Wild rice may be more than a tasty side dish.
The tasty grain could prove a worthy combatant in the fight against phosphates that pollute Lake Simcoe, say researchers from Lakehead University’s Orillia campus.
Dr. Nandakumar Kanavillil is heading a group that will spend two years studying local wetlands and the role they play in filtering out nutrients harmful to Lake Simcoe.
The study will focus on the Mill Creek and Victoria Point wetlands, and their ability to stem the flow of phosphates and other nutrients into the lake.
“How much are they going to reduce it?” said Kanavillil, principal project investigator.
Samples of water and sediment will be collected, as will species of plants and invertebrates.
In select areas, seeding of wild rice will be used to determine the impact that plant has on nutrient reduction in the water and sediment.
“We want to see how much it can reduce the nutrients from the water column before it reaches the lake system,” Kanavillil said.
Joining him in the study are co-investigators Dr. Sreekumari Kurissery, Dr. Mary Thornbush, both of Orillia, and Dr. Peter Lee, of the school’s Thunder Bay campus.
The project is made possible by a $165,000 grant from Environment Canada’s Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund.
“It is very timely for our ecoystem here,” Kanavillil said. “Our wetlands act as the sink for many pollutants.”
Population growth has placed increased pressure on the lake, as rising quantities of phosphates produced by people and farms lead to organisms that rob the lake of oxygen.
“It is having a huge impact on the water quality,” he added.
Fish and other organisms that rely on that oxygen die off.
“It is a chain-like reaction,” Kanavillil said. “We are losing much of the cold-water fishery in Lake Simcoe because of oxygen loss.”
The project is “an excellent opportunity” for the university to assist in the effort to protect the lake and its watershed, Kanavillil said.
“This is a university campus in Orillia, right at the water shed and we should have a huge representation in this,” he added. “We should reach out to the community and public that we are doing something for (the lake).”
Partners include Kids For Turtles, Twin Lakes Conservation Club, the city and the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority.
The federal clean-up fund was established to provide financial and technical support for projects that improve the water quality of Lake Simcoe.
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A team of Lakehead University researchers will investigate the role wetlands play in filtering harmful nutrients that empty into Lake Simcoe. Pictured are team members Dr. Nandakumar Kanavillil, Dr. Sreekumari Kurissery and Dr. Mary Thornbush.
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