(clerical entries and water chemistry tests were the principal 

 omissions); and second, to survey new waters of high man- 

 agement priority rating within the District. 



1968 LAKE INVENTORY SURVEYS 



University students, summer Ranger Technicians and Con- 

 servation Officers participated in the summer inventory 

 program. Completed surveys reached a new high, 630 in 

 number, and were conducted in all but two Forest Districts; 

 Chapleau and Lake Erie were the exceptions. 



SPORTS FISH CAPABILITY STUDY 



One hundred and sixteen lakes, representing 79,000 ± 

 acres, were completely surveyed to meet both Sports Fish 

 Capability Study and Inventory standards. Eleven topo- 

 graphical map sheets (Scale 1:250,000), covering the entire 

 western portion of Ontario as far north as North Bay and 

 west of Belleville, were prepared and dated as to their 

 Sports Fish Capability. 



The rating system used in this survey was developed by 

 the Federal Government and is designed to give planners 

 general statements about sport fishing potential without 

 going into detail. 



Using this system, waters are to be divided into four 

 classes as follows: 



Class 1 — waters in this class have no important limitations 

 to the production of sport fish. 



Class 2 — waters in this class have slight limitations to the 

 production of sport fish. 



Class 3 — waters in this class have moderate limitations to 

 the production of sport fish. 



Class 4 — waters in this class have severe limitations to the 

 production of sport fish. 



The above classes were further rated according to the 

 limitation that affected the class level. The letters D for 

 depth, F for flow, L for light penetration, N for nutrient, O 

 for oxygen, T for temperature, S for special factors, were 

 used. Up to two letters could be used for each class, with 

 the most important being first. Thus, a lake which would 

 be excellent for sport fish production except for a severe 

 lack of nutrients, might be rated 3N. 



It should be emphasized that this rating system is for 

 Canada Land Inventory purposes, only, and is quite sep- 

 arate from the detailed lake survey index we are presently 

 developing for Ontario lakes, based on our own lake survey 

 program. 



HELICOPTER POTENTIAL IN LAKE SURVEYS 



The primary purpose of this experiment was to establish 

 whether the use of the helicopter would accelerate any or 



all of the survey procedures and whether specialization by 

 personnel in a six-man survey crew would result in more 

 efficient work and better information. The aim was to in- 

 crease the quantity of work, yet improve quality of the data. 



A number of difficulties were experienced throughout the 

 two-week study in the Severn River area, south of Highway 

 No. 69. However, there is reason to believe that many, if 

 not all, could be overcome by modification of helicopter 

 fitting or accessories and sophistication of survey gear. This 

 project is being pursued. 



LAKE WATER SAMPLING DURING WINTER 



Water samples were collected from fifty lakes in the Bruce 

 Peninsula and Lake Muskoka and Haliburton Highland 

 regions during March. A two-man survey crew moved from 

 lake to lake by helicopter. Two-to-three feet of ice had to 

 be drilled by auger to obtain a water sample. The purpose 

 of this study was to compare the chemical and biological 

 properties of water in lakes located in different geological 

 formations, watersheds and site regions (areas of the same 

 landform which produce the same type of vegetation, and 

 these lands must be within an area in which there is no 

 very great variation in the regional climate) and to investi- 

 gate whether the chemical properties of lakes varied sig- 

 nificantly from season to season. 



INVENTORY RECORD OF SURVEY GEAR 



March 31, 1969 



In addition to this equipment, supplies of multifilament 

 and monofilament gill nets, minnow seines, dissecting kits, 

 abney hand levels, camping and cookery units were re- 

 corded. 



36 



