Lake Health Overview 

The waters of Kahshe and Bass Lakes are fed through streams and peat-like materials, giving them a tannin-rich tea colour.  Kahshe Lake has long had a reputation for healing, and was formerly known as Kah-she-she-bog-a-mogmeaning Lake of Healing WatersJust as tea bags are sometimes used for reducing swelling and soothing pain, cuts and burns seem to heal quickly in Kahshe Lake. 

Myths aside, as recreational property owners and public users of the lake, we are naturally concerned about the quality of the water now and for the future. This concern was clearly identified in a recent questionnaire via the Love Your Lake Program which was undertaken in 2019 with the support of the KLRA. Water quality was the single most important issue identified for both Lakes. As several respondents to the questionnaire indicated that they were not aware of work undertaken to determine water quality over the past 35+ years, it was apparent that a more concerted effort was required to improve the communication of the environmental findings that are documented on the KLRA’s web-page and in periodic Krier articles. Accordingly, the KLRA web-site has been re-designed to make this work more transparent and accessible. A brief overview of what is provided in the main tabs and sub-tabs is summarized below: 

Main Tab

Sub-Tab

Material Presented

Water Quality

Overview of Water Quality

  • A brief summary of all current and historical water quality testing undertaken by the DMM and the MECP and the findings for both lakes to date.
  • This includes a KLRA-funded Near-Shore water sampling project designed to explore the causal relationship between near-shore algal friendly nutrients and late season algal blooms.

    Executive Summaries of Lake Steward Reports

    Executive Summaries of the Lake Steward Reports for water quality testing in each year, dating back to 2012.

      Annual Lake Steward Reports

      Full reports on the water quality findings for both Kahshe and Bass Lakes each year and comparisons with historical test results dating back to the early 1980s have been posted by year in which the testing was performed.

        Invasive Species

        Overview of Invasive Species Testing

        A brief summary of why this type of assessment has been undertaken.

          Invasive Species Studies

          Individual Aquatic Invasive Species reports on sampling performed in 2017 and 2018 on Kahshe and Bass Lakes.

            Climate Change

            Overview of Potential Impacts in Muskoka and More Detailed Evaluation of Kahshe and Bass Lakes

            An overview of Anticipated Climate Change Impacts on Muskoka lakes

            Climate Change Impacts on Kahshe and Bass Lakes to date.

              Algal Alerts

              Overview of Algal Bloom Impacts and Alerts on Any Blue-Green Blooms on Kahshe or Bass Lakes 

              • A summary of Algal Impacts in Muskoka and Potential Impacts on Kahshe and Bass Lakes
              • Case-specific information on the 2020 (November) Blue-Green bloom alert for Kahshe Lake as well as the 2021 algal bloom alert that is currently active.

                Septic Maintenance

                Overview of the Importance

                A summary of the importance of maintaining your septic system and the Town’s Re-Inspection Program

                  Fact Sheets

                  Relevant Articles Prepared by the Conservation Committee for the KLRA’s Krier

                  Individual Articles

                    The Lake Health sub-site contains many web pages and linked documents.  Below is a view of the structure.  (We haven't yet been able to make it clickable, so use the left column in the table above to navigate to individual sections.)


                    Ron Pearson

                    Kahshe and Bass Lake Steward

                    November 2021


                    Kahshe Lake Ratepayers' Association (1994) Inc. (KLRA)
                    PO Box 1318, Gravenhurst, ON, Canada, P1P 1V5
                    Information: info@kahshelake.ca      Site Comments: webmaster@kahshelake.ca

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