Sasaginaga Lake is one of the widely known lakes in the country of Canada. Sasaginaga Lake is known for being surrounded by beautiful nature. This news article will explore the nature, history, and science of Sasaginaga Lake in Colbalt, Canada. This news article will explore the natural resources and natural elements of Sasaginaga Lake as well. Sasaginaga Lake is located in the Timiskaming District of Colbalt, Ontario, Canada.
There has always been a huge concentration of natural silver near the area surrounding Sasaginaga Lake. Silver is believed to have existed by the lake even before the 18th century and 19th century. Next to Sasaginaga Lake are silver deposits from an abandoned silver mine called The Trethewey Mine. Located northwest of the Coniagas Mine near Sasaginaga Lake. (Ref: https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/trethewey-mine/m06wb23x?hl=en)
Arsenic is another natural resource and element that can be found by Sasaginaga Lake. The average arsenic concentration rate in Sasaginaga Lake is 0.004 parts per million (0.004 ppm). Arsenic occurs in all lakes and streams in the Cobalt area. Sasaginaga Lake is no exception. (Ref: http://www.cobaltmininglegacy.ca/waterPollution.php)
Arsenic occurs in all lakes and streams in the Cobalt area. The average arsenic concentrations range from 0.004 parts per million (ppm) in Sasaginaga Lake near the Cobalt town water intake to 17.8 ppm for a small stream draining the some tailings on Nip Hill. In comparison, the Canadian Water Quality Guideline for arsenic for the protection of aquatic life is 0.005 ppm. This concentration is exceeded in all lakes and streams sampled in the area except Sasaginaga Lake.
According to an annual report from the Ontario Department of Mines dating back to 1910, acid igneous rocks of the Keewatin can be found at the north end of Sasaginaga Lake. (Ref: https://archive.org/details/annualreport191002onta/page/55/mode/1up?view=theater)
“The acid igneous rocks of the Keewatin, which are not widely distributed in theCobalt area, include felsite, feldspar-porphyry and quartz-porphyry. At the north end of Sasaginaga lake an occurrence of a white to light grey felsite presents a striking appearance on account of its light color. It is fine in grain and comparatively fresh, and consists of feldspar and quartz, the feldspar predominating. The rock has a micro-porphyritic texture, due to the presence of phenocrysts of feldspar and quartz. Often the feldspar rods in the matrix are arranged in parallel lines, which curve around the phenocrysts, producing what is known as a flowage texture.”
Sasaginaga Lake is known for being surrounded by beautiful nature. Redwood trees surround the lake entirely. A range of oak tree can be found within 20 feet of Sasaginaga Lake.
Sasaginaga Lake is located in the Timiskaming District of Colbalt, Ontario, Canada. According to mapcarta.com, the elevation of Sasaginaga Lake is 312 metres (1,023 feet) and is located northeast of Clear Lake. (Ref: https://mapcarta.com/24628120)
Sasaginaga Lake possibly existed during the Cretaceous period 144 million years ago during the last period of the Mesozoic Era.
There has always been a huge concentration of natural silver near the area surrounding Sasaginaga Lake as silver is believed to have existed by the lake even before the 18th century and 19th century. The silver deposits are what drove English European settlers over to the Cobalt area in search for mining natural resources during the 18th century and 19th century. Next to Sasaginaga Lake are silver deposits from an abandoned silver mine called The Trethewey Mine. Located northwest of the Coniagas Mine near Sasaginaga Lake. (Ref: https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/trethewey-mine/m06wb23x?hl=en)
Now Sasaginaga Lake was not immure from controversy. Historic mining activities in the Cobalt area during the middle 19th century and early 20th century had affected the water quality of Cobalt Lake with high levels of pollution which made the water from Cobalt Lake unsafe to drink. So drinking water was either imported by train and brought in from Sasaginaga Lake by private water carters. Water was sold by the bucket from private water carters.
Historic mining activities in Cobalt included the disposal of mining waste rock, or tailings, in Cobalt Lake, before the environmental impacts of these practices were fully understood by scientists. Today, it is recognized that mine tailings may contain chemicals and elements, including arsenic, which could represent a potential risk to human health under certain exposure conditions, specifically accidental ingestion.(Ref: http://www.timiskaminghu.com/websites/timiskaminghu.com/files/Environmental%20Health/Cobalt%20Lake%20Media%20Release%20FINAL%20June%2017%2005.pdf)
Development threatened the nature and water supply of Sasaginaga Lake during the early 20th century as Sasaginaga Lake provided water for Cobalt because Cobalt's sewage system frequently became clogged and frequently overflowed during that time. Cobalt's sewage system turned Cobalt Lake into a cesspool. This resulted in much of the town's drinking water being either imported by train or brought in from Sasaginaga Lake by private water carters and sold by the bucket.
