Lake Water Testing and Monitoring

                     The Echo Lake Association is involved in the following Citizen Science programs: 

                                                                             * Ontario Lake Partner Program (LPP) 
                                                                             * Living Lakes Canada - National Lake Blitz 
                                                                             * IceWatch (go to Ice In/Ice Off Data for full details)

Ontario Lake Partner Program (LLP)


The Echo Lake Association has long been involved in the Ontario Lake Partner Program taking annual water samples to test for Phosphorous, and regular water clarity readings and temperature. The location of the sample point (the deepest part of the lake - 45 feet / 13.7 m) is marked on the map below. 

LPP is an arrangement between the Federation Of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations (FOCA), and the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) to conduct water-quality testing - Samples are tested for total phosphorus, calcium, chloride, and water clarity. Datasets are released to the volunteers, the public, researchers and other scientists. 

The Lake Partner Program was featured in the Spring 2026 edition of the North American Lake Management Society's publication, LakeLine. Click HERE to read or download the article by FOCA's Lake Stewardship Coordinator, Gavin Vance.

To access LPP data: 

Living Lakes Canada - National Lake Blitz


Since 2023, the Echo Lake Association began participating in Living Lakes Canada’s National Lake Blitz program. This is a nationwide annual volunteer citizen science program that seeks to monitor water health: Air and water temperature, water clarity and PH testing. Datasets are used by WWF-CANADA for input to their Watershed Reports. 

After 5 seasons of lake monitoring and community engagement across Canada, Living Lakes Canada has completed the National Lake Blitz project in 2025. 

Using a combination of both of these water quality testing programs, the average results from 1997 to 2025 are:

                                                           * Average pH = 6.88 >> OKAY (s/b between 6.5 and 8.5)
                                                           * Average Phosphorous = 8.3 micrograms/L >> Oligotrophic - OKAY
                                                           * Average Secchi Depth (Clarity) = 3.38m >> Mesotrophic - OKAY

To learn more about trophic states visit: Limnology 101: Understanding Trophic States

NEW in 2025: Sulphate data
The average sulphate level in Echo Lake since 2018 is 2.13 mg/L (sulphate levels in Canadian lakes typically range from 3 to 30 mg/L). Why does this matter? Sulphate is a key indicator of acid precipitation. The lower the sulphate level, the better.

FYI: Echo Lake is considered VULNERABLE due to the blue-green algae bloom that occurred in 2019. That will continue to remain so.

                                                             COMPLETE DATA FOR ECHO LAKE

While Echo Lake seems to be holding its own, we CANNOT REST ON OUR LAURELS!


To keep the lake healthy, our shorelines are our best defence. Think of the shoreline as the lake’s skin - natural shorelines protect the water by trapping excess nutrients and other damaging substances like fertilizers and other chemicals from entering the water.

Member Laura Murray, a long-time cottager on the lake who’s studied wildlife biology and has been surveying the loons for Birds Canada for at least 25 years, made some very important comments at our 2023 Annual General Meeting that bears repeating here:

If we do get another bloom, one of the worst things we can do is break them. The danger is when boats break them, that just spreads it out and that's where the toxicity really takes hold.

The best ways to protect the lake is not to use fertilizers, keep septic systems in good operation, don’t use antibacterial soap because that kills the natural biology of the lake, keep a natural shoreline (leave fallen trees, and create a good depth of a buffer zone between a lawn, if you have one, and the shoreline). This is our best plan against another blue-green algae bloom and will keep our lake healthy for generations.
Pin indicates sampling location
Pin indicates sample location for temperature and water clarity.
70-75 lakes, including Echo Lake, are sampled each year through the District of Muskoka's Recreational Water Quality Monitoring Program.



