Water retention to reduce algal blooms in Canadian lakes

This report details a five-year study (2019-2023) of the De Salaberry water retention project in southeastern Manitoba, examining how a small, naturalized dam affects phosphorus reduction to combat eutrophication and harmful algal blooms in Canadian freshwater systems.

• The De Salaberry water retention site successfully reduces phosphorus loads across various conditions while maintaining its primary roles in erosion and flood mitigation. However, its effectiveness is significantly impacted by the amount of incoming phosphorus and the duration of water retention.
• Standard design practices for water retention projects are likely insufficient to maximize phosphorus reduction. To improve performance, future projects should strategically increase water retention time and target runoff capture from phosphorus hot spots.
• Water retention infrastructure, including restored wetlands and naturalized dams, serves as a critical climate change adaptation tool in the Canadian Prairies by mitigating drought and flood risks and improving water quality.

APA

Grosshans,, J. S. (2026). Water retention to reduce algal blooms in Canadian lakes. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/water-retention-reduce-algal-blooms-canadian-lakes

Chicago

Grosshans,, Joey Simoes,Richard. Water retention to reduce algal blooms in Canadian lakes. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2026. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/water-retention-reduce-algal-blooms-canadian-lakes.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Grosshans, |first1=Joey Simoes,Richard |title=Water retention to reduce algal blooms in Canadian lakes |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=16 June 2026 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/water-retention-reduce-algal-blooms-canadian-lakes |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{grosshans2026water, author = {Grosshans,, Joey Simoes,Richard}, title = {{Water retention to reduce algal blooms in Canadian lakes}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/water-retention-reduce-algal-blooms-canadian-lakes}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }