What is runoff?
Runoff is the water that enters the lake after flowing over the ground surface, where it accumulates contaminants such as fertilizers and pesticides. Development leads to an increase in runoff with excess nutrients (pollutants). The movement of these excess nutrients into the lake can lead to more frequent and severe algal blooms; however, this can be mitigated by reestablishing natural areas and diverting runoff to vegetated areas.
Objective 3 in the Watershed Land section of the Pigeon Lake Watershed Management Plan is to promote clean runoff practices to reduce the transport of nutrients to Pigeon Lake.