The Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority’s Precision Phosphorus Reduction Program has won the Conservation Project Award at the Water Canada Awards.
The awards were presented at Water Canada’s annual summit in Toronto on Oct. 22. Angela Coleman, general manager of Conservation Ontario, presented the award to Donna Small, the authority’s agriculture and phosphorus reduction program coordinator.
“It brings me great pride to present this award to one of our fellow conservation authorities,” Coleman said. “The LTVCA has demonstrated exceptional leadership in water conservation through its Phosphorus Reduction Program. This initiative highlights the importance of working collaboratively with the local agricultural community to advance our shared mission of responsible management of Ontario’s water, land and natural habitats now and into the future.”
The program was established in 2024 with a four-year, $13-million commitment from the Canada Water Agency through the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative. It uses a precision conservation approach to reduce the amount of phosphorus entering Lake Erie from priority sub-watersheds of the Lower Thames River, to help prevent harmful algal blooms and low-oxygen areas.
Now in its third year, the program has worked with 626 participants and implemented agricultural best management practices on 158,376 acres. It also supports water monitoring at 28 sites across the watershed.
“The program would not be possible without the strong partnerships we’ve built with landowners, the financial support of our funders, and the dedication of our staff who work hard to bring these projects to life,” Small said. “It’s through this shared commitment that we’re able to turn conservation goals into meaningful action.”
