Reducing Phosphorus Loads to Lake Simcoe
As of March 2012, stewardship projects supported by the Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund were preventing an estimated 2900 kilograms of phosphorus per year from reaching Lake Simcoe and its rivers. This estimated reduction to Lake Simcoe’s watershed contributes to Ontario’s long-term goal of reducing phosphorus loading to the lake itself by 28 000 kilograms[1] of phosphorus per year.
| Project type | Estimated phosphorus reduction (kilograms of phosphorus per year) |
|---|---|
| Rural sources | 400 |
| Agricultural Sources | 1300 |
| Urban Runoff and Storm water | 1200 |
| Total | 2900 |
Note: The estimate of reduced phosphorus load represents projects with final reports submitted by March 2012. Figures for each project type are rounded to the nearest 100 and then summed to give the total. Where a range of phosphorus inputs was possible, the mid-point of the estimated range of values is reported here.
Source: Environment Canada (2012) Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund.
Lake Simcoe is the largest lake in southern Ontario outside of the Great Lakes. Located north of Toronto, the lake is a major recreational and agricultural area, and supplies drinking water to eight municipalities. Rapidly increasing population growth, urban development, and fewer but larger farms with more crops and livestock has resulted in higher than normal phosphorus levels in Lake Simcoe. Phosphorus is a key nutrient for plant growth in lakes, and so an oversupply of phosphorus can cause nuisance aquatic plants and algae to grow to levels that result in changes to the types of fish living in the lake. Excess phosphorus in Lake Simcoe is causing oxygen in the lake to drop to levels that are affecting fish and wildlife populations and overall water quality. Scientists estimate, since prior to the major settlement and land clearing that took place around Lake Simcoe in the 1800s, the annual phosphorus load going into the lake has more than doubled.
The Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund was created to provide financial and technical support to help carry out projects designed to reduce phosphorus inputs into the lake. Phosphorus-reduction projects funded include stream bank erosion control measures, stewardship programs, stopping livestock from directly accessing water courses, manure storage, planting trees and plants along river corridors, containing milk-house washwater, stormwater pond retrofits and building engineered wetlands.
The work to reduce phosphorus loads to Lake Simcoe is being led by the Province of Ontario, working with partners such as the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, local stakeholders, municipalities and other partners. Environment Canada’s Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund contributes to Ontario’s overall goals for the lake by providing funding for priority clean-up projects at the community, lake-wide or watershed-wide level.
Related indicators
Other information
[1] Ontario Ministry of the Environment (2010) Lake Simcoe Phosphorus Reduction Strategy. Retrieved on 13 July, 2012.
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