22 replies to this topic

[Spinninreel]

There seems to be some confusion about how many lake their are in Ontario. Last year I remember see on a government website that we had over 400,000 lakes in the province. I was on the MNR site yesterday and the number that they gave was 250,000 which is still a big number, but a far cry from that first number.

[Spinninreel]

I guess one of the first questions that should be asked is "what is a lake". Is it bigger than a pond? What size is a pond? I don't know if there is a proper description for these things or if there is who decides where a pond stops and a lake starts? I am wondering if this is the reason for the difference in the number of lakes?

[grubman]

I guess one of the first questions that should be asked is "what is a lake". Is it bigger than a pond? What size is a pond? I don't know if there is a proper description for these things or if there is who decides where a pond stops and a lake starts? I am wondering if this is the reason for the difference in the number of lakes?

Take a look at this site they made an interesting chart, but I don't know how they got higher values for depth and wave height.

http://www.aquahabit...s.lakes.ed.html

I'll bet there are still some un-named lakes in the backwoods of northern Ontario. I think during the Gulf war, Ontario government named a previously un-named lake after the first soldier that was killed, or some thing like that.

[Alfiegee]

Sounds like there is not a true count on the number of lakes in Ontario. I can think of 12 lakes that I have fished that are not on the list Blair provided, and that is without even trying. I realize that list is by no means meant to be a complete list of Ontarios lakes, but some of the lakes I have thought of are pretty big and some can be reached by road.
I think it's fair enough to say that there is more than enough lakes to last a person a life time. If you fish one lake a day from the day you are born until you are 70 that is only 25,550 lakes I'll never get to 250,000 lakes, sadly.

Alfie.

[grubman]

I just remember after my earlier post. Only some of the lakes in Ontario have been named after soldiers who were killed during WWII. In honour of their sacrifice. Pretty fitting.

http://www.thedailyp...e=true&e=771284

Manitoba government names lakes after soldiers
Posted 4 years ago
Before he was killed when his armoured vehicle ran off the road in Afghanistan last year, Master Cpl. Timothy Wilson loved to spend time fishing on Manitoba's lakes.

Now his name will be permanently attached to a remote body of water in the heart of the Canadian Shield.

The Manitoba government is honouring Wilson and another soldier who died while serving in Afghanistan, Cpl. Keith Morley, by naming two lakes after them.

"He really enjoyed fishing, he enjoyed camping. He just loved the outdoors," Wilson's father, Dale Wilson, said at a ceremony Friday at the Manitoba legislature.

"That's the way I raised him."

The lakes, both north of Flin Flon, were unnamed until now. Manitoba has a long-standing practice of naming geographical features such as lakes and hills after residents who die during military service.

"It's bittersweet, it really is," said Dale Wilson, who has two other sons in the military.

"I can't tell you how much Timothy's loss devastated us. There's a piece of my heart missing and there always will be. But I was very proud of Tim and what he accomplished."

Relatives of both soldiers said they plan to head north soon to visit the lakes that now bear the names of their families.

"I would love to go up there soon ... I plan on it," said Della Morley. Her son Keith was on foot patrol when he was attacked by a suicide bomber in September of 2006.

"Manitobans cannot even begin to thank (Morley and Wilson) for their sacrifice, for the sacrifice of their families and for the great military dedication they had during their careers," Premier Gary Doer said shortly before presenting relatives of the men with framed certificates. Morley and Wilson are the first Manitobans who died in Afghanistan to have lakes named after them.


I think all individuals who gave their life should have either a lake or part of the land, a park or something, named after them not just those who liked fishing. If they made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, should we not honour them with eternal rememberance? I also recall that many small lakes only have a number for a designation. So plenty of lakes for all who died for our freedom. That's just my thoughts.

No articles about Ontario naming a lake for an Ontario fallen soldier(s), how sad. Probably takes a commission and years to do b/c all the maps will constantly change and THAT is too inconvenient for someone.

[NADO]

I guess one of the first questions that should be asked is "what is a lake". Is it bigger than a pond? What size is a pond? I don't know if there is a proper description for these things or if there is who decides where a pond stops and a lake starts? I am wondering if this is the reason for the difference in the number of lakes?

