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Lac Manitou and Other Bodies of water (Environment)

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NAUTICAL CODE

 

Nautical Leaflet

Together, let’s preserve the health of our lakes!

Print version

Washing Station and Municipal Landing

New Washing Station

The wash station is located at 628 Chemin de la Gare (behind the municipal garage) whose ultimate goal is the increased protection of all bodies of water in the territory of Ivry-sur-le-Lac.

Why a washing station?

Prevention is the best option. Considering that scientific studies have proven that exotic invasive species can cause considerable damage, notably to flora, fauna, water quality, public health and the property value of waterfront buildings, we have ensured that measures are taken to maintain water quality.

Washing boats, trailers, marine equipment and gear is essential. It is recommended that cleaning be done more than 30 metres from the landing. For this reason, we have installed the wash station at the municipal garage, far enough away to avoid contamination and close enough to the landing to facilitate launching. An asphalt surface was paved behind the municipal garage so that it could be swept between each wash. In addition, the stone contour of the asphalt surface allows for natural drainage of water into the ground.

Exceptions for waterfront residents who do not take their watercraft off their property

The wash does not apply to waterfront residents whose boats remain on their property (or in their boathouse) all winter and who never navigate in other bodies of water. The purpose of this exception is not to oblige a waterfront resident to take his or her boat out for washing, however, they will have to fill out the undertaking contained in the form confirming that their boat has been stored on their own property and has not been in a lake other than those of the Municipality of Ivry-sur-le-Lac.

Only for the latter, the decal will be available at the washing station once the form has been duly completed and the payment received. Each citizen must pick up the decal before launching their boat.

Business Hours season 2023 

to come

Boat Lauching Operations

You must complete the registration form and sign it. All fields on the form must be completed for it to be valid. You must pay your bill, which includes the costs related to the washing of your boat, trailer and nautical equipment. For a sticker to be issued to you, we must have received the signed form, payment and a copy of your Transport Canada registration certificate.

Motorized Watercraft Form, here

Non-motorized Watercraft Form, here

Your decal will then be given to you by the wash station attendant, only after the wash has been completed. Afterwards, you can go to the loading dock where an attendant will be waiting for you. The sticker will be your condition for launching, without it the launch will be refused.

If you go directly to the wash station with all the documents, you will also have to show proof of residence in Ivry-sur-le-Lac. The same administrative verifications will have to be completed, which could result in a processing delay. We recommend that you forward the documents, as well as payment by mail or electronically to speed up the process.

If you have your boat lowered by a dealer or storage company, the same requirements apply. In this case, you must comply with all the provisions applicable to citizens.

Fees

Annual rate for owners and Tenants (with proof of lease of 3 months and more) of Ivry-sur-le-Lac:

  • Motorized boat of 9.9 hp or less  Free
  • Motorized boat of more than 9.9 hp $80
  • Watercraft of all kinds $120

Daily rate:

  • Non-motorized boat $20 per day
  • Motorized boat of 9.9 hp. or less $150 per day
  • Motorized boat of more than 9.9 hp. $500 per day

The daily pass includes, in particular, the washing of the boat and the obtaining of the daily decal.

The daily pass is valid for one day only.

When you receive visitors and they bring aquatic recreational equipment – tubes, skis, life jackets or fishing gear – please ensure that they are free of invasive plant parts. To do so, it should be pre-washed away from the lake with a pressure washer. As for kayaks or non-motorized equipment, they must first go to the wash station before launching.

Hours Allowed for Water Activities – Lake Manitou

Under Schedule 7 – Part 5 (Québec) of the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations, the hours permitted on Lac Manitou to tow a person on any sports or recreational equipment are as follows: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm

As for the use of wakeboard type boats, the Municipality is asking boaters not to use wave amplifiers because of the shallow water, the erosion created around the lake and damage to the residents’ docks.

Nautical Speed Limits – Lake Manitou

It is important to remember the following regulations pertaining to the maximum speed guidelines on Lac Manitou that are found in the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations:

 

Section of the by-law

Description

Maximum Speed (km/h)

50

Lake Manitou outside the areas specified in sections 51 to 53

55

51

23 meters or less from shore of Lake Manitou

10

52

Lake Manitou between North Bay and Pointe Adams

10

53

Lake Manitou in the Strait of the Island known locally as Île McCall

10

 

Also remember that Lacasse Bay (North Bay), where the boat launch is located, being relatively small, must be shared amongst swimmers, kayaks, canoes, sailboats and motor boats. The priority belongs to bathers and boats without motors. So, if you drive a motorboat, maintain a distance of at least 50 meters away from other users.

Safety first!

NAUTICAL SECURITY

For safe navigation!

Check local weather conditions before planning your outing. Water conditions play an important role in ensuring everyone’s safety on the water. Don’t get caught off guard!

All motorboat operators must hold the Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC). This requirement applies to all types of motorboats, regardless of thier size or the power of their motor (including small electric motor boats). The pleasure craft operator card is valid for life : www.tc.gc.ca.

