Federal Government initiative tackles Great Lakes algae

A Great Lakes Nutrient Initiative was recently announced by the Government of Canada to address the complex problems of recurrent toxic and nuisance algae in the Great Lakes.

The project will receive $16 million in funding over the next four years.

Algae blooms have economic, social and environmental implications.

Toxic and nuisance algae blooms can lead to increased treatment needs for drinking water, disruptions to utilities by clogged water intakes, and negative effects on activities such as swimming, commercial and recreational fishing, and tourism.

Blankets of algae were first witnessed in the lower Great Lakes in the late 1960s and 1970s.

Researchers determined that limiting phosphorus inputs to the lakes would reduce the occurrence of algal blooms.

Canada and the United States responded by limiting phosphorus inputs to the Great Lakes primarily through improved municipal wastewater treatment.

Algal blooms began reappearing in the mid-1990s.

The reasons for the occurrence of algal blooms are more complex than in the past and new solutions are required to address them.

The introduction of invasive species such as zebra and quagga mussels, the intensification of agriculture, increased urbanization, and changes in the intensity, duration and frequency of storm events have significantly changed how nutrients enter the lakes and are used by aquatic organisms.

The Great Lakes Nutrient Initiative will advance our understanding of the causes of recurrent toxic and nuisance algae in the Great Lakes and the management options available.

Studies by Government of Canada scientists have confirmed that limiting phosphorus inputs to the Great Lakes will reduce the occurrence of nuisance algae blooms. While the initiative focuses on Lake Erie, the science and policy approaches will be used in other Great Lakes and bodies of water in Canada

The initiative has several components, including nutrient science, the development of phosphorus objectives and load reduction targets, the review of policy options for reducing phosphorus loadings and the development of a bi-national nearshore management and assessment framework to improve nearshore water quality.

The initiative will focus on Lake Erie, the most susceptible of the Great Lakes to nearshore water quality issues.

The science and policy approaches developed through the initiative will be transferable to the other Great Lakes and bodies of water in Canada.