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CFFO: Phosphorous Management

The algae bloom in western Lake Erie last summer sent shock waves through the agriculture community. For many days the city of Toledo Ohio had no usable city water supply due to toxins in the water that were produced by the blooming algae. Less well known was that the same problem existed in the drinking water of a small rural Ontario town on the north shore of the lake. Algae growth is stimulated by excess phosphorous. When over four hundred thousand citizens have no usable water, it makes the news and speculation is rampant as to the cause. Phosphorous is one of the three major components of farm fertilizers and animal manure. Farmers use large quantities of commercial fertilizers, so they become obvious targets. Much less well known is that phosphorous also comes from residential, commercial and industrial sources.

In the last decades, Ontario farmers have made considerable progress reducing the incidence of phosphorous migration from farmland into lakes and streams. Nutrient Management legislation has allowed farmers to effectively plan, monitor and manage farm nutrients. However, there is still more work to do.  Ontario has prided itself in using education and encouragement as the primary tool to deal with phosphorous loading concerns. Regulation has been the last resort, not the preferred route. The State of Ohio has taken a different approach. Education has not been the primary approach. Instead, Ohio has introduced stringent legislation to regulate how farmers deal with fertilizer and animal manure. The people of Ohio were shocked by the drinking water issue facing Toledo. They demanded action from their government and got it.

The non farm community has made changes to phosphorous use. Most lawn fertilizers now include only low amounts of phosphorous. Household cleaners and detergents are making progress in deleting phosphorous as an ingredient. However, there are other agents at work that aggravate the situation. There is speculation that the invading non native Zebra Mussels are converting insoluble phosphorous into a more soluble form. Phosphorous deposits resting in the silt at the bottom of the lakes may be reactivated by more traffic from recreational boating and Great Lakes shipping.

Phosphorous was a major discussion topic at a recent conference attended by many Ontario Conservation Authorities. Most of these Conservation Authorities are now monitoring phosphorous entering the major rivers and tributaries. They are identifying phosphorous loaded water coming from farmer field tiles. Surprisingly, the heaviest loading occurs during the non crop time of the year. Sheet erosion of top soil is also a major source. Wind and water erosion during the non crop time of the year is a concern. They would like to see more cover crops used by farmers and the re-planting of windbreaks to replace many of the fencerows that have been removed in the last twenty years. Other practices, such as broadcasting fertilizer long before planting season and manure spreading on frozen land, will be coming under closer scrutiny. As farmers we will be asked to make adjustments to our farming practices. It is better to understand the science of phosphorous movement and make appropriate adjustments, than to have new stringent regulations imposed upon us.

Algae blooms in our lakes are not acceptable. Farmers, the farm supply industry and urban residents will all need to improve the products they use and the way they are used. With effort and commitment our lakes and streams can return to a more pristine condition.

Source: CFFO


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