Decision to refill Lake Pisiquid coming with side-effects, say some Windsor residents

Some Windsor, N.S., residents say a two-year-old decision to close the gates of an aboiteau and keep Lake Pisiquid filled with water is unnecessary and causing other problems.

Prior to the closure, the open gates caused the lake to drain. This was done by way of a Department of Fisheries and Oceans order to restore the Avon River to a natural river state to allow fish to pass through.

But in June 2023, the province declared a state of emergency and ordered the gates closed so that the water supply would be maximized in the event it was needed for firefighting. The order came at a time when there were large wildfires in the province.

"The firefighting protection for Windsor, this is an illusion," said fisherman Darren Porter, who's part of scientific teams conducting work on the river.

He also previously attempted to get a judicial review of the province's emergency order, but was unsuccessful. The judge called the province's reasoning "rational, logical and justified."

When the lake was drained this past spring to allow for regular aboiteau maintenance, the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq extended a river boat ramp to allow scientists access to the water.

"If I can put my boat in … to do the studies, fire trucks can back down [the ramp]," said Porter. "So the logical case for needing that dry hydrant is no longer logical, because we have this ramp right to the channel, and we have access to water at all times."

A dry hydrant is a non-pressurized pipe that connects to a water source. In this case, the dry hydrant is connected to the lake.

The Municipality of West Hants is planning for a future with or without that water.

CAO Mark Phillips said the municipality is building a water storage tank and combining the former water utilities of Windsor and Falmouth to accommodate a growing population, as well as improve firefighting capabilities. 

"If the water is in the lake, obviously that gives us greater capacity," he said. "But if water is not in the lake, then we need to be in a position to make sure our community is safe and confident in our fire service."

Phillips anticipates those projects will be completed this construction season. He said the community is patiently waiting for a final decision on aboiteau design.

Some Windsor residents are not feeling so patient though.

David Hunter owns an antique shop on the Windsor waterfront. He likes the lake, but also enjoyed watching the tides when Windsor fronted on a river.