Autumn Colours reflecting on a motionless pond

Autumn Colours reflecting on a motionless pond

Autumn colours silently reflect in the early morning on the mirrored surface of Crawford Lake in southern Ontario. An Iroquoian First Nations village site was discovered nearby whose inhabitants undoubtedly enjoyed this picturesque woodland idyll much as it appears in this image.

Perched on top of the Niagara Escarpment, the lake was originally formed by glacial forces some 10,000 years ago and is a rare meromictic lake. It has a disproportionately small surface for its 24 metre depth and little intermingling of surface water below 15 metres. Consequently, the bottom 9 metres have very little oxygen and spores and pollen embedded in the annual layers of sediment have been preserved, substantially intact, for hundreds of years. Core samples in the sediment layers revealed pollen from cultivated corn over 600 years ago, indicating human habitation nearby, which led to the discovery of an Iroquoian village a short distance north of the Lake. A replica of the village, based on the archaeological evidence, has been constructed on the site with public access and interpretive displays and guides.

Despite its oxygen deprived depths, Crawford Lake is not dead. Fish and turtles inhabit the upper levels together with aquatic vegetation. Geese and ducks are frequent visitors.

The surrounding mixed deciduous and conifer woodlands lend a seasonal variety to the scene. The deciduous trees are resplendent in the fall, their colours reflecting on the still, protected waters while, in winter, snow lingers on the conifers yielding a postcard view of the frozen, snow-covered lake.