The Genesee River watershed is one of five areas singled out for extra attention in a report released Sunday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Obama administration has developed a five-year blueprint for rescuing the Great Lakes, a sprawling ecosystem plagued by toxic contamination, shrinking wildlife habitat and invasive species.

The plan envisions spending more than $2.2 billion for long-awaited repairs after a century of damage to the lakes, which hold 20 percent of the world’s fresh water.

“We’re committed to creating a new standard of care that will leave the Great Lakes better for the next generation,” said Lisa Jackson, head of the EPA.

The report describes the five areas that are singled out as “highly degraded and of high ecological importance,” and says they will receive help dealing with non-point source and toxic pollutants, nearshore water quality and other problems.

In one example, the report indicates a goal of a 5 percent reduction in Genesee River phosphorus loads by 2014. Phosphorus, found in some detergents, fertilizers and animal waste, is a key pollutant that degrades water quality and encourages algae and aquatic weed growth.

Another goal is a “zero tolerance policy” toward future invasions by foreign species, including the Asian carp, a huge, ravenous fish that has overrun portions of the Mississippi River system and is threatening to enter Lake Michigan.

Others include cleanup of the region’s most heavily polluted sites, restoring wetlands and other crucial habitat, and improving water quality in shallow areas, where runoff from cities and farms has led to unsightly algae blooms and beach closings.

The 41-page EPA plan sets out ecological targets and specific actions to be taken by 16 federal agencies working with state, local and tribal governments and private groups.