I think to be a lake it just has to have an inlet and an outlet. That can be anything from a river to an underground spring.

[Alfiegee]

I think to be a lake it just has to have an inlet and an outlet. That can be anything from a river to an underground spring.

Just looked at yahoo answers and they say the difference between a pond and a lake is that a pond has photic zone where light can penetrate to the bottom and plant life can cover the entire surface of the water. A Lake has an aphotic zone where light cannot penetrate and therefore cannot be completely covered by plant life. So technically a pond can have a bigger surface area than a lake, it seems it is the depth that counts. Don't know, just sayin'.

Alfie.

[Spinninreel]

Just looked at yahoo answers and they say the difference between a pond and a lake is that a pond has photic zone where light can penetrate to the bottom and plant life can cover the entire surface of the water. A Lake has an aphotic zone where light cannot penetrate and therefore cannot be completely covered by plant life. So technically a pond can have a bigger surface area than a lake, it seems it is the depth that counts. Don't know, just sayin'.

Alfie.

if that were the description of a pond then lake Scugog is actually a pond?

[NADO]

Just looked at yahoo answers and they say the difference between a pond and a lake is that a pond has photic zone where light can penetrate to the bottom and plant life can cover the entire surface of the water. A Lake has an aphotic zone where light cannot penetrate and therefore cannot be completely covered by plant life. So technically a pond can have a bigger surface area than a lake, it seems it is the depth that counts. Don't know, just sayin'.

Alfie.

I dont think that is correct, but I could be wrong. You have lakes like Puslinch lake where plant life covers almost the whole lake with some pockets without plants.

[Spinninreel]

I dont think that is correct, but I could be wrong. You have lakes like Puslinch lake where plant life covers almost the whole lake with some pockets without plants.

I would agree that I think plant life covering the entire area does not make it a pond, but the actual size of the body of water that determines whether it is a lake or pond. so if that is the question, what is that size difference?

[NADO]

Its not size either, i'm pretty sure it is wether there is an inlet and an outlet. For example the "Pond" behind Conestoga College is actually a spring fed lake.

BTW if any conestoga college students are reading this you should try the lake for bass inbetween classes. Once inbetween class I caught between 20 and 30 large mouths on a spinner. Now the biggest one I got was maybe 9" but it was still a fun way to spend my inbetween class break.

[piju]

[Spinninreel]

The dictionary defines a pond as a small area of still water and a lake as a large body of water entirely surrounded by land. The key element is still water which to me would be stagnant water. So maybe a pond is small enough that water does not mix when blown or when the weather changes. Lakes usually flip their water when the temperature of the water reaches 39 degrees Fahrenheit, and the upper part of the water table switches with the lower.

[Alfiegee]

I was only reporting what I found.

Alfie.

[Spinninreel]

I was only reporting what I found.

Alfie.

That's good stuff for this discussion.

[Alfiegee]

That's good stuff for this discussion.

Just to add a little more to the discussion, check out a map of Newfoundland and all the "ponds" you find there, like Ten Mile Pond
In Newfie it is a pond unless it is very big. I have a Newfie brother, a 20 year friend and he calls almost every lake we go to a pond, but some of the bigger ones we go to he will refer to as a lake for instance Simcoe. He does call Scugog a pond when we go there.
On the other hand he refers to "Specks" as Mud Trout, LMAO.
I guess a lake or a pond is all a matter of perspective.
As to the original question, the number of lakes in Ontario. We drove from Hamilton to Trenton this week for work and then from there to Barrys Bay,where our next job is. For the return trip we decided to go through Algonquin last night. Besides the lakes or ponds I saw beside the roads there were so many X Lake Roads we passed. My number of lakes in Ontario is "Ferkin lots."

Alfie.

[Spinninreel]

We are very fortunate to have such a vast resource in this province. Fresh water is becoming more and more valuable as time goes on. Canada has 25% to 35% of all the fresh water in the world and we need to make sure tat it is protected.

[Alfiegee]

We are very fortunate to have such a vast resource in this province. Fresh water is becoming more and more valuable as time goes on. Canada has 25% to 35% of all the fresh water in the world and we need to make sure tat it is protected.

Agreed my friend.

Alfie.

[diggyj]

More then you could ever fish in a lifetime.

Dirk