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Lake Winnipeg

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Lake Winnipeg Research

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Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board

Lake winnipeg shore In 1998, in response to increasing rates of Lake Winnipeg eutrophication, a number of Manitoba scientists established the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium (LWRC). The purpose of the LWRC is to initiate and coordinate scientific research on Lake Winnipeg.

On February 18, 2003, the Government of Manitoba released the Lake Winnipeg Action Plan. The 6-point Action Plan included the establishment of the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board (LWSB) to identify further actions necessary to reduce nitrogen and phosphorous to pre-1970 levels in the lake, subject to further findings of the Nutrient Management Strategy. On July 18, 2003, the Government of Manitoba announced the appointment of Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board members. The LWSB first met in August 2003 and meets monthly.

During summer and fall 2004 the LWSB was seeking comments regarding the eutrophication of Lake Winnipeg about both causes and steps needed to reduce the nutrient load on the lake. Comments were due in December 2004 so that the LWSB could prepare a report to the Minister of Water Stewardship by the end of 2004. For information about the public comments process, follow the website like below.

Visit the LWSB website
View February 18, 2003 Manitoba Government news release

Manitoba Wildlands provided comments to the LWSB board in the first week of November 2004. The work products included: a formal letter of comments; an attachment that lists several recent public review and hearings reports concerning the Lake Winnipeg, and Red River basins; a summary of Dr. Patricia Chambers' presentation to Manitoba's Clean Environment Commission hearings regarding Simplot (Dr. Chambers is an aquatic expert with Canada's National Research Council); and a citizens' statement of expectations regarding water source protection in Ontario. Manitoba Wildlands recommended that the LWSB establish a set of principles for the future of Lake Winnipeg, and review all existing reports and recommendations regarding nutrient loading in order to endorse and recommend immediate action on those recommendations not acted on.

Download the Manitoba Wildlands Formal Comments (PDF)
Download the Manitoba Wildlands Formal Comments Attachment of Reports & Review (PDF)
Download the Summary of Dr. Chambers' presentation to CEC regarding Simplot
Download the Ontario Source Water Protection Statement of Expectations

LWSB Interim Report

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LWSB 2005 interim report cover On February 18, 2005, the Minister of Water Stewardship released the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board interim report (LWSB). The report makes more than 80 recommendations for action aimed at helping Manitoba reduce nutrient levels and restore the health of the lake's aquatic ecosystems.

Under the LWSB recommendations, all Manitobans would join Winnipeggers in having water meters and user-pay systems for drinking water in order to encourage conservation and ultimately decrease the amount of water that flows through treatment plants and therefore ends up in the river system and then the lake. Another recommendation would change the Manitoba Building Code to require all new homes to be fitted with low-flush toilets and low-flow faucets. Government programs would encourage owners of existing homes to switch to low-flow alternatives.

Steve Ashton, Minister of Water Stewardship, said the government generally supports the report's recommendations. He pledged to implement 23 of them immediately, though he did not detail which ones.

The LWSB also recommended that its report now be used for public discussion. Minister Ashton has asked the LWSB to lead this discussion and to report back by the end of June 2005.

View the Government of Manitoba February 18, 2005 press release
Download the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board Interim Report, February 2005 (PDF)
View the LWSB Members, affiliations and occupations list

Manitoba Wildlands reviewed a January 2005 version of the interim LWSB report prior to its release in February 2005 and developed a set of comments applicable to both this draft and the final version of the interim LWSB report. This set of comments, analysis has been provided to the LWSB, the Minister of Water Stewardship, and all three political parties in the Manitoba Legislature.

Download the Manitoba Wildlands comments on the February 2005 interim LWSB report (DOC)
Download the Manitoba Wildlands Analysis & Recommendations to the February 2005 interim LWSB report (PDF)

In April 2005, the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board announced a set of public meetings to elicit public comments on the recommendations of the interim LWSB report through an April 15, 2005 Government of Manitoba press release. The schedule indicates seven public meetings between April 19 and May 17, 2005 that include a presentation of the February 2005 interim LWSB report recommendations. The public feedback would be used to prepare a "Report on Public Discussion" for June 2005.

Download the Government of Manitoba April 15, 2005 press release (DOC)
Visit the public feedback form on the LWSB web site

As of April 2005, no public record of public comments or submissions from the fall 2004 comment process was available, and no comments on the February 2005 interim LWSB report were made publicly available. Public feedback received through public meetings in April and May 2005 and/or through the feedback form on the LWSB web site is to be made available through the public registry, but only feedback from those parties who have given permission will be filed. As of November 2005, no material has been filed.

LWSB Report on Public Discussion

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LWSB Report on Public discussion cover In October 2005, The Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board (LWSB) made available the report it submitted to the Minister of Water Stewardship in July 2005 - the Report on Public Discussion.

