Bass Lake Outlet Project
BLPOA Presentation to Rideau Lakes Township Council – October 2018
On 09 October 2018, a delegation from the BLPOA made a formal presentation to the Municipal Services Committee. The BLPOA requested that the Township provide its leadership and authority to establish a municipal project and work with our Lake Association to define a plan of action leading to a resolution of the long-standing issues we have faced at the Outlet to Bass Lake.
Download Rideau Township Presentation
Over the course of three years (2018-201) the Township has supported our Association with:
Phase 1 - An approved and funded consultants’ study by Jp2G of our Bass Lake Outlet situation and recommended solutions;
Phase 2 - This was later followed in 2020-21 by a Phase 2 Engineering Study and Design Drawings prepared by Water’s Edge engineering consultants. In March 2021 the proposed engineered solution and permit application were approved by the regulatory authority – RVCA;
Phase 3 - Finally, after approval by the Township Council and a majority of property owners the construction contract was awarded to Crains Construction who completed the project work in September 2021.
Backgrounder Document - “A Bass Lake Outlet Control is A Beneficial Public Work”
The Board of Directors and our Tech Advisers prepared this Backgrounder Document in January 2019. The purpose is to support the rationale that resolving this Bass Lake issue would constitute a beneficial public work and as such warrants a collaborative project involving the leadership of the Township, and the participation of the BLPOA, the RVCA and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). This Backgrounder Document was distributed to Rideau Lakes Township Council; RVCA, MNRF and our MPP.
Phase 1 – Jp2g Bass Lake Outlet Report
The Consultant’s Final report was submitted to Town Council on 03 Sept 2019. BLPOA expressed its appreciation to the TRL Council for its support in commissioning and funding this Jp2g Consultant study during the summer of 2019. This Community Consultation, Consensus Building, and identification of Alternative Solutions was a critical first phase in achieving our primary mandate of “Securing an acceptable & manageable water level for Bass Lake”..
Download JP2G Bass Lake Outlet Final Report
BLPOA Statement of Requirement
The Township’s permit application for a replacement earthen berm in our outlet must satisfy the regulatory authorities stringent requirements, Aside from the all-important engineering design specifications and drawings a key up-front element that is for the Township and BLPOA to present their case as to purpose and justifications as to why such a water control structure is in fact needed. This Statement of Requirement (SOR) was prepared by the BLPOA which provides the majority of these arguments & material to the Township and Water’s Edge such that they will be fully expressed and incorporated in the permit application as a supporting document. This SOR includes: Background 25 Year History, Major Impacts & Concerns of Property Owners; Target Seasonal Water Level – Referendum – 2020.
Download BLPOA Statement of Requirement - Official Control Structure Jan 2021
Phase 2 - Water’s Edge Engineering Study and Design Contract
In the spring of 2020, the Township engaged Water’s Edge Engineering Consultants to complete the necessary design, engineering, regulatory approvals and contract management for the Bass Lake Outlet. After an eight-month study period in which consultations were made with the Township, the BLPOA, and the public, a proposed design for the outlet, being an earthen berm, was approved in principle, as well as a proposed desired lake water level, which the berm would set.
Water’s Edge finalized the berm design to a point of being tender ready in March 2021, and a tender was released April 1. Over 40 firms were directly advised of the tender, and it was placed on MERX (a commonly used tender portal). At the mandatory site meeting, 11 firms attended, indicating broad interest. However, at the close of the tender, only one bid was received. It was from Crains’ Construction.
Download Water’s Edge - Bass Lake Dam and Outlet Control Structure Design Report - 15 March 2021
Regulatory Approvals – Major Achievement
The RVCA conducted a full review of the Township’s permit application and on 07 May 2021 they issued a "Letter of Permission" granting approval to re-construct an existing dam to maintain water levels on (a watercourse from) Bass Lake within the Big Rideau Bass Lake Provincially Significant Wetland Complex. In addition, on 14 May 2021, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) completed their review of the proposed Bass Lake Dam Rehabilitation and provided approval and a Letter of Advice (LOA) for the proposed works. The planned project timeline was Fall 2021, with Crains’ noting a proposed project period of mid-August to mid-September.
