SOWMA provided a presentation to the Turtle Lake Watershed Association on system inspection and maintenance during their Annual General Meeting on Thursday, July 24, 2025.

Residents living or vacationing around Turtle Lake are experiencing periods of algae bloom in certain areas of the lake and the Turtle Lake Watershed Association is looking for solutions to this problem.

The watershed association does regular water testing around the lake and has identified certain problem areas. Algae bloom is caused by excess nutrients such  as phosphorous and nitrogen entering the lake waters. A build up of algae utilizes the available oxygen in the lake waters, causing fish die off and making the waters unsafe for recreational purposes.

Contributing factors to the water quality in the lake may be leaking septic or holding tanks, or failing septic systems. The Turtle Lake Watershed is discussing the potential of mandatory system inspection to identify and correct any onsite wastewater systems that may be negatively impacting the lake water.