Following public consultations led by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) in 2021 to seek public input on the development of Lake Ecosystem Objectives and potential phosphorus reduction targets for Lake of the Woods, in 2022, LOWWSF drafted a framework for a domestic PMP development process for Canada.
With funding support from the Government of Canada through ECCC, the Framework for a Domestic
Phosphorus Management Plan for the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods provides step-by-step guidance and rationale for the process to develop a PMP for Canadian waters in the Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed.
This framework outlines the process that is required to develop a domestic PMP for the Canadian portion of the Rainy-LoW basin. Detailed PMPs such as Minnesota’s TMDL study have been developed for areas of the basin outside of Canada and these have included loads from outside the US. Although a domestic PMP will address Canadian sources of P within the basin the overall objective is to consider and combine binational P reduction strategies to achieve desired nutrient reduction goals for waters within the basin which are a shared resource. The framework provides details with respect to all jurisdictions and areas of authority (including Indigenous Nations) that would be required to provide input to the plan.