Cyanobacteria (Blue Green Algae) Information Session

Tuesday, March 25 – Cyanobacteria (Blue Green Algae) Information Session at LRCA Administrative Office; 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE; PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Shoreline Protection Project: Cyanobacteria Education and Outreach

The LRCA will be hosting an Open House on March 25, 2025, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at our Administration Office located at 130 Conservation Road. The LRCA’s stewardship team will be reviewing how landowners can apply for shoreline consultation, what will be involved, and the respective timelines for implementation. Further, LRCA staff will be delivering a short presentation on how to identify cyanobacteria, how blooms are formed, how to prevent nutrient loading, and how to report a cyanobacteria bloom when observed. The LRCA is looking forward to working with private landowners to implement projects that will result in meaningful change and improved water quality.

The “Shoreline Protection Project: Cyanobacteria Education and Outreach” project aims to support private landowners in planting native vegetation to improve water quality, reduce nutrient loading, and enhance shoreline areas. The LRCA will be inviting landowners experiencing HABS to apply for professional consultation on shoreline restoration. Ten eligible landowners will receive onsite consultation, a planting plan, and around 100 native plants to revegetate their shoreline.

Cyanobacteria, also referred to as blue-green algae, is a microscopic plant-like organism that can produce Harmful Algal Blooms (HABS) in warm nutrient-rich streams, rivers, or lakes. Fertilizer runoff or septic systems overflows can contribute to the rapid growth of cyanobacteria under idyllic conditions. Cyanobacteria can have numerous negative impacts on local freshwater lakes including:

• Skin irritations or illness including respiratory and gastrointestinal distress.
• Toxic to pets, wildlife, and livestock.
• Loss of aesthetic appeal and a reduction in property value.
• Reduced recreational opportunities.
• Reduces oxygen levels within the water column, negatively impacting resident fish, mollusks, invertebrates, and aquatic plants.

As cyanobacteria is a rising concern amongst residents within the Lakehead Watershed, we are excited to share that the LRCA has received funding to educate and support private landowners in planting native vegetation to improve water quality along their shoreline within the Lakehead Watershed.