“Ice Safety Training” February 2019
Highway 11 Fire and Fuel Spill at Pan Lake
On November 23, 2016 there was an unfortunate accident on Hwy 11 just north of Pan Lake, south of Temagami. In this event a truck carrying a load of diesel caught fire and resulted in the spillage of diesel into the soil east of the highway. Temagami First Nation Lands and Resources Department has kept up-to-date on the contamination of the site since the accident occurred.
TFN and the Lands and Resources Department also visited the site in April 2017 along with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and the consultants dealing with the spill. Due to swift action and fortunate timing and conditions the majority of the contamination was contained within a couple hours. The site and surrounding area have been and will continue to be monitored and action regarding any needed cleanup will continue to occur.
Spring Freshet Data for Lake Temagami
Over the last 10 years there has been data collected by many groups regarding the water quality of Lake Temagami. Data has been collected by Temagami First Nation, Municipality of Temagami, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Temagami Lakes Association, along with other individuals and residents who care about the water quality of the lake. The sampling that is being done on a yearly basis is called Spring Phosphorous sampling or the Spring Freshet. In the spring, water samples are collected at multiple sites around the lake to test total phosphorous, and to check the water clarity. The information from the results gathered over a long period of time can display changes that then can be determined to factors effecting the water quality of the lake.
Phosphorous and water clarity are directly related to algae growth in a lake. 
If a lake has less than 1 micrograms /L of phosphorous then there is a slim chance for large amounts algae production through the course of the year which means a lower chance of having an algae issue. If your phosphorous levels are above 10, and between 20 – 30 Micrograms/L then there is a high chance the lake could potentially be affected by algae, and possibly algae blooms. From the data gathered and collected Lake Temagami is quite a pristine lake. As seen in Table1 the total average phosphorous levels are low ranging in the 2 – 4.5 micrograms/L over the last 5 years, and seem to be staying consistent. In Table1 you can see in the year 2015 and 2017 the data shifts upwards slightly. This can be caused by many factors; from sample location, to warmer water temperatures the year the sample was taken.
If you are looking for more information on the Spring Freshet on Lake Temagami or other lakes in the area or would like to start sampling yourself visit:
http://www.desc.ca/programs/LPP
https://www.ontario.ca/data/ontario-lake-partner