In addition to having your PCOC on board, you are required by law to have safety equipement. You will find safety equipment that each type of pleasure boat must have on board in order to comply with Transport Canada regulations for pleasure boating: www.tc.gc.ca/eng/safety. Check if you have all the compulsory equipment on your boat. Remember, it is a $250 fine per missing piece of equipment. Also, the operator of the pleasure craft must carry out periodic maintenance of all of their nautical equipment so that everything works properly, thereby reducing the probability of failure.

The most important boating safety gear is wearing the right size personnal flotation device for each person on board. Wear it, it’s a lifesaver!

 Do not consume alcohol or drugs. Driving while impaired is illegal. Did you know that you could lose your driver’s license?

Reduce your speed near the shore and respect the speed zones under Schedule 6 – Part 3 of the Federal Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations SOR/2008-120, namely:

Art. 50   Lac Manitou outside the zones indicated in articles 51 to 53                                                                                                  MAXIMUM SPEED 55 KM/H

Art. 51    23m or less from the Lac Manitou shoreline                                                                                                                              MAXIMUM SPEED 10 KM/H

Art. 52   Lac Manitou between North Bay and Adams Point                                                                                                                    MAXIMUM SPEED 10 KM/H

Art. 53    Lac Manitou in the Strait of the island known locally as McCall Island                                                                              MAXIMUM SPEED 10 KM/H

Lake technical support activity report - Summer 2019

During the summer of 2019, a technical resource was made available to citizens. A large part of its mandate was related to citizen awareness of good practices of riparian bands. This officer conducted a door-to-door tour to raise awareness among shoreline residents and visited nearly 200 citizens. She also organized several very interesting training workshops and wrote several articles encouraging good practices for municipal newsletters. She participated in the annual general meetings of the Manitou Lake Improvement Association (MLIA) and Manitou Conservation.

The officer also supported the associations in implementing voluntary monitoring of the health of the lakes using the tools developed by the Conseil régional de l’environnement (CRE) des Laurentides and the Ministère de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques (MELCC) as part of the Réseau de surveillance volontaire des lacs (RSVL). She organized a workshop on the monitoring and detection of invasive alien aquatic plants and accompanied volunteers in the field to characterize aquatic plants at Lac Manitou, Lac Fer-à-Cheval and Lac de la Grise (identification of species and assessment of cover by the main grass beds) to finally fill out the Lac Manitou health record using data collected by the CRE des Laurentides, the Municipality and the Association.

In summary, many actions have been taken to ensure the protection of the lakes’ health and their sustainable use, and let’s hope that it will increase awareness among our citizens! We are very proud to confirm that our bodies of water under study were free of Eurasian Watermilfoil at the time of characterization.

Shoreline strips

Construction or Renovation of Docks

Eurasian Water-milfoil (Myriophyllum Spicatum)

We are lucky and proud not to have Eurasian water-milfoil in the lakes of our territory in Ivry-sur-le-Lac. We must continue to be vigilant and continue to protect our lakes from potential threats. Education is a key element of this process. Below, you will find information from the Conseil régional de l’environnement (CRE) on the plant and tips to identify it.

Fight Against Invasive Exotic Aquatic Plants

An aquatic plant is described as exotic when present in a body of water outside its natural range. This new colonized environment is often initially free of predators of this foreign plant. This factor, combined with other benefits of growth and reproduction, allows it to become a fierce competitor of native plants, to the point of becoming invasive. Eurasian water-milfoil (Myriophyllum Spicatum) is a well-established species of Eurasian IEAP in Québec. In addition to the rarity of natural predators, this plant has an additional asset: it can reproduce through stem fragmentation. This allows it to quickly colonize water bodies. IEAPs can pose a serious threat to the environment. They can alter the composition of natural ecosystems and disrupt local biodiversity. Their proliferation has negative repercussions on the economy and society, notably by affecting tourism and resorts. The multiplication of IEAPs can even negatively affect the value of shoreline properties. That’s why we must prevent them from colonizing our lakes!

To reduce the risk of introduction and spread of invasive alien aquatic plants, it is necessary to inspect your boats and equipment before using them in another lake. The Eurasian water-milfoil is present in some forty lakes in the Laurentians. To find out the location of affected lakes, visit the MELCC website, Sentinelle, which publishes information on invasive exotic species.

How to Recognize It?

 

(copyright : CRE)

– Whorls of 3 to 6 leaves
– 12 to 14 leaflets per leaf
– Average distance between whorls ≥ 1cm
– Terminal spike, blade-shaped bracts, flowers larger than bracts
– Truncated leaf-end

Species Similar to the Eurasian Watermilfoil

(Copyright CRE)

How to Distinguish this Plant from Native Species of Watermilfoil in Québec?

Count the leaflets!

