Pigeon Lake

Pigeon Lake, situated between the City of Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough, is a central component of the Trent-Severn Waterway. Spanning approximately 57 square kilometers, it ranks as the third-largest among the Kawartha Lakes. The lake receives inflows from Sturgeon Lake, Nogies Creek, Pigeon River, Big Bald and Little Bald lakes, and other smaller tributaries, with water exiting through Gannons Narrows into Buckhorn Lake.

The Pigeon Lake watershed covers an area of 91 square kilometers, characterized by 33% natural vegetation cover, predominantly mixed forests. This includes 223 hectares of forest interior and 77 hectares of deep forest interior, providing essential habitats for various plant and animal species.

Significant ecological features within the watershed include several Provincially Significant Wetlands, such as the Potash Creek Complex (337 hectares), Victoria Park Marsh (157 hectares), and the Pigeon Lake No.14 wetland (253 hectares). These wetlands play a crucial role in maintaining regional biodiversity, water quality, and flood regulation.

Environmental assessments indicate that the surface water quality of Pigeon Lake is rated as fair, with total phosphorus concentrations averaging 0.025 mg/L, meeting the provincial objective of 0.02 mg/L for lakes. The health of benthic macroinvertebrate communities, as measured by the Family Biotic Index (FBI), is considered fair. Forest conditions within the watershed are also rated as fair, reflecting the need for conservation efforts to enhance the area's natural environment.

Understanding the characteristics and environmental conditions of Pigeon Lake is essential for effective watershed management and conservation initiatives, ensuring the preservation of its ecological integrity and the health of the broader Trent-Severn Waterway system.