3 thoughts on “Toxic Algae Blooms in Lake Erie Cause Water Emergencies”

1. UPDATE
   Better farming practices better for Lake Erie

   Many of us enjoy spending a day on the water. However, over the years we have seen the impact municipal sewage and the use of nutrients in agriculture can have on algae growth in the lakes, including Lake Erie. Have you noticed green rocks on shorelines or brown water running in streams?

   Strides have been made in the battle through the activity of great programs, ranging from Ducks Unlimited to ALUS, to government programs like LEADS (Lake Erie Agriculture Demonstrating Sustainability). I have been involved in ALUS since its inception in Norfolk County, seeing the value for clean air, water and improving wildlife habitat.

   Ontario is looking forward to finalizing the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health as we mark the 50th anniversary of the first Canada-Ontario agreement on the Great Lakes.

   In June 2015, a Collaborative Agreement between the Premier of Ontario and Governors of Michigan and Ohio put a commitment and timeline on a bi-national-proposed phosphorus target specifying 40 per cent reduction by 2025.

   Ontario continues to implement the Canada-Ontario Lake Erie Action Plan to address harmful algal blooms caused by excess phosphorous, and the province is working to increase transparency through real-time monitoring of sewage overflows from municipal wastewater systems into Ontario’s lakes and rivers.

   Efforts of Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture focus on promoting the adoption of best management practices to support the sustainability of our natural assets. This includes practices that support on-farm nutrient management and help to reduce phosphorous loss from farms.

   An example is the LEADS program – a five-year, $15.6 million commitment building on the work and leadership of Ontario farmers in the Lake Erie. The program essentially supports the implementation of best management practices on farms within the Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair watersheds.

   It offers two components for eligible farmers: First, the Farmland Health Check-Up – a field-specific risk assessment, completed by a farmer and technical specialist. Second, the LEADS cost-share program – this is funding for ten categories of best management practices, with up to $20,000 per application. Completion of an Environmental Farm Plan and a Farmland Health Check-Up are required to receive LEADS cost-share funding.

   Farmers cover anywhere from 30 to 90 per cent of the project cost depending on the risks determined through the Farmland Health Checkup.

   Many will recognize these familiar time-tested projects and best management practices:

   Grass waterways, sediment basins, erosion control structures;
   Cover crops over winter;
   Windbreaks/wind strips;
   Land set aside along streams and rivers;
   Environmentally-fragile land set aside – for example, steep slopes and wetlands;
   Planting of trees, tall prairie grass and other vegetation;
   Money for modifying farm equipment to decrease soil compaction and for no–till or manure application.
   Since 2018, the LEADS program has invested $10 million into more than 710 projects with 220 of them approved this year.

   Like many challenges in our province, we have made strides but there is always more to do. To ensure our Great Lakes remain the foundation for Ontario’s strength and success, we must protect and promote them, and when in jeopardy, restore them to good health.

   Toby Barrett MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk

2. Ontario helping farmers preserve and protect our environment for future generations

   PORT DOVER – The Ontario Government is supporting farmers in their efforts to protect our environment and improve the quality of Ontario’s water system through a new intake which commits up to $2.58 million under the Lake Erie Agriculture Demonstrating Sustainability(LEADS) initiative. LEADS aims to safeguard the province’s water through reducing nutrient loss, in particular, phosphorus from agriculture lands within the Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair watersheds, and improving the soil health of farmland.

   To ensure the LEADS initiative is meeting its objective of environmental preservation, I recently held a series of virtual consultations with Ontario farmers to hear their feedback on the program. Feedback from the consultations will be used in planning the next intake.

   The meetings also included certified crop advisors, professional agrologists, conservation authorities and nutrient management consultants.

   Our farmers are careful stewards of the land, and we’re committed to helping them better protect Ontario’s environment by improving water quality and soil health. I want to thank everyone who took the time to provide their thoughts and suggestions on how we can make future improvements to the LEADS initiative.”

   Applications for this year’s intake of LEADS opened on January 20 and have since closed due to high interest in the program.

   Some examples of LEADS projects funded under the intake include:

   Installation of soil erosion control structures including grass waterways, water and sediment control basins to reduce soil erosion losses.
   Establishing windbreaks and wind strips to reduce wind erosion to prevent soil loss.
   Planting over winter cover crops to reduce erosion risks through loss of soil and nutrients from these lands.
   Retiring environmentally fragile lands from active agricultural production
   LEADS-supported projects have helped reduce the risk of soil loss and soil nutrient loss and improved water quality in its target region through implementing a variety of best on-farm management practices.

   LEADS also supports the Canada-Ontario Lake Erie Action Plan and aligns with the Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan, committing to a 40 per cent reduction of phosphorus run off into Lake Erie and its watershed.

   Since 2018, more than 730 projects have been approved under the regionally targeted LEADS initiative, with $7 million committed by the provincial and federal governments to support completion of these on-farm improvement projects.

   For more information, contact me, MPP Toby Barrett at 519-428-0446 or toby.barrett@pc.ola.org Please mention The Silo when contacting.

3. Suspected Algae Bloom Near Selkirk Found Not to Pose a Significant Health Risk

   What was suspected to be blue-green algae off the shores of Selkirk has been confirmed to be a type of non-hazardous filamentous green algae. After a sample containing the algae was taken for identification and testing, results have revealed that the suspected bloom does not pose a significant health risk. The sample results indicated a very low level of the cyanobacterial toxin, microcystin, and the levels found were almost ten times lower than the maximum limit of 1.5 parts per billion set out by the Ontario Drinking Water Standards.

   “Considering the situation in the southwestern part of Lake Erie where algal blooms caused a drinking water ban in Toledo, we want the public to be aware of the possibility of blue-green algae showing up in our area,” notes Kris Lutzi, Sr. Public Health Inspector for the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit. “People should know what blue-green algae looks like so they can take precautions to avoid it,” adds Lutzi.

   The Haldimand-Norfolk continues to monitor the situation in the southwestern areas of Lake Erie and advises people suspecting a blue-green algae bloom to contact the Ministry of Environment’s Spills Action Centre at 1-800-268-6060. For more information visit the Health Canada website at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/cyanobacter-eng.php

   For more information-
   Kris Lutzi, BHS, BASc, CPHI (C)
   Sr. Public Health Inspector, Environmental Health Team
   12 Gilbertson Dr.,
   Simcoe, ON N3Y 4L1
   Phone: 519-426-6170 ext. 3261 Please mention the Silo when contacting.
   E-mail: kris.lutzi@hnhu.org

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