Otty Lake is located in Lanark County, Eastern Ontario. The OLA is committed to the long term health and enjoyment of our lakes and the watershed.
Otty Lake Values Survey
and Lake Summary Report
By now you should have received a letter via Canada Post with a web link to your personalized Love Your Lake shoreline property report. (Please get in touch if you did not receive yours!) Watersheds Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Federation have also provided a two part summary report. The first part is a summary of the Values Survey from the resident survey responses, which were were highlighted in the AGM presentation. The Lake Summary report summarizes the results of the 438 properties surveyed.
Wildlife Home Building Workshop
David and Susan Murray are organizing these workshops for Sat. July 26th or Sun. July 27th. Build a bat, duck, bluebird or tree swallow house from materials provided. Initial signup was at the AGM June 1. Thanks to McVeigh Lumber for their support for the materials. Contact the Murrays.
Shoal Marking
The shoal markers have all been placed for the boating season. A big thank you to the volunteers who store them over the winter, put them in, monitor them, and take them out in the fall. Please always be cautious of shoals when boating – some of them cover a larger area than one minion indicates!
Paddle Power 2025
Sat. Aug. 9
Rain Date Sat. Aug. 16
Come together with other paddle powered craft to see if we can break our record for number of participants! Meet in the area amongst Ruby, Clegg and Buck Islands at 10:45, photos at 11:00, followed by a procession. Check the OLA map to see the meetup location. For more info contact Jen. Kids and pets welcome!
Annual General Meeting
Sun. June 1, Perth Legion
We had a great turnout out to our AGM. Here are the meeting materials and a two of the presentations. We also had updates from both Tay Valley and Drummond/North Elmsley Townships
Agenda
Poster
Minutes from 2024 AGM
2025 OLA Finances
Love Your Lake Presentation
OLA Meeting and Presentation
Drummond/North Elmsley Township. Household Hazardous Waste 2025
The Household Hazardous Waste depot at 128 Patterson Cres. in Carleton Place is now open for the season. Many municipalities, including DNE (but not Tay) are eligible to use it. Be prepared to show ID and proof of residency. It is open Saturdays only, 8 a.m. until noon, and is open now until August 30. Check this link https://www.smithsfalls.ca/…/HHW-Accepted-Materials.pdf for acceptable materials.
Tay Valley Township
Household Hazardous Waste 2025
The Middleville Household Hazardous Waste Depot will open for the season on Saturday, May 17th, 2025, (Victoria Day weekend until October 11th, 2025) and is located at 4686 Wolf Grove Road. It is available for Lanark Highlands and Tay Valley Township residents only. Proof of identification may be requested by Technicians.
HHW Depot Hours 2025:
Now closed Mondays due to staffing shortages (May 28, 2025)
Wednesdays 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Saturdays 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Please total all of the items you are bringing and a rough estimate of the volume of material. You can download a tracking sheet here: Tracking Form.pdf or e-mail [email protected] to request a tracking form.
State of the Lake
The 2024 State of the Lake report has been posted. This report summarizes for our members the environmental conditions of Otty Lake this year. Thanks to those who contributed reports and the volunteers who put it together. Past versions of the report area available on our Environment Page.
Protecting Bass Populations
The Big Rideau Lakes Association is working with the Fisheries Conservation Foundation to lobby the province for a bass sanctuary program. Pilot projects have taken place on Opinicon and Charleston Lakes. Listen to this radio interview with Hansen Downer on 88.1 myFM news.
Listen to the Interview
Read Why Bass Spawning Sanctuaries (BSS)?
Read BSS Frequently Asked Questions
Water Levels
The RVCA has a real time water level gauge to monitor Otty’s lake level. The link is on the “Other Water Issues” page under the Environment tab.
Volunteers Needed
The Otty Lake Association is in need of Lake Ambassadors. We are looking for volunteers who are outgoing and enjoy talking to their neighbours. As a Lake Ambassador you will reach out to your neighbours with the idea of promoting our wonderful lake and the activities and events that the Otty Lake Association organizes and supports. Normally, this is done once a year, in the spring, as part of our membership drive. Most Lake Ambassadors spend 5 to 10 hours a year on this important activity.
We are particularly in need of volunteers in the areas of: Otty Lake South West Shore Road, Sunset Ridge, McKay Farm Road, Bishops Way, Sunset Drive, Maple Glen, and McLaren Point.
If you are interested in supporting our lake association this might be the volunteer opportunity for you. If you would like to volunteer or learn more, please get in touch through: [email protected].
Watershed Conditions Report
A new detailed analysis from the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) has found many parts of the Rideau River Watershed are changing fast – and not always with positive results. The RVCA’s 193-page Watershed Conditions Report is the first of its kind in more than 50 years.The analysis found several concerning trends including a continuing steep decline in large woodland patches, increasing chloride levels in our urban streams, and large shifts in surface water flow patterns linked to increased development and loss of wetlands.
Etransfer Your OLA Membership Fees
In order to continue the OLA’s work and education around the lake, we do rely on your membership dues. Please consider paying your $25 dues by e-transfer to [email protected] The security question to input is “province we live in”, and the answer is “Ontario”. Please include some identifying details in the message, such as your address, or if you are a couple, both of your names. We have had a few submissions we have struggled to identify!
if you prefer, you can mail a cheque made out to the Otty Lake Association for $25 to Otty Lake Association, Box 20122, Perth, ON K7H 3M6.
Online Registration Available
for Open Air Burn Permits
A permit is required for all open air burning. Burn permits expire every year on November 30. Please remember to renew or apply for your FREE fire permit. Complete your permit application online or call 613-267-2596.
Contribute Your Observations to iNaturalist
Discover and track the species that make their home in and around Otty Lake. We invite you to help us create an ongoing catalog of the wildlife for the area. This library will help us gain insight into the distribution and seasonality of the organisms in our region. It will help the scientific community through records of wildlife movements, invasive species, species at risk as well as sharing observations among friends. Visit the website or download the app.
Messages From The OLA
Missed an email from the OLA? Here are the last 20 e-blasts sent to members.
Lanark County Fire Bans
No open air burning is permitted in Lanark County from April 1st – May 15th each year (subject to change). This includes campfires and burn barrels.
Otty Lake Shoreline Handbook
The Otty Lake Shoreline Handbook provides practical, environmentally friendly information on erosion, shoreline buffers, water sources, septic systems, docks, lawns, and more. Last updated April 2017.
Info on Septic Systems
Some things you should know about septic tanks installed near Otty Lake.