Central Algoma Freshwater Coalition

05/01/2026

When the Mississagi Runs High: Backwater Flooding on the Bolton River & Bright Lake

The Bolton River normally enters the Mississagi River at about 173–174 m (elevation), but when the Mississagi River rises to roughly 182–183 m it can create a backwater effect. In simple terms, the higher level on the main river acts like a temporary downstream “dam,” slowing outflow from the tributary and pushing water back upstream. Low-lying areas then fill quickly, the Bolton River spills beyond its banks, and Bright Lake can expand well past its typical shoreline. Shoreline and river bank vegetation mark the usual boundaries that are temporarily hidden by the flood water. The normal summer elevation of Bright Lake is just under 180 m.

Read More (page 78)

https://huronshores.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Final-Report-Floodplain-Mapping-Technical-Report.pdf

Photos: Municipality of Huron Shores, near Iron Bridge, Ontario, Canada - April 30, 2026

04/24/2026

Historical Inquiry: John Muir and the North Channel

We are seeking credible, primary-source evidence that John Muir visited the North Channel of Lake Huron. Our goal is to identify records that independently place him here—such as dated notes or letters, travel or shipping records, or specimens labeled with a local place name. We are also interested in later local histories; while not proof on their own, they may point to earlier sources (who first made the claim and what evidence they relied on).

John Muir (1838–1914) was a Scottish-American naturalist and writer whose advocacy helped inspire the U.S. national parks and the Sierra Club. Historian Donald Worster, in A Passion for Nature (2008), suggests Muir may have reached the junction of Michigan, Superior and Huron, botanizing along Lake Huron and collecting plants from offshore at St. Joseph and Manitoulin islands, but notes the evidence is uncertain and the route cannot be confirmed.

Muir left Madison, Wisconsin in early 1864, traveled into Canada largely on foot, and spent months roaming southern Ontario while collecting and pressing specimens. By fall 1864 he reached the Meaford/Trout Hollow area to join his brother Daniel, worked at the Trout/Jay rake factory / saw mill, and continued nature observations.

Contact Email:
[email protected]

04/23/2026

NEW PUBLICATION
Watersheds - Inspiration in Ribbons of Blue

CAFC has a new publication - Watersheds- Inspiration in Ribbons of Blue.

It is on our website at:
https://www.centralalgomafreshwatercoalition.ca/reports-1

Hard copies have also been printed and sent to Central Algoma residents.

04/20/2026

Great Blue Herons - Waiting for the Smelt Run ?

Each spring, rainbow smelt—small, silvery fish—push up the tributaries of Lake Huron’s North Channel to spawn as water warms. They’re an introduced, invasive species in the Great Lakes, yet the smelt run remains a beloved spring fishing ritual for many.

Great Blue Herons are usually solitary feeders, but they’ll sometimes congregate where food is concentrated.

Are the Herons waiting for the smelt to run?

Photos: North Channel of Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada

04/20/2026

High Water and High Winds

Spring ice-out plus high winds can be a powerful combo on inland lakes. Strong gusts can snap large sheets of ice free and push them across the water. When they reach shore, they can gouge sand beaches and disturb the shoreline.

If water levels are already high, that moving ice can also damage docks, retaining walls, and other shoreline structures.

04/15/2026

AGM Reminder and Time Update

JOIN US FOR THE AGM
Presentations on CAFC Recent Activities

Central Algoma Freshwater Coalition
Annual General Meeting
April 22, 2026
1:00 – 3:00 pm
In Person – Municipality of Huron Shores. Municipal Office, 7 Bridge Street, Iron Bridge, ON.
[email protected]

NOTE : Meeting has been shifted ahead 1 hour now 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Photo: Fog over Bar River Flats, Bar River, Ontario, Canada

04/12/2026

Land Awakening in an April Rain - An Area of Ecological Value.

The Bar River Flats to Lake George on the St. Marys River

The Bar River originates in Sylvan Valley, with a main tributary from McCarrel Lake. McCarrel Lake is regulated by a dam that controls its water outflow and is connected upstream to Cloudy Lake and Diamond Lake.

Moving east, the Bar River flows through broad agricultural flats where seasonal flooding, wet meadows, and open fields create prime stopover habitat for geese, ducks, shorebirds, sparrows, and hunting raptors. These flats are a well known migration concentration area, offering abundant food and minimal disturbance.

Lake George’s shallow waters, marshes, and sheltered bays along the St. Marys River provide a critical refuge for birds arriving from or skirting Lake Huron.

Together, these wetlands, fields, and river habitats supply food, shelter, and rest, making the Bar River–Lake George corridor an important spring migration landscapes in northern Ontario.

An area of ecological value.

Photos: Bar River, Algoma District, Ontario, Canada

04/09/2026

REMINDER - CAFC Annual General Meeting - April 22, 2026

The Central Algoma Freshwater Coalition Annual General Meeting was postponed to April 22, 2026, due to the forecasted severe winter storm and its potential for power outages, hazardous travel and recovery efforts in March.

JOIN US FOR THE AGM

Central Algoma Freshwater Coalition
Annual General Meeting
April 22, 2026
2:00 – 4:00 pm
In Person – Municipality of Huron Shores. Municipal Office, 7 Bridge Street, Iron Bridge, ON.
[email protected]

04/09/2026

Lake Huron North and the Invasive Species Centre have been doing a comprehensive survey of invasive European Phragmites in Algoma.

We have built a heatmap of phragmites that the Algoma Phragmites Working Group has mapped over the past 2 years. This includes over 750 stands mapped across around 1500km of roadways, coastal wetlands, marshes, rivers, and shoreline! We plan to use this map to showcase where the highest concentration of invasive phragmites is present and to update it in the future to include all of the treated areas as we work to keep our ecosystems free of Canada's worst invasive species! Invasive Phragmites Control Centre Invasive Species Centre

04/05/2026

Spring (Eventually)
Not exactly spring out there today … wishing everyone a safe, warm and peaceful Easter.

Photos: Desbarats / Bruce Mines, Ontario, Canada