Development and application of a landscape-based lake typology for the Muskoka River Watershed, Ontario, Canada

Lake management typologies have been used successfully in many parts of Europe, but their use in Canada has been limited. In this study, a lake typology was developed for 650 lakes within the Muskoka River Watershed (MRW), Ontario, Canada, to quantify freshwater, terrestrial, and human landscape influences on water quality (Ca, pH, TP and DOC). Five distinct lake types were identified, using a hierarchical system based on three broad physiographic regions within the MRW, and lake and catchment morphometrics derived through digital terrain analysis. The three regions exhibited significantly different DOC concentrations (F=15.85; p<0.001), whereas the lake types had significantly different TP concentrations (F=12.88, p<0.001). Type-specific reference conditions were used to identify lakes affected by human activities that may be in need of restoration due to high TP concentrations. Overall, this thesis demonstrates the applicability of new and emerging landscape modelling tools for lake classification and management in Ontario, Canada.