Annex 4 ‐ Nutrients
Great Lake Executive meeting
June 24‐25, 2015
June 10,2015
Susan Humphrey – Environment Canada
Tinka Hyde – United States Environmental Protection Agency .
Overview of presentation
Targets
Allocations
Plans for Consultation
Research in support of developing P targets to reduce Cladophora growth in eastern basin • Examples of early action • Next steps
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LakeEcosystemObjectives
Location
Issue
LakeEcosystemObjective
Central Basin
Lowoxygenissues
Minimizetheextentoflow‐oxygenzones.
Eastern Basin
Benthic Algae
(Cladaphora)
Maintainthelevelsofalgaebelownuisanceconditions
Nearshore
Blue‐GreenAlgae
(Cyanobacteria)
Maintainalgalspeciesconsistentwithhealthyaquaticecosystems
inthenearshorewatersoftheGreatLakes.
Western basin
Blue‐GreenAlgae
(Cyanobacteria)
Maintaincyanobacteriaatlevelsthatdonotproduce
concentrationsoftoxinsthatposeathreattohumanorecosystem
healthinthewatersoftheGreatLakes.
Entire lake
Maintainmesotrophic conditionsintheopenwatersofthe
westernandcentralbasinsofLakeErie,andoligotrophic
conditionsintheeasternbasinofLakeErie.
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Proposed Bi‐National Phosphorus Load Reduction Targets
Proposed Bi‐National Phosphorus Load Reduction Targets
Lake Ecosystem Objectives Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Annex 4, Section B
Minimize the extent of hypoxic zones in the Waters of the Great Lakes associated with excessive phosphorus loading, with particular emphasis on Lake Erie
Western Basin of Lake Erie
40% reduction in total phosphorus entering the Western Basin and Central Basin of Lake Erie – from the United States and from Canada ‐
to achieve 6000 MT Central Basin load
Maintain algal species consistent with healthy aquatic ecosystems in the nearshore Waters of the Great Lakes
40% reduction in spring total and soluble reactive phosphorus loads from the following watersheds where localized algae is a problem:
Thames River ‐ Canada
Maumee River ‐ US
River Raisin ‐ US
Portage River ‐ US
Toussaint Creek ‐ US
Leamington Tributaries – Canada
Maintain cyanobacteria biomass at levels that do not produce concentrations of toxins that pose a threat to human or ecosystem health in the Waters of the Great Lakes
Central Basin of Lake Erie
Sandusky River ‐ US
Huron River, OH – US
40 % reduction in spring total and N/A
soluble reactive phosphorus loads from the Maumee River (U.S.)
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Addressing Central Basin Hypoxia
Proposed Bi‐National Phosphorus Load Reduction Targets
Lake Ecosystem Objectives Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Annex 4, Section B
Minimize the extent of hypoxic zones in the Waters of the Great Lakes associated with excessive phosphorus loading, with particular emphasis on Lake Erie
40% reduction in total phosphorus entering the Western Basin and Central Basin of Lake Erie – from the United States and from Canada ‐ to achieve 6000 MT Central Basin load
Maintain algal species consistent with healthy aquatic ecosystems in the nearshore Waters of the Great Lakes
40% reduction in spring total and soluble reactive phosphorus loads from the following watersheds where localized algae is a problem:
Maintain cyanobacteria biomass at levels that do not produce concentrations of toxins that pose a threat to human or ecosystem health in the Waters of the Great Lakes
Western Basin of Lake Erie
Central Basin of Lake Erie
Thames River ‐ Canada
Sandusky River ‐ US
Maumee River ‐ US
Huron River, OH – US
River Raisin ‐ US
Portage River ‐ US
Toussaint Creek ‐ US
Leamington Tributaries – Canada
40 % reduction in spring total and N/A
soluble reactive phosphorus loads from the Maumee River (U.S.)
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Addressing Western Basin Blooms
Proposed Bi‐National Phosphorus Load Reduction Targets
Lake Ecosystem Objectives Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Annex 4, Section B
Minimize the extent of hypoxic zones in the Waters of the Great Lakes associated with excessive phosphorus loading, with particular emphasis on Lake Erie
40% reduction in total phosphorus entering the Western Basin and Central Basin of Lake Erie – from the United States and from Canada ‐ to achieve 6000 MT Central Basin load
Maintain algal species consistent with healthy aquatic ecosystems in the nearshore Waters of the Great Lakes
40% reduction in spring total and soluble reactive phosphorus loads from the following watersheds where localized algae is a problem:
Maintain cyanobacteria biomass at levels that do not produce concentrations of toxins that pose a threat to human or ecosystem health in the Waters of the Great Lakes
Western Basin of Lake Erie
Central Basin of Lake Erie
Thames River ‐ Canada
Sandusky River ‐ US
Maumee River ‐ US
Huron River, OH – US
River Raisin ‐ US
Portage River ‐ US
Toussaint Creek ‐ US
Leamington Tributaries – Canada
40 % reduction in spring total and N/A
soluble reactive phosphorus loads from the Maumee River (U.S.)
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Achieving a healthy aquatic ecosystem in the nearshore
Proposed Bi‐National Phosphorus Load Reduction Targets
Lake Ecosystem Objectives Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Annex 4, Section B
Minimize the extent of hypoxic zones in the Waters of the Great Lakes associated with excessive phosphorus loading, with particular emphasis on Lake Erie
Western Basin of Lake Erie
40% reduction in total phosphorus entering the Western Basin and Central Basin of Lake Erie – from the United States and from Canada ‐ to achieve 6000 MT Central Basin load
Maintain algal species consistent with healthy aquatic ecosystems in the nearshore Waters of the Great Lakes
40% reduction in spring total and soluble reactive phosphorus loads from the following watersheds where localized algae is a problem:
Thames River ‐ Canada
Maumee River ‐ US
River Raisin ‐ US
Portage River ‐ US
Toussaint Creek ‐ US
Leamington Tributaries – Canada
Maintain cyanobacteria biomass at levels that do not produce concentrations of toxins that pose a threat to human or ecosystem health in the Waters of the Great Lakes
Central Basin of Lake Erie
Sandusky River ‐ US
Huron River, OH – US
40 % reduction in spring total and N/A
soluble reactive phosphorus loads from the Maumee River (U.S.)
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Allocation of Phosphorus loads between Canada and US Central Basin:
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Allocating the 40% reduction required to meet central basin target of 6000 metric tons Proportional to actual loads from Canada and US
Based on 2008 loads
Total P load to the Central Basin in 2008 was 9579 MT
Once allocations determined then countries decide the best approach to achieving allocation through domestic action plans Priority Watersheds •
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Tributary TP and DRP targets will be developed based on their 2008 spring loads These will contribute to the central basin annual load reductions Consultation • Proposed approach:
– Online engagement via binational.net
– In‐person meetings • Materials:
– Web content
– Fact sheet – Objectives and Targets Task Team Report • Timing still tbd
Beyond targets • Next the Nutrients Annex Subcommittee will be working with partners to develop domestic action plans to achieve reductions
• Know there is a lot of interest in actions
• The next few slides highlight some current actions occurring in Canada and US.
Next steps •
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Consultations
Consider comments received during consultations
Presentation at December 2015 GLEC meeting
Finalize targets by February 2016 to achieve the time‐bounded commitment
Allocations by country Development of Binational Phosphorus Reduction Strategy Development of Domestic Action Plans
Continued ACTION BY ALL
Nutrients Annex Subcommittee Member Agencies
Ministry of the Environment
and Climate Change