 2025 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
May 20 15 3.95 m (12.9’)
June 3 16 2.85 m (9.5’)
June 16 22 2.93 m (9.6’)
July 16 33 3.35 m (11.0’)
August 4 28 3.30 m (10.8’)
August 13 29 3.90 m (12.8’)
September 11 22 3.35 m (11.0’)




2024 Water Temperature (oC) @ 1m Water Clarity
May 16 23 4.10 m (13.5’)
June 20 26 3.60 m (11’8"’)
June 26 28 2.65 m (8’7”)
July 12 27 2.93 m (9’6”)
July 22 25 2.85 m (9’4”)
July 31 30 2.95 m (9’7”)
August 13 24 3.35 m (11’)
August 22 26 2.65 m (8’7”)
November 28 1 2.45 m (8’0")




2023 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
May 6 11 3.4 m (11' 4")
May 29 20 4.3 m (14' 3")
June 18 23 2.4 m (8' 0")
July 7 25 2.9 m (9' 6")
July 19 25 2.1 m (7' 0")
August 11 24 2.6 m (8' 6")
August 28 n/a 3.05 m (10')
November 9 n/a 2.44 m (8')
2022 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
May 22 18 2.9 m (9' 6")
June 24 n/a 2.8 m (9' 1")
July 19 n/a 3.2 m (10' 5")
August 14 n/a 3.3 m (10' 10")
August 26 n/a 3.4 m (11' 2")
October 24 13 2.5 m (8'1")?
2021
 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
May 24 18 3.3 m (11' 0")
June 6
 22
 3.3 m (10' 11")
July 4 23 2.6 m (8' 6")
September 11 n/a 2.7 m (8' 10")
October 20 17 2.8 m (9' 2")
2020 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
May 23 17 3.1 m (10' 3")
June 4 19 3.7 m (12' 1")
June 28 22 2.4 m (8' 0")
September 11 18 3.2 m (10' 6")
September 20 14 3.0 m (9' 10")
November 9 8 2.9 m (9' 7")
2019 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
May 16 12 2.8 m (9' 1")
June 6
 16 4.1 m (13' 5")​
June 23 23 3.6 m ​(12')
July 22
 26 3.8 m (12' 6")
August 11
 22 3.4 m (11' 2")
August 26
 24 2.8 m (9' 1")

2018 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
May 12 13 3.3 m (10' 8")
June 10 22 2.6 m (8' 6")
June 17 24 2.9 m (9' 7")
July 12 26 3.3 m (10' 11")
July 23 25 2.5 m (8' 3")
August 19 26 4.3 m (14' 1")
2017 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
May 17 16 3.1 m (10' 1")
June 3 18 3.1  m (10' 3")
July 2 23 ​2.5 m (8' 1")
July 27 Not able to attain ​2.8 m (9' 3")
September 21 Not able to attain ​3.1 m (10' 2")
2016 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
May 12 15 3.3 m (10' 9")
July 6 24 4.2 m (13' 10")
August 1 N/A 4.4 m (14' 7")
September 16 16 3.9 m (12' 9")
September 25 14 4.1 m (13' 6")
2015 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
 May 24
 17 2.3 m (7' 8")
June 20
 21 2.9 m (9' 6')
July 6
 22 3.2 m (10' 5")
August 22
 24 3.1 m (10' 2")
November 29 3 2.6 m (8' 6")

2014 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
June 7
 21 2.7 m (8' 11")
July 10
 22 3.3 m (10' 8")
July 27
 22 3.4 m (11' 2")
August 11
 24 3.6 m (11' 8")
​October 30
 9 2.1 m (7' 0")


2013 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
May 20
 18 2.4 m (8' 0")
June 9
 19 3.0 m (9' 11")
July 3
 23 2.8 m (9' 2")
August 5
 22 3.1 m (10' 4") 
October 27
 6 1.5m (4' 11")


2012 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
May 13
 15 4.6 m (15' 2")
June 10
 20 5.0 m (16' 4")
July 2
 23 4.1 m (13' 6")
July 13
 25 3.5 m (11' 5")
August 15
 22 3.9 m (12' 9")
September 2 22 4.6 m (15' 2")


2011 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
May 21
 19 3.7 m (12' 2")
June 5
 20 3.4 m (11' 2")
June 19
 22 2.7 m (8' 9")
July 7
 25 3.4 m (11' 2")
July 19
 26 3.5 m (11' 6")
August 26
 23 3.0 m (10' 0")
October 9
 16 3.2 m (10' 6")


2010 Water Temperature (°C) @ 1m Water Clarity
May 23
 15 3.9 m (12' 9")
June 13
 20 3.7 m (12' 2")
July 14
 27 3.5 m (11' 6")
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