Shoreline Modification Impacts on Lake Ecology as a Result of Intensive Cottage Cluster Development

Sturgeon Lake located within the Kawarthas in Ontario is one of many freshwater lakes that are experiencing a transition from seasonal to permanently inhabited homes. This transition in development resulted in the intensification of clustering houses along the lake shoreline, impacting natural surroundings. This paper examines the ecological impacts housing developments have on lakes, examining the socio-economic impacts from the intensification of development. The goals of the paper are to examine the effects shoreline modifications have on lakes from cluster communities, to determine areas along Sturgeon Lake's shoreline that should be monitored to ensure that they are not further modified, and to bridge the gaps between management and sustainability plans for Sturgeon Lake's shoreline. Relationships were noticed between the type of housing, shoreline type, and type of roads in each development section. Increased habitation along the shoreline has resulted in increased nutrient discharge impacting the occurrences of eutrophication and algae.M.A