Canada’s Gov’t Run Legendary Lakes Labs to Shut Down

Further hard choices are being made in the austerity effort around the world…well not in France of course. Yesterday, I posted about Lighthouses in Canada being sold off. Now, I see a vast research project in Northern Ontario, the Experimental Lakes Area, will be shut down. Government run experiments have involved mercury, acid rain, chemical infiltration and more. 

“The ELA has attracted scientists from around the world to its shores since field research started there in 1968. It is possibly the only place where aquatic scientists can use lakes and their ecosystems as test tubes as well as having access to long-term environmental data…” 

Read About it Here

How long will it take for Nature to reclaim the region? What measures will be needed to protect the public in the more tainted waters? How safe are the waters? 

Heavy Rainfall Photograph

Heavy rainfall. Well, I live in the Pacific NW and sometimes you would swear it never stops raining for nine months of the year. We are noted for it. People shake their heads in sympathy for me. Of course, if you read my ‘Greenery’ piece the other day you know I like Green. So, I tolerate the rain, although the grey skies do close in.

But seriously this is not Queensland or India or the tropics. So this afternoon, I had to anchor my pickup down lest it wash away so heavy was the downpour.

Every Day in May Writer’s Challenge: ‘Bugs’

EVERY DAY IN MAY CHALLENGE TOPICS DAY BY DAY

BUGS? Once again, my short comings are brought forth in print. Entomology, Latin, Genus, Species, Orders and Families. I have enough trouble remembering everyone in my own family let alone memorizing fancy names. Colors, size, hatch time, hatch location and a little studying in advance is often as best as I can do. The common names: Mayfly (BWO, PMD, Callibaetis, Green Drakes)…Stoneflies (Goldens, Little Blacks, California Stones, Skwala)…Caddis (Long Horns, Traveling Sedge, Cinnamons) Midges/Chironomids…Dragon and Damsels…  

Nothing too fancy there. I turn a rock over in a stream and see dark mayfly nymphs scurrying for their lives. I saw the size and color but wouldn’t be able to tell you which mayfly it is. I can maybe tell it was a clinger/crawler or swimmer etc. The other morning, I started to put on my waders. Overnight, a Caddis hatch had taken place as my waders and the nearby railing had large adult Caddis sitting there. Over a half inch long and medium brown in color. Hmm? What Caddis is that? Would I fish it now, or did it hatch last night? At least I noticed the body of water definitely has large Caddis. Maybe that is what I saw skittering across the surface early one morning? 

Believe me I have tried. I study, I read and look at pictures, I study TroutNut and I certainly tie all Winter to match insects. Take away the hatch charts, books, blogs, outside advice, then I’m left  observing and trying this and that…it is the essence of observation and adapting and then, maybe, bringing to the table whatever else you learn from outside sources.

This beauty was clinging to the side of my car last year. I have a little spring in the back yard. I have seen the rare Caddis and then this large Mayfly. You’d think I would followup with some foraging in the spring to see what really lives out there. I haven’t….yet.

I do take satisfaction in turning over those rocks, looking into stream side vegetation, watching little sailboats float down the river or inspecting the Caddis fluttering on the inside of my sunglass lens. I look at the coloring of Stoneflies crawling ashore and sat in amazement as Waterboatman (Corixia…look at that!) dive bombed a lake one October afternoon. There you have it. I have bombed out at Bug Basics 200. I do believe that the more I can fish, I will add to my knowledge. Heck, I probably know more than I realize. Just don’t ask me any Latin Names…although I do like that Hexagenia Limbata name….sounds like some Cuban Dance or Caribbean VooDoo thing in New Orleans. 

 Tomorrow’s Every Day in May Challenge Topic: Runoff