For the past 25 years, the Township of Georgian Bay has supported a community-based, volunteer-driven water quality monitoring program for both coastal Georgian Bay and its Inland Lakes. In 2026, the program will expand in both geographic scope and the range of data collected.
The enhanced program will extend into the Township’s northern regions, including Twelve Mile Bay, Wah Wah Taysee, Go Home Bay, and Cognashene, as well as the southern area of Port Severn. Regions in coastal Georgian Bay including Honey Harbour and Oak Bay will continue to be monitored as well as inland lakes/waterways including Gibson Lake, Gloucester Pool, Go Home Lake, Myers Lake, Severn River, Six Mile Lake and Stewart Lake.
This expansion reflects the Township’s continued commitment to environmental stewardship and the vital role that community volunteers play in safeguarding the region’s coastal and inland waters.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our volunteers, both those returning from previous years and those who have recently joined us. We truly appreciate your time, enthusiasm, and commitment to monitoring and protecting the waters of Georgian Bay and the Inland Lakes.
Training Session
We will be holding a Training Session at the Baxter Community Centre in Port Severn on Saturday, May 16th from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. This session will provide all the training necessary to:
- Collect water samples for Total Phosphorus (TP)
- Collect water samples for bacterial indicators, Total Coliform and E. coli (EC)
- Perform Total Coliform and E. coli analyses
- Measure water temperature and Secchi depth
We will also provide details on sampling frequency and sample locations at the Training Session.
All equipment necessary for water sample collection and analysis will be provided and available for pick-up at the training session.
Sampling Schedule
Please note that we are asking for five sample events throughout the season:
- EC will be sampled and analyzed 5 times.
- TP will be sampled 3 times, with bottles delivered to the Township of Georgian Bay Municipal Office for lab shipment.
Below is an overview of the sampling schedule 5 sampling events (monthly/every 4 weeks) in total (5 E. coli and 3 TP):
| Sampling Dates (window) | Sampling | TP Drop off no later than |
|---|---|---|
| May 17 – 31 | EC + TP | June 15th |
| June 15 – 30 | EC | |
| July 15 – 31 | EC + TP | August 4th |
| August 15 – 31 | EC | |
| September 15 – 30 | EC + TP | October 1st |
**We are requesting a spring sampling collection in May to help provide data on total phosphorus (TP) spring turnover results. We understand that not all volunteers may be able to collect samples this early in the season. To accommodate this, we have extended the drop-off window for TP samples until June 15th.
We understand that some long-time volunteers may not require training, and that others may be unable to attend in person. The training session will be recorded and made available for viewing afterward.
For volunteers who cannot attend, equipment and manuals will be available for pickup at the Township of Georgian Bay Municipal Office by mid-May.
Please RSVP to confirm your attendance at the training session by emailing kim.schiefer@bluewaterbiosciences.com.
Click here for a copy of the Volunteer Manual