Special Services Levy – Waterfront Property Owners
In the Fall of 2019, through consultation with the BLPOA and their membership, a cost-sharing proposal was brought forward and approved wherein the Township and all waterfront property owners would share the project costs on a 50/50 basis. Again, in consultation with the BLPOA membership as well as many other waterfront property owners/ratepayers, in the summer of 2020 majority support for this approach was confirmed, a proposed formula developed and recovery approved via a draft Special Services By-law.
In June 2021, the Township conducted an On-Line Survey to reach out to all waterfront property owners in order to again reaffirm that a majority level of support continued to exist for the 50/50 cost sharing agreement and for the project to move ahead, notwithstanding the increased estimated project costs presented by the sole bid proposal from Crains’ Construction. The BLPOA Executive and Road Reps for the 13 Private Roads assisted in the promotion and conduct of this survey to ensure a maximum survey response from property owners.
Bass Lake Outlet - Special Services Levy - Township Survey Results
Township Approvals & Support
The Township Council approved the project to proceed and be funded within the 2021 budget. In awarding the contract, Township staff, in consultation with Water’s Edge, the BLPOA and the contractor, worked to find as much savings as possible, either through in housing aspects of the project or performing value engineering.
The BLPOA with the Township’s leadership have been able to pull together to achieve a complete works package and approvals from the Regulatory Authorities. This is an enormous feat, spanning three years, and it was agreed that this unique opportunity to establish a regulated lake water level should be seized now. This project is a solution to a decades-old problem and there is a potential risk of catastrophic failure, unpredictable fluctuations in seasonal water levels, ongoing disputes and existing berm tampering.
Phase 3 – Outlet Work and Berm Construction
Crains’ Construction commenced the work in the Outlet on 16 August 2021 and completed the project on schedule and within the contract cost agreement. The following file provides a photo review of the construction stages and the final approved product.
PHOTOS - EARTHEN BERM CONSTRUCTION STAGES
Closing Steps
In the Fall of 2022, once the new berm was fully constructed, Crain’s Construction completed
the final project steps which included security fencing, tree/shrub planting and overall site
reme3diation. In the Spring of 2022, the Township notified by a letter sent to each Bass Lake
Property Owner (234) of the Special Service Charge related to the Bass Lake Outlet and their
responsibility associated with the By-Law #2022-14 and the payment that was required to cover
the property owners portion of the costs for the Bass Lake Outlet.
The total capital cost to undertake water regulation at Bass Lake was $411,876.78. As
requested, the Township will cover 50% of these costs with the remaining 50%, or $205,938 to
be paid by the current residents fronting on Bass Lake, as the benefiting parties of this work.
Per the By-Law the method of distributing this charge is as follows:
1. 50% of the amount owing or $102,969, will be divided evenly amongst the 234
residents, which amounts to $440.04 per resident; and
2. The remaining balance of $102,969 will be prorated based on the assessment value of
the property on Bass Lake. Lots assessed as commercial shall have their commercial
assessed value multiplied by 1.3464.
If waterfront property owners elected to pay this amount in full by September 30, 2022, there
will be no interest charges or administrative fees added. If property owners preferred to pay
the amount over 3 years, 3% interest will be applied as well as a $20 annual administration fee.
SUMMARY
In 2018 the Bass Lake Property Owners Association (BLPOA) presented the Council of the
Township of Rideau Lakes with a request to address the water level problem at Bass Lake. The
three decade-old, non-engineered and non-regulatory approved outlet berm was inadequate
and inconsistent in managing water levels and supporting lake health and public safety. The
Township, BLOPA, engineering consultants and the regulatory authorities worked together over
the subsequent four years to develop and implement a solution. Property Owner notice and
consultation occurred throughout.