(BlackburnNews.com file photo by Matt Weverink)(BlackburnNews.com file photo by Matt Weverink)
London

Five projects look to prevent algae in Lake Erie, Thames River

Five projects have been picked to help combat phosphorus runoff in Lake Erie and the Thames River in an effort to stem the growth of harmful algae blooms.

The projects, which will develop and test technologies that intercept and remove phosphorus from water that is leaving agricultural fields and drains, were chosen by the Thames River Phosphorus Reduction Collaborative (PRC) from among 11 proposals.

While there have been great strides by researchers and farmers in identifying better practices to prevent phosphorus runoff, big storms and snow melting still can cash phosphorus to wash into the watercourses. These new projects will work as a last line of defence to intercept and remove phosphorus from runoff at the edge of fields and in the drainage system.

The project technology will be set up in several agricultural fields in the Thames River watershed, the Lake Erie Basin and in two municipal pumping stations near Chatham and London. The test sites will be monitored for the next three years.

“Our government is fully committed to supporting initiatives which improve the environmental health of our lakes and rivers, including the Lake Erie Basin,” said Lawrence MacAulay, the federal minister of agriculture and agri-food. “These products show ingenuity and are a step forward in finding innovative solutions to help agriculture be more sustainable and contribute to the health of our waterways.”

A total of $400,000 has been awarded to the projects, with more than $130,000 coming from contributions from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, Bluewater Pipe and Ontario Pork.

“We are encouraged by the progress we’re making and grateful for the support we’ve received as we work toward finding practical, affordable options to better protect the quality of water in our streams, rivers and lakes,” said Mark Reusser, co-chair of the collaborative and vice-president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

Read More Local Stories