The Lake Under the Ice 

By Conservation Lac Brome

Invertebrates such as mussels and crayfish also reduce their energy intake, but remain very much alive! Let’s not forget about the reptiles and amphibians like turtles and frogs which hibernate underwater, breathing dissolved oxygen through their skin. As for underwater bacteria, they continue to decompose organic matter, a process which consumes dissolved oxygen. In short, there is indeed active and productive life under the ice during winter. However, cut off from atmospheric oxygen by the lake’s ice cover, the aquatic life must rely on the underwater reserve of dissolved oxygen until spring. If the oxygen supply is depleted, aquatic organisms will risk “winter death”. A very real risk.

During winter, the organic matter that accumulated in the lake during the summer, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, sinks to the bottom. The greater the quantity of organic matter present in the lake, the more the bacteria mentioned above will decompose it, possibly going so far as to deplete the oxygen dissolved in the water in the process.

By reducing the input of phosphorus and nitrogen to the lake throughout the year, we reduce the proliferation of organic matter and therefore the risk of “winter death” for aquatic organisms under the ice. Learn how you can protect our lake by visiting Conservation Lac Brome’s website.

The case of ice fishing 

Despite the cold, several activities can be practiced on Brome Lake during the winter season, but among the most popular is ICE FISHING A few tips:
• Make sure the ice is thick and solid,
• Dress warmly,
• Above all, adopt eco-responsible behaviors during your getaway on the ice.
• Pick up your trash and leave the lake as clean as you found it
• Clean your equipment if you went fishing in another lake. Following the same principle of the washing station in the summer, it is important to wash your fishing equipment in order to limit the risks of introducing invasive species into Brome Lake.