About ACLA Lakeshore concerns Township and County Other resources Sponsored events Contact us
2012-05-12: ACLA Communications Coordinators meeting
2011-11-25: Healthy Lake Huron: Clean Water, Clean Beaches
If you have suggestions for additional information that you think would be useful in the context of ACLA's mission, please let us know!
ACLA is a not-for-profit "umbrella" organization representing the lakefront areas between Amberley and Goderich in Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Township, Huron County, Ontario. ACLA's mission is to coordinate advocacy on common concerns of the lakefront community. The top three values that membership in ACLA provides to the lakefront community are:
ACLA's programs are funded by annual contributions from the participating lakefront associations, with some assistance from individuals, the Township, and other sources.
Representation in ACLA is voluntary. Each participating lakefront association provides a "Communications Coordinator" and a designated backup, and the Steering Committee provides overall coordination.
ACLA Communication Coordinator meetings are held each year (now, on the Saturday before the Victoria Day weekend), and ACW Council members are invited to attend: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000 (ALA-to-ACLA transition)
Steering Committee planning meetings: 2007
Member concerns: 2002 survey results
Newsletters: 2002-10, 2002-07, 2001-08, 2001-06, 2000-10
Most of ACW's lakefront seasonal properties are subject to Ontario's regulations for development within the 100-year erosion line of the Lake Huron shore and bluff. For details, see MVCA Shoreline Policies 2007, 100-year erosion line maps, and Proposed Shoreline Gully Policies.
The Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation has many guides that are of particular interest to lakefront property owners, such as: Dune Planting Guide; Climate Change; Coastal Erosion: People living on the edge.
Pollution that affects the lakeshore community is an on-going concern. DNA analysis of tests done by ACLA in 2003 showed that the E.coli source is animal, not human. The results of ACLA's annual stream-testing program since then show that the dominant cause is untreated run-off from agricultural activities. This was clarified in a UoGuelph/MOE DNA-analysis research report published in 2009, conducted in 2005/2006 around 18 Mile River, which confirmed that the sources of E.Coli were 59-62% livestock/manure run-off, 16-18% persistent swash-zone E.Coli, 5-14% wildlife, 2-3% human, and 8-16% unquantifiable mixed sources. Through its lakeshore environmental strategy, ACLA continues to work toward end agricultural-runoff problems. These efforts have led to the creation of the Lake Huron Southeast Shore Working Group, which has launched a Healthy Lake Huron campaign to promote safe and clean beaches from Sarnia to Tobermory. Five key watersheds have been identified as priorities for immediate action. The group is working with local partners to develop and support the implementation of watershed management plans, with specific targeted actions, as well as monitoring and research needs, for each priority area.
Ontario's Clean Water Act is intended to keep contaminants from seeping into the sources of our drinking-water lakes, rivers, and aquifers. The Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley Drinking Water Source Protection Committee is responsible for developing proposed policies for our area. Huron County also has a number of related water-protection programs.
ACLA has been urging this since 2002. In 2005, the Huron County Health Unit initiated a voluntary re-inspection program, and inspected 174 properties in 2005 and 178 in 2006. In 2010, HCHU proposed a mandatory inspection program. Six of the nine lower-tier municipalities have chosen to particpate; the other three operate their own programs. HCHU expects to begin operation of its program in 2013.
You might find this septic tank inspection and trouble-shooting guide useful in managing your septic system.
Use the SWIM Guide beach finder to check the status of the public beach closest to you!
Each year, June through August, HCHU measures the E.coli levels at all public and some test-case beaches. Levels change from day to day. E.coli levels are closely related to whether rainfall has recently carried pollutants from inland via the streams, and whether the water has recently been churned by wave action. For example, according to HCHU data, the tested levels at the beaches are lower for the last few years because lakeshore-area rainfall has been less frequent, whereas inland levels are higher. HCHU advises that if you are in the lake up to your waist and cannot see your feet, that is not a healthy place to be in the lake that day. The HCHU website contains the monitoring reports beginning 2008. For 2007-2000, we thank HCHU for providing the data from which we compiled the summaries for 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, and the above-right trend-line graph.
ACLA participants conduct water-quality tests each year to help identify the inland sources of contamination (see inset map above). This program is operated in conjunction with the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority ... 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 (884KB PDF), 2005 (not yet online), 2004 (not yet online), 2003, 2002, 2001.
2010-10: ACW municipal election, 2010