Puslinch Lake History
Inception & Grassroots Momentum (1997)
When a concerned group of 5 local residents decided it was time to try and get the lake back to its natural beauty in 1997, Doreen Tschanz, her sons Alan and Terry, Jeff McClintock, Dennis Snow, and Jim Simpson founded the Puslinch Lake Conservation Association (PLCA) to protect and restore the lake for all users. Through local media coverage and grassroots outreach, the association rallied immediate public support, attracting donations and growing to more than 350 members in its first year. It has taken almost 30 years to reach this point - but we are not done.
The Lake & The Challenge
Puslinch Lake is the largest kettle lake in North America, formed by glacial ice blocks surrounded by sediment. Because kettle lakes are naturally landlocked without a natural flushing system, they are prone to rapid eutrophication: decaying aquatic vegetation accumulates on the lake bed, fertilizing subsequent plant growth and accelerating sediment buildup toward a bog state.
Municipal Partnership & Early Milestones (1999)
Technical Committee: Puslinch Township partnered with the PLCA, establishing a joint Technical Committee chaired by then-Mayor Brad Whitcombe alongside local officials and government agencies.
Sediment Analysis: Supported by a $12,000 Fish & Wildlife Enhancement Fund grant and over $60,000 in township funding for consulting and expenses, core sediment samples were taken and analyzed.
The First Dredge: Originating from an MNR concept to create deep-water fish habitat, ten local residents purchased the initial dredge and 1,000 feet of 12-inch discharge pipe.
Adaptive Management Plan: Backed by a $25,000 Ontario Trillium Foundation grant, the committee partnered with the Ministry of the Environment to develop the official Puslinch Lake Adaptive Management Plan (PLAMP) for environmental assessment and long-term care.
TIMELINE
1997 - PLCA Founded
Established as a non-profit, volunteer-led organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Puslinch Lake.
Fish Habitat Restoration
1998 - Fish Habitat Restoration
Placed pickerel spawning stones near Harvey’s Island to promote natural fish reproduction.
1999 - Management Plan Commissioned
Hired Andy Gemza to author the Puslinch Lake Adaptive Management Plan (PLAMP).
2000 - Initial Dredging Pilot
Launched a pilot dredging program covering approximately 1,000 feet along McClintock’s westerly ski run.
2001–2004 - Permitting Delays
No dredging operations conducted due to permit unavailability.
2005 - De-Watering Site Preparation & Biological Control
Cleared trees, graded land, and built earth berms with drainage gates for a four-acre de-watering site south of McCormick’s Point. Introduced milfoil weevils with EnviroScience to biologically manage weed growth.
2006 - Weevil Program Expansion
Dredging paused while staging setup took place at the northwest dock of McCormick’s Point; released an additional 15,000 weevils.
2007–2009 - Dredging Resumption with Discharge Pipe
Resumed dredging using a 1,000-foot discharge pipe method, achieving peak early production in 2009 near the west-side ski course. Introduced over 36,000 additional weevils through 2008 before concluding releases in 2009.
2010–2012 - Permitting Hiatus
Dredging halted while awaiting new municipal and environmental approvals.
2013–2014 - Barge & Tug System Transition
Transitioned to a floating barge and tugboat setup requiring a 5-foot operating draft, achieving historic production milestones across Bayview, the southwest side of I.C.E., and the west ski run.
2015–2016 - Record Yields & Channel Clearing
Completed major dredging along the south shore off-loading at McCormick's Point. Excavated large boulders and deepened the navigation channel between Big Island and Schell/Harvey Island to unlock access to the lake's eastern basin.
2017–2018 - Permit Renewals & South/East Dredging
Secured required approvals from the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) and Ministry of the Environment (MOE), pulling major silt tonnage from the south and east shoreline sectors.
2019–2022 - Private & Target Shoreline Focus
Executed targeted private and association-funded dredging programs across the South Shore, North Shore, Eagle Point, and Bayview—including carving a deep offshore channel 300 feet off Bayview.
2023 - Final Shoreline Dredging Season
Completed final dredging run between July 21 and December 5 following heavy rain. Handled 220 total barge loads (180 private, 40 PLCA donations), pulling over 1,000 truckloads (400,000+ tons) of bottom sediment to conclude all active dredging operations.
2024 - End of Dredging & Transition Planning
Permanently decommissioned dredging operations; began transitioning toward gravel pit rehabilitation and non-mechanical vegetative control alternatives.
2025 - ProcellaCOR FX Introduction
Initiated testing and private applications of Health Canada-approved ProcellaCOR FX to eliminate Eurasian watermilfoil roots on a 3-year cycle, targeting upstream silt production at the source.
2026 - Pit Rehabilitation & Integrated Lake Stewardship
Commenced pit rehabilitation back to its natural state. Advanced association-wide lake management combining ProcellaCOR weed control, biological silt digestion, habitat protection around Big Island, and broad community stewardship.