Disclaimer & Copyright Notices; Optimized for the MS Internet Explorer
Management of Phosphorus
Discussions on the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME), and Environment Canada documents
Soil & Water Conservation Society of Metro Halifax (SWCSMH)
April 06, 2006
Notwithstanding, the Federal standards, the reader is strongly advised to utilize the 14-year 18-country peer consensus OECD Probability Distribution Diagrams as promoted by Dr. Richard Vollenweider; all of the national standards in this domain are based on research spearheaded by Vollenweider!
Phosphorus: Canadian Guidance Framework For The Management of Freshwater Systems:-- Formal guideline (obtain the 6-page guideline directly from the CCME); a 3-page fact sheet in simple language; the scientific supporting document, Environment Canada (2004), 133p.; and our 3-page document, "Phosphorus management: Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment-CCME (2004)- Phosphorus Management framework; and other published and peer-reviewed international literature!"
Significant parts of the federal policy have been familiar for considerable years to those of us who are practicing `applied limnologists'; in addition, it does not cover the entire spectrum of related published literature but it does give some updates. We are indeed quite excited that this overdue policy has finally been adopted by the CCME thus giving some of the extensively published literature a national stamp of approval!
CCME's `no degradation policy'
"It is stressed at this point that the CCME endorses a no degradation policy, and that these values therefore do not provide, and must not be used as pollute up to levels!" (cf. pg. 56, Environment Canada, 2004)
Overview
"The approach accommodates the non-toxic endpoints associated with phosphorus and can be incorporated into existing management strategies. The framework offers a tiered approach in which (i) phosphorus concentrations should not exceed predefined `trigger ranges'; and (ii) phosphorus concentrations should not increase more than 50% over the baseline (reference) levels. The trigger ranges are based on the range of phosphorus concentrations in water that define the reference trophic status for a site."
Trigger ranges:
Trigger ranges of TP based on trophic classification of lakes and rivers derived from the OECD research; cf. Table 4.3, pg. 55, Environment Canada, 2004 --- (may not apply to dystrophic lakes)
"TP, TN, chlorophyll a, and Secchi depth must all be considered when modelling lakes and reservoirs. It is advised that additional variables to these also be considered."
When modelling shallow lakes (i.e., lakes which are completely mixed, and in which light penetrates to the bottom sediments), sediment phosphorus plays an important role in phosphorus cycling and should also be considered. Benthic and sestonic chlorophyll a also needs to be considered for these systems."
Vollenweider was the first of four in Canada to have ever received the Naumann-Thienemann Medal, the highest honour that can be bestowed internationally for outstanding scientific contributions to limnology!
The CCME's trophic standards were derived from the 14-year, 18-country, OECD research headed by Richard Vollenweider!
Narrative on predictive modelling:
Firstly, an assessment has to be made of the recent data in comparison with a lake's modelled natural background (+ direct aerial deposition) TP (total phosphorus) value.
The assessment should also take into account the predictive TP modelling based on future land use patterns as the Future Probable and as the Future Ultimate values depending upon the urban export coefficients utilised; assumption to be based on typical urban stormwater discharge practices.
Stormwater treatment:
But the high values resulting from the Predictive TP Modelling based on future scenarios can perhaps be minimized by mandating almost ZERO phosphorus export through a combination of total stormwater treatment as well as through sound stewardship practices!
Total stormwater treatment should also include removal of other inevitable urban stressors as well, not just phosphorus!
Indicator thresholds for anthropogenic stressors:
Comparisons could also be made with the indicator thresholds for anthropogenic stressors of lakes, freshwater and dystrophic (colour ≥ 30-35) as the case may be (after Mandell, 1994)! The anthropogenic stressors cover several parameters over and above TP!
Acknowledgements
Salutations to Sushil S. Dixit PhD and associates at the National Guidelines and Standards Office Water Priorities Branch, Water Policy and Coordination Directorate, Environment Canada for all their utmost cooperation!
We salute the Chebucto Community Net (CCN) of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada for hosting our web site, and we applaud its volunteers for their devotion in making `CCN' the best community net in the world!
![[Img-ccme_trophic_lakes.jpg]](../../../TPMODELS/NOTES/PIC/ccme_trophic_lakes.jpg)
![[Img-ccme_trophic_rivers.jpg]](../../../TPMODELS/NOTES/PIC/ccme_trophic_rivers.jpg)
Severe shortcomings of the Fixed Boundary approach; prefrred methodlology are the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development)'s Probability Distribution Diagrams!![[Img-ccme_eutro1.jpg]](../../../TPMODELS/NOTES/PIC/ccme_eutro1.jpg)
![[Img-ccme_eutro2.jpg]](../../../TPMODELS/NOTES/PIC/ccme_eutro2.jpg)
![[Img-mandell_reference.jpg]](../../../WATERSHEDS/PIC/mandell_reference.jpg)