There are several identification challenges:
– Species can be difficult to distinguish
– Sometimes difficult to access or to harvest in full
– Sometimes difficult observation conditions

Municipal Parks

Although the use of municipal parks in Ivry-sur-le-Lac is reserved for residents only and that they are accessible at all times, they are not monitored. Make sure children are always accompanied by someone responsible.

Dogs are Prohibited

Also remember that dogs and other pets are strictly prohibited in public parks. This by-law was put into place to enhance the bathing experience for all citizens.

Thank you for your co-operation!

Bathymetric Map – Lac Manitou

In 2010, the Conseil Régional Environnemental (CRE) teamed up with Richard Carignan (Laurentian Biology Station – Université de Montréal) to produce bathymetric maps of lakes in the Laurentians.

Bathymetric charts are topographic maps that indicate the depths of lakes and streams, as well as their area and volume of water. The bathymetric readings, which are used to produce the charts, are made using an electronic depth sounder that measures the depth of the water and records it continuously. These maps also tell us about the lake’s watershed, which is essential to understanding their health status.

Map of Lac Manitou

Information on the water quality and transparency of Lac Manitou

Sport Fishing in Winter: Prohibited on Lac Manitou

Sport fishing in Québec is regulated by the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs. In short, Québec is divided into 29 fishing zones that take into account the distribution of species. Maps illustrate each zone. Fisherman must respect the fishing rules that apply in these areas as well as the requirements relating to the territory they wish to frequent.

In sum, Lac Manitou is in zone 9 and sport fishing is completely banned throughout the winter.

However, to find out where it is possible to fish in winter, visit the following webpage:

https://mffp.gouv.qc.ca/publications/enligne/faune/reglementation-peche/periodes-peche.asp

Moratorium for Gray Trout (Lake Trout)

Did you know that in Québec, if you fish for gray trout also known as lake trout, you have to put what you catch back into the water?

Why Do We Have to Put Them Back in the Water?

In order to restore the lake trout population, the government conducted a Lake Manitou seeding program between 1992 and 2000. In August 2012, the government conducted tests to determine the status of lake trout. They analyzed the contents of the stomachs of the captured females to realize that the lake trout are “slow growing”, as more than 63% of the stomachs were composed of zooplankton. Since a lake trout can take 7 to 8 years before it is mature enough to reproduce, the population is not considered at a point of equilibrium.

So according to the management plan of the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, in Lac Manitou, the release of lake trout is mandatory.

How to Recognize Lake Trout.

They have:

  • lack of mottling on the back, dorsal and caudal fins;
  • no red spots;
  • pectoral and pelvic fins sometimes bordered by a white band, but very narrow and diffuse;
  • the caudal fin is deeply forked

Manitou Dam Management

Have you noticed the dam on the Lac-de-la-Grise road near the Municipality offices?

The Dam Safety Act and its by-laws, which came into effect on April 11th, 2002, establish a series of measures to regulate the construction, modification and operation of high-capacity dams, including the Manitou Dam.

Who Manages This Dam?

It is the Centre d’expertise hydrique du Québec (CEHQ) that manages not only the Manitou dam but also the hydrometric station attached to it. This station (one of approximately 230 hydrometric stations) measures the levels and flows of major watercourses on a continuous, 24-hour, 7-day basis and transmits the recorded data hourly to an integrated collection of telemetry data. On a daily basis, it is therefore possible to obtain data on water levels or flows, especially for monitoring during spring floods or summer droughts, to optimize the management of some 780 public dams or know the level of certain bodies of water for the practice of outdoor activities.

In addition, the CEHQ makes available data, studies and cartographic products so that citizens who live near lakes or streams and any other interested person can follow the behavior of certain bodies of water.

Historical information, real-time data and certain forecast data are also available at measurement stations in Québec’s hydrometric network operated by the CEHQ.

For more information and to consult readings from the Manitou dam (number X0005241) or any other dam and the data collected by the hydrometric station (040106), visit the CEHQ website at: https://www.cehq.gouv.qc.ca/.

Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria Japonica)

Although the Japanese knotweed is very beautiful, unfortunately, this plant is on the list of the 100 most harmful exotic invasive species in the world. Indigenous to Japan, it was introduced for ornamental purposes. Its beauty is a trap, however, since once planted, it rapidly spreads, forming dense colonies.

According to the Government of Québec, it invades shoreline strips and watercourses, which radically modifies the lakes’ ecosystems. Japanese knotweed takes the place of native species by shading them with its imposing foliage and releasing toxins into the soil to prevent the growth of other plants.

Shorelines, wetlands, roadsides, ditches and other open areas are all habitats that can be colonized by knotweed. Along water bodies and ditches, fragments of plants or rhizomes can be carried by the stream. This vegetative propagating plant is able to generate a new plant from a single tiny piece of rhizome.

With its impressive root system, Japanese knotweed can affect soil drainage, bank consolidation and wildlife diversity. In addition to its rapid spread, the plant is almost impossible to eliminate.

The best way to prevent it from invading our shores is to not plant it!