Experimental Lakes Area

At the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) field station, a number of lakes and watersheds have been set aside for the purpose of whole-lake manipulation studies. This facility, in existence since 1968, offers scientists and biologists a unique opportunity to do experimental research in nature instead of inside the laboratory. Entire small lakes are available to test hypotheses about freshwater ecosystems. With permanent buildings housing modern labs, living facilities and support services, the science community is able to move into residence for a field season with the potential to work on site year round.

The ELA is located on the Precambrian Shield of northwestern Ontario, approximately 250 km east of Winnipeg and 50 km east-southeast of Kenora. The ELA includes 58 small lakes (1 to 84 ha in area) and their drainage basins, plus three additional stream segments, which have been set aside and are managed through a joint agreement between the Canadian and Ontario governments. Only research activities, or activities compatible with that research, are permitted within or adjacent to these watersheds. The ELA also has laboratories on site where a range of analytical work is carried out on samples such as water, zooplankton, and fish.

ELA research can provide dramatic visual evidence of ecosystem stressors through large-scale experiments, including the creation of small reservoirs and the drawing down of a lake to expose a new shoreline. In such studies, scientists can experiment with the aftermath of flooding events. Recently, researchers at the ELA built large containment structures in different types of forested areas (from scrub pine to dry forest types), which have been flooded to simulate reservoir creation, typical of hydroelectric dams. Reservoirs are a concern, as they often result in increased levels of toxic methyl mercury (MeHg) in fish, rendering them unfit for human consumption. The advantage of the ELA experimental approach is the ability to do controlled measurement before, during and after flooding. This provides useful information for designing hydroelectric projects by predicting after-effects of reservoir flooding and drawdown.

In another study, using stable isotopic tracers, scientists can determine if the origin of mercury in an aquatic ecosystem is a natural source, such as the surrounding soil, or if there is an input of mercury from external sources linked to human activities (e.g., burning fossil fuels).

In addition to experiments on aquatic ecosystems, ELA is a prime location for colloquia and workshops that bring scientists together to discuss their work. The facility is also used as a classroom/laboratory without walls to train students and workers in resource management.

Finally, the ELA has a 30-year record of hydrological, meteorological, chemical and biological data for a number of natural "control" lakes. These data are very useful when looking at the potential impact of climate change on the ecology of Canadian Shield lakes.

Related Links:

• Experimental Lakes Area: Protecting the Health of Canada's Lakes
• The University of Manitoba also hosts a web site profiling the
  Experimental Lakes Area. (Some elements of the University
  of Manitoba web site will soon be moved to the Fisheries and
  Oceans Canada web site.)

Contact:

Mr. John Shearer - (204) 983-5206