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Gapen's Pool
While the decline in numbers of this legendary fish on the north
shore of Lake Superior has been reversed due to the minimizing of water level
fluctuations on the Nipigon River, the trout now face an equally serious
problem, and that is the potential loss of one of only three major spawning
sites on the Nipigon River. One of these major spawning sites, the water known
as Gapen’s Pool was purchased in the spring of 2007 by Trout Unlimited Canada to
protect this valuable resource. This land serves a critical hydrological
function collecting, storing, filtering, and percolating groundwater which then
supplies the underwater springs that these trout need for successful
reproduction. This relationship has been confirmed through a hydrological study
conducted by R. A. Curry et al in 1994.
The following summary comes from the
"Nipigon River Land Acquisition Proposal...Gapen's Pool"
- Gapen's Pool is one of only three spawning sites identified for this
species on the Nipigon River and attracts lake dwelling trophy fish from
across Nipigon Bay and beyond.
- Coaster brook trout have very specific spawning needs and require sites
with substantial underwater springs for successful reproduction.
- The land adjacent to these spawning locations serve a critical
hydrological function filtering, collecting, storing and percolating
groundwater into these seepage areas beneath the river.
- The purpose of the acquisition is to acquire the property adjacent to the
east portion of Gapen’s Pool to protect and conserve critical functions that
this property provides to Coaster Brook Trout in the Nipigon River.
- The only relatively healthy population of Coaster brook trout in Lake
Superior is now concentrated in the Nipigon Bay and Nipigon River.
- Brook trout require groundwater discharge areas of significant volume and
extent for spawning. Brook trout eggs require constant groundwater discharges
of uniform temperature in order to incubate and hatch.
- The lands adjacent to the spawn beds make up a major portion of the
catchment area and groundwater recharge zone which filters and percolates
surface waters leading to the creation of upwelling, groundwater seepage areas
along the base of the banks of the Nipigon River
- In the fall of the year at 3 special habitats of the river, female trout
returning to the river dig nests and bury their eggs in gravel substrates
where embryos remain until spring when juveniles emerge into the river. During
this 4 month period in the gravel, the embryos are bathed in groundwater that
flows through the gravel because of special geologic characteristics of the
bank and adjacent lands. Our research has shown that the reproductive habitats
in the river are sustained by the groundwater and therefore, the habitats are
directly linked to the adjacent landscape which controls the pathways and flow
rates of groundwater to the river at these critical habitats
Here are several links to:
The original PDF version of the Gapen's Pool Project
and
the details of the
recent purchase
Please consider a donation, and do it now. All you need do is to send a
cheque payable to Trout Unlimited (US) or to Trout Unlimited Canada at the
addresses below. On the cheque you specify that the money is to be directed
towards the Nipigon River Land Acquisition Proposal: Gapen's Pool.
To donate to the Gapen’s Pool Acquisition Project, please contact TUC’s
National Office.
Canadian residents:
Trout Unlimited Canada,
P.O. Box 339,
Calgary, Alberta, T2H 2G9 US residents:
Trout Unlimited-Midwest Office,
222 S. Hamilton St., Ste 3,
Station T, Madison, WI, 53703.
Thanking you in advance, we are
Jack Imhof
National Biologist
Trout Unlimited Canada
Ilka Milne
Northwestern Ontario Program Manager
Nature Conservancy of Canada
Dave Nuttall, Chair, Nipigon Bay RAP Public Advisory Committee.
Look beyond the artist's rendering of a brook trout to it's
reflection in the water. What shape do you see?
Brian Christie (Lake Superior
Conservancy and Watershed Council) wrote this article for the "Great
Lakes Aquatic Habitat" NEWS about the Gapen Pool Project called:
The
Gapen's Pool Project and
Coaster Brook Trout:
the Land - Water Connection
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