At one time or another, suburbs were planned for Wright Township, Clear Lake, Argentite, Sasaginaga Lake, and Port Cobalt (North Cobalt) sometime in 1904. The most successful of these attempts was at Port Cobalt. The North Cobalt Land Corporation purchased 640 acres of land between Argentite and Lake Temiskaming in 1906. (Ref: Cobalt, Agreement No. 33, 1909)
While these negotiations were being conducted, the Town Council engaged a Toronto engineering firm to prepare plans for a permanent waterworks system. But when the firm submitted its report in the spring, the town was shocked to learn that a waterworks system to Sasaginaga Lake would cost over $50,000. As a result, the Council engaged a private firm to install a temporary pipeline to Sasaginaga Lake until a permanent line could be laid sometime in the future. (Ref: Cobalt, Agreement No. 55, 'Report on Water Supply and Sewerage' by Galt and Smith Consulting Engineers, March 30, 1909)
The town of Cobalt had been trying for several years to provide its citizens with proper sanitation and a source of pure drinking water. Because the town's financial resources were limited, the town council had approached the provincial legislature for monetary help in 1907. In the same year Cobalt petitioned for an enlargement of its boundaries into Coleman Township to encompass the properties of some of the larger mines and thus expand its tax base. The petition was largely a ploy to force Coleman Township into helping Cobalt market its bonds. [Ref: Ontario, Provincial Archives, Whitney Papers, H. Lang (Mayor) to Whitney, July 10, 1909]
The plan seemed successful when the township promised to ask the government for a special act empowering them to guarantee Cobalt's bonds up to $75,000 if the town would discontinue its agitation for an enlarged boundary. When the township proved reluctant to carry out its side of the bargain, the new town council (which had been re-elected by acclamation in 1909, primarily with a mandate to secure an adequate water supply) threatened to renew its petition. While these negotiations were being conducted, the town council engaged a Toronto engineering firm to prepare plans for a permanent waterworks system. But when the firm submitted its report in the spring, the town was shocked to learn that a waterworks system to Sasaginaga Lake would cost over $50,000. As a result, the council engaged a private firm to install a temporary pipeline to Sasaginaga Lake until a permanent line could be laid. Spurred by a disastrous fire in 1909, the mayor wrote letters to Premier Whitney and to each member of the provincial board of health to enlist their support in soliciting financial aid for a permanent waterworks system. The citizens, the mayor stated, were up in arms, and it was almost impossible to pacify them. (Ref: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:AM_3na4X-iAJ:https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/13242/PC.18.1.FULL.pdf%3Fsequence%3D1%26isAllowed%3Dy+&cd=61&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-b-1-d)
Cobalt's sewage system, which covered only a small section of the townsite, was in a sad state. The main sewer, which was useful only for carrying off surface drainage, flowed directly into Cobalt Lake. Cobalt's sewage system and Cobalt Lake also received the slop from hotels, laundries, and outdoor privies, it frequently became clogged and overflowed. Mine tailings and town sewage soon turned Cobalt Lake into a cesspool, with the result that much of the town's drinking water was either imported by train or brought in from Sasaginaga Lake by private water carters and sold by the bucket. Several water-carting firms had amalgamated and built a small pipeline to Sasaginaga Lake, allowing them to sell drinking water at exorbitant rates by 1909. In July 1909, the predicted disaster struck. A typhoid epidemic swept through the town, causing 67 deaths out of 1,100 reported cases. However this did not affect Sasaginaga Lake. (Ref: Ontario Board of Health Report of 1909, Page 30)
The commission was operated by a committee consisting of the mayor of Cobalt, the reeve of Coleman Township, and the manager of the Nipissing Mining Company—a mine that had no direct interest in Sasaginaga Lake. (Ref: Cobalt Board of Health Minutes, 21 July 1909)
The Timiskaming Health Unit notified and reassured residents that the municipal drinking water system is not affected by a water advisory that was issued out in 2015. The municipal water source of Sasaginaga Lake is regularly monitored by local and provincial authorities to ensure it meets the Ministry of Environment’s Ontario Drinking Water Standards. (Ref: http://www.timiskaminghu.com/websites/timiskaminghu.com/files/Environmental%20Health/Cobalt%20Lake%20Media%20Release%20FINAL%20June%2017%2005.pdf)
The Timiskaming Health Unit like to reassure residents that the municipal drinking water system is not affected by this advisory. The municipal water source is Sasaginaga Lake, and our drinking water is regularly monitored by local and provincial authorities to ensure it meets the Ministry of Environment’s Ontario Drinking Water Standards.
Historic mining activities in Cobalt included the disposal of mining waste rock, or tailings, in Cobalt Lake, before the environmental impacts of these practices were fully understood by scientists. Today, it is recognized that mine tailings may contain chemicals and elements, including arsenic, which could represent a potential risk to human health under certain exposure conditions, specifically accidental ingestion.
“We want residents and visitors to be aware of this situation so they can take steps to protect themselves from exposure, which will reduce the potential for any health effects,” said Dr. Pat Logan, acting Medical Officer of Health. “Specifically, these steps are to avoid any recreational use of the lake so as to prevent accidental ingestion of lake water.”
Arsenic is a naturally occurring substance in the earth’s crust and presents no unacceptable health risk under normal conditions. The body naturally regulates levels of metal and arsenic, which are readily excreted unless excess exposure occurs. Minimizing exposure to excess levels of metals allows the body to eliminate them naturally, which significantly reduces the risk of potential health effects.
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