Unearthing Lake Huron’s history, one layer at a time
- Dr. Stephanie Keating
- Oct 29
- 3 min read
Sometimes, you have to dig deep to get to the bottom of a story. That’s exactly what a research team from York University is doing—literally—with Lake Huron.
The team is using paleolimnology, the study of lake sediments, to reconstruct the lake’s environmental history. They’re extracting cores from the lakebed near the Bruce Power site and analyzing what lies beneath the surface.
Over time, materials like algae, pollen and other tiny organisms settle at the bottom of a lake, forming distinct layers, like the rings of a tree.
These layers preserve a quiet but powerful record: what lived in the lake, how clean the water was and what the climate was like at different points in time. With the right tools, researchers can decipher this record and reconstruct past environments going back decades or even centuries.
It’s part chemistry, part biology, part history and entirely focused on answering a central question: how has Lake Huron changed over time, and what role have human activities—like industrial development and climate change—played in shaping those changes?
Innovative sampling methods
Led by York University researchers Dr. Jennifer Korosi and Dr. Joshua Thienpont, the project launched in July 2024.
The team set out to collect six sediment cores from four locations. The sites were carefully selected to reflect a range of conditions: some closer to the Bruce Power facility, others farther away, allowing researchers to compare patterns and draw broader conclusions.
The sampling process was far from ordinary. With support from Inspired Planet Productions—the creators of All Too Clear, a TVO documentary on Lake Huron’s changing waters—the team deployed underwater drones to identify areas with optimal sediment accumulation. The drones also helped position the coring equipment with precision, making the process faster and more accurate.
Now, back in the lab, the researchers are analyzing the cores. Each sample has been carefully logged, described, weighed, and sub-sampled.
Some of the material is being prepared for chemical and biological testing; other samples are headed to Queen’s University for radioisotopic dating, which will help build a timeline of environmental change, layer by layer.
Tiny time capsules in the lake
Once the testing and dating are complete, the team will begin unlocking the timeline by analyzing markers including nitrogen isotopes and organic carbon content.
Of particular interest are diatoms—microscopic algae with glass silica cell walls. These tiny organisms can be thought of as nature’s built-in water quality monitors.
Different diatom species thrive in different conditions: some prefer clear, cold water, while others are more tolerant of pollution or warmer temperatures.
By identifying which diatoms are present in each layer of sediment, researchers can infer past changes to the lake’s water quality, nutrient levels and even historical climate conditions.
Looking back to move forward
As the first findings from the project will begin to emerge, the results will both help scientists understand the past and inform future environmental decisions. By providing a long-term view of environmental change, the research helps distinguish between natural cycles and human-driven impacts. And as concerns grow about cumulative effects on Lake Huron’s ecosystems, that sort of clarity is more important than ever.
At the Nuclear Innovation Institute and funded by Bruce Power, the Environment program within the Bruce Power Nexus Research Centre is committed to research on environmental and human health. Read the 2025 Environment Annual Report to learn more about the other research projects happening through this program.
Dr. Stephanie Keating is Director, Environment, part of the Bruce Power Nexus Research Centre.
