Links conducted a Loon Study on Bob Lake – see the full report here.

Water Quality Data

The following charts summarize Bob Lake test results from the MECP, LPP, and SGS sources.

LPP

Summary graphs showing Bob Lake’s LPP test results can be found below. Please read LPP’s report on Bob Lake from 2025 for a more in-depth view.

MECP

SGS