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This report summarizes a virtual workshop hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) on June 23, 2022, focused on the monitoring and modelling of water retention projects in the Canadian Prairies. The event brought together 20 participants from government, academia, and industry to share research on the effectiveness of small dams, retention ponds, and wetlands in managing water quantity and nutrient loads, specifically phosphorus. The workshop highlighted the technical challenges of monitoring in cold climates, the use of new technologies like UV-Vis spectrometers, and the need for better business cases to encourage the adoption of natural infrastructure by agricultural producers.

This briefing examines the 25-year history and impact of the Global Programme of Action (GPA) for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities, detailing its role in coordinating international efforts to combat marine pollution from terrestrial sources.

This case study research analyzes six water quality trading and offset programs across Canada, the United States, and New Zealand to identify policy and program mechanisms for reducing nutrient and contaminant loading, specifically phosphorus and nitrogen, with a view toward application in Manitoba.

This fact sheet by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines the impact of agricultural nutrient runoff—specifically nitrogen and phosphorus—on water quality in the United States, focusing on the Upper Midwest, the Great Lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico. It details the environmental consequences of eutrophication and hypoxia, the legal and regulatory landscape including the Clean Water Act's exemptions for irrigated agriculture, and the role of the USDA's Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) in funding voluntary conservation efforts to reduce pollution.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) conducted trials in 2012 to demonstrate the commercial-scale harvesting of cattail (Typha spp.) biomass in Manitoba for use as a renewable energy feedstock and for phosphorus removal from watersheds.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) evaluates the commercial-scale harvesting of cattail (Typha spp.) biomass in Manitoba, Canada, as a method for nutrient capture and the production of bioenergy and biocarbon. The project demonstrates that harvesting cattails from wetlands and water retention sites removes phosphorus and nitrogen from the watershed, reducing nutrient loading into Lake Winnipeg while providing a sustainable feedstock for solid fuels and soil amendments.

This report analyzes the legislative landscape for cattail harvesting in Manitoba, finding a current lack of explicit federal or provincial regulation. It proposes two management models—private for-profit extraction and publicly funded land management—to integrate cattail harvesting into the regional bioeconomy and water management plans.

This research paper examines the unsustainability of linear phosphorus (P) fertilizer use and proposes strategies to improve phosphorus use efficiency in agriculture to preserve finite fossil reserves and reduce environmental pollution.

This infographic presents a cost-benefit analysis of three distributed water storage options for land management in Manitoba to mitigate floods and droughts while managing nutrients. The analysis was modeled on a field scale for a typical quarter-section.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the implementability of agro-environmental targets in Estonia, focusing on combating eutrophication in the Baltic Sea. It reviews the regulatory framework, the impact of agricultural transitions, and identifies institutional and technical challenges in meeting water and soil quality goals.