ECCC Phosphorus Consultations

Consultations on Canadian Phosphorus Targets

In early 2021, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) launched a Lake of the Woods public engagement "portal" website and LOWWSF held a series of public webinars with the ECCC Lake of the Woods Team, to seek public input on the development of Lake Ecosystem Objectives and potential phosphorus reduction targets for Lake of the Woods.

Although the public comment period is now over, the ECCC Lake of the Woods site is still a central location for information on ECCC's development of proposed Lake Ecosystem Objectives and potential measures to control phosphorus for Lake of the Woods to address harmful and nuisance algae blooms, and improve the health of the lake.

A summary factsheet on the proposals and a more detailed supplementary factsheet, and other resources are available at the ECCC Lake of the Woods engagement site.

LOWWSF has released a report summarizing what we heard from the public during engagement sessions with Environment and Climate Change Canada on its set of proposed lake ecosystem objectives and potential phosphorus reduction scenarios to improve water quality for Lake of the Woods. Hundreds participated in ten webinars and online via ECCC's Lake of the Woods engagement website. The messages were clear and a call to action -- "get on with it":

Adopt a 20% phosphorus reduction target
Set binational phosphorus targets
Ensure ongoing core monitoring
Act without further delay

pdf Download the report here (551 KB)

Read more: LOWWSF Releases Report on "What We Heard"

October 6, 2021

Fall Algae Bloom Continues to Develop

The seasonal algae bloom on Lake of the Woods is underway and has progressed up into the north end of the lake, as shown in the collage of derived chlorophyll-a data for Sept 26 through Oct 5 (data imaged courtesy of EOLakeWatch, Dr. Caren Binding ECCC). The bloom has now developed in the northern part of the lake through to the Kenora area, and as can seen in the Chl-a data for Oct 4 & 5, the bloom is even present in the Ptarmigan channel / bay area of the "Clearwater" complex of bays. However, the blooms in these lower nutrient isolated bays may be a result of the strong shift...

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September 21, 2021

2021 Ask An Expert Series

Over two hundred attended our five-part Ask and Expert webinar series this fall. Our lineup of experts had a wealth of knowledge and this was a great chance to connect directly with them. The webinars were recorded, so if you were not able to attend you can view the recordings at your leisure.

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October 4, 2021

A framework for a phosphorus management plan - First steps underway

The Foundation has launched a project to develop a framework for a future phosphorus management plan for the Canadian portion of the binational Rainy-River-Lake of the Woods, with the support of a Contribution Agreement from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).

This project will scope and outline the key elements that would be required to develop a domestic phosphorus management plan collaboratively with relevant parties in the basin, once phosphorus targets are set by Canada domestically or as shared binational targets with Minnesota.

This work is timely now, to prepare for moving from research to action. In late June, the US EPA approved Minnesota’s phosphorus plan that sets phosphorus targets for each source to the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods. In Canada, ECCC completed public engagements last spring on potential phosphorus reduction scenarios based on its four-year science program (see the LOWWSF “What We Heard Report”).

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