Shoreline residents

Shoreline residents are the first to note the impacts of the degradation of the quality of the lake's water. They are also well placed to take action against the causes of that degradation. In fact, anyone living within 350 metres of the lake or one of its tributaries have a direct impact on water quality..  

As noted in RAPPEL's publication Behaviours to ensure a healthy lake (in French only) action needs to be taken to:

1. Reduce sediments entering the lake;
2. Reduce the nutrient loading in the lake.                                                                

The actions that you can take are listed in the What can I do? section on residents, and deal with issues such as impermeable soils, septic installations, landscaping, the choice of household cleaning products, the management of waterfowl and the conservation of natural landscapes. In addition to these very important steps that can be taken by all residents of the watershed, shoreline residents have the responsibility to maintain a vegetative buffer zone keeping their shorelines in a natural state. The following paragraphs list complementary and more detailed information on the subject. 

The shoreline buffer zone

, Shoreline buffer zones provide numerous benefits for the health of an ecosystem. These include:

• Effective shoreline stabilization;
  - Improved flood control;
  - Contribution to the beauty of the region;
  - Increased property values;
  - Providing habitat for aquatic and terrestrial fauna;
  - Sediment filtration;
  - The capture and retention of nutrients, heavy metals, hydrocarbons and other pollutants.

_{Images : Comparison of the quality of a natural shoreline vs a rock wall stripped of vegetation}

The width of shoreline buffer zones and municipal bylaws in that regard, take their inspiration from the Shoreline, coast and flood zone protection policy (in French only). The following graphic gives a good idea of the recommended buffer zone, starting at the high water mark and depending on the slope of the terrain.

_{Source : www.mddelcc.gouv.qc.ca}

Bylaws

Shoreline buffer zone bylaws differ from one muicipality to the next. The following links can be used to obtain details on the bylaws of the municipalities around the lake: 

- Austin : General information (in French only), Bylaw 08-352 (in French only)

- Stanstead Township : Zoning bylaw # 212-2001 (in French only)

- Magog : General information (in French only), Zoning bylaws (in French only)

- Ogden :  Zoning bylaws 

- Potton : Urban planning bylaws