Michigan will not reach its goal of reducing phosphorus runoff into Lake Erie by 40%, according to an annual state report on the state of cyanobacterial blooms in the Western Lake Erie basin.
Phosphorus inputs are the driving factor behind that problem, also called harmful algal blooms, that frequently plague the lake in the summertime. The nutrients feed the blooms, which deplete oxygen levels in the water, harming fish and the larger ecosystem.
The most recent Lake Erie Domestic Action Plan, released this week, says Michigan achieved its “interim goal of reducing phosphorus loads by 20 percent primarily because of point source discharge reductions” from Detroit-area wastewater treatment plants. However, phosphorus inputs from agricultural runoff in the form of crop fertilizer “since 2008 have not been substantial due to a variety of challenges,” the report states.
It goes on to say that “despite millions of dollars in federal and state funding that have been invested in conservation, water quality issues persist in the Western Basin. In addition, technical challenges in dealing with increasing precipitation and runoff, optimizing artificial drainage, and improving nutrient management practices remain. The legacy of drained and degraded wetlands in southeast Michigan is an inherited reality without a quick fix.”
This year’s Action Plan outlines strategies for tackling those problems with the help of multiple state agencies. One strategy focuses on what’s called regenerative agriculture, which is a combination of practices that include things like minimizing soil disturbance and maximizing crop diversity. Another initiative focuses on soil health, working with farmers to apply fertilizer more strategically or reduce the need for it altogether, and using methods to control erosion and prevent fertilizer runoff at the source.
Other plans include collaborations between the state and conservation groups to restore wetlands, which can capture and filter runoff before it enters Lake Erie.
Both the funding and scale of the efforts to combat the recurring cyanobacterial blooms are relatively small compared to the scope of the problem. However, “the state is dedicated to achieving demonstrable water quality improvements and environmental outcomes in the [Western Lake Erie Basin] and in Lake Erie,” over the next four to five years, the plan states. “The state’s investments in soil health and regenerative agriculture principles hold the promise to not only improve water quality but enhance the climate resiliency of our agriculture systems, while placing value on how and where food is grown.”