The Report summarizes all feedback gathered through the April and May 2005 set of public meetings and the feedback form on the LWSB web site. As directed by the Minister of Water Stewardship, specific comments regarding Recommendations 2.0, 10.0, 21.0, and 24.0 of the LWSB Interim Report are the focus of the report. These recommendations pertained to Nutrient Loss from Confined Livestock Areas and Over-wintering Sites, Cosmetic Use of Phosphorus-Based Fertilizers, Storage Requirements for Municipal Lagoons, and Septic Field Alternatives. Although these four recommendations were emphasized in the Minister's request, the LWSB invited public comments on the whole Interim Report; and the Report on Public Discussion also summarizes issues related to other recommendations of the LWSB Interim Report.

More than 125 submissions (from both the online feedback forms and written comments) were received from individuals, organizations, and various levels of government. According to the Report on Public Discussion, "the Board will give thorough consideration to all the responses it received during the public discussion process in the review of its recommendations, in preparation for the completion of its final report in July 2006."

As of November 2005, no public comments received by the LWSB have been filed in the public registry (File # 4975.00), however the Report itself was filed in the Public Registry on October 12, 2005.

The LWSB web site states that "public discussion and feedback on the Board's January 2005 Interim report and the July 2005 Report on Public Discussion is still welcomed as this feedback will be considered by the Board as they work towards preparing their Final Report scheduled for August 2006."

You can send your comments by mail or on-line (see LWSB's "Contact Us" page)
Download the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board July 2005 Report on Public Discussion (PDF)

Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board Final Report

LWSB final report cover On February 6, 2007, Water Stewardship Minister Christine Melnick released the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board's (LWSB) final report, accepting in principle all 135 recommendations in the report.

Minister Melnick claims that the province has already acted on or initiated action on 113 of the recommendations contained within the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board's December 2006 report.

Immediate next steps on priority areas outlined by the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board include:
  • A renewed, robust commitment to infrastructure investments. Agreements with governments on waste-water infrastructure will focus on support for the costs of meeting stronger environmental standards.
  • An expanded mandate for the LWSB, including to advise government on matters such as water pollution and fisheries issues and report to the Minister on the state of the lake.
  • New investments in research and shared science - including funding for the ship Namao as a research and education platform.
  • Formation of a committee of scientists to share information and improve co-ordination of research on the lake.
  • Restrictions on phosphorus - limits on fertilizer and municipal sludge application on agricultural lands and to prohibit all nutrient applications in buffers zones along water bodies.
  • A cross-government action team to spearhead action and co-operation on improving lake quality.
  • Initiation of public education, consultations on cosmetic fertilizers and other household products that contain phosphorus.
downloadDownload the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board's December 2006 report, Reducing Nutrient Loading to Lake Winnipeg and its Watershed - Our Collective Responsibility and Commitment to Action (PDF)
View the February 6, 2007 Government of Manitoba press release
Visit the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board's website

Lake Winnipeg Implementation Committee

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Lake Wpg implemetation committee report cover In November 2005, the Lake Winnipeg Federal/Provincial Implementation Committee released its report Restoring the Health of Lake Winnipeg.

The highlight of the report is the set of 22 recommendations for governments (see Box below). The report acknowledges efforts and actions to date, but emphasizes the need for federal-provincial coordination, dedicated and adequate resources and the need to address science gaps regarding our knowledge of Lake Winnipeg.

The report outlines a Healthy Lake Winnipeg Basin Council Charter that is proposed to serve as a basis for stakeholders to work together and co-ordinate their activities. The report also includes language for an agreement for the Governments of Canada Manitoba to work together for the future of Canada's sixth great lake. This draft agreement includes a budget. Specific and clear references to Aboriginal title, rights, and the need for Aboriginal peoples' involvement and input into the plan for Lake Winnipeg are explicitly noted in the report.

The Lake Winnipeg Federal/Provincial Implementation Committee (two person: T. Duguid for Canada, and Norm Brandson for Manitoba) was formed May 2005 as a joint initiative of the Government of Canada and Manitoba. Funded by the Western Economic Diversification, Indian and Northern Affairs and the Province of Manitoba, its mandate was to:
"...co-ordinate a Canada/Manitoba framework agreement on scientific research and basin wide action plan to improve Lake Winnipeg water quality. This agreement will identify joint priorities and funding sources; it will also clarify respective roles and responsibilities for implementation of the plan."

The Implementation Committee's report is intended to build on the work already done by organizations such as the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board and the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium.

Download the Lake Winnipeg Implementation Committee report Restoring the Health of Lake Winnipeg (PDF)

Technical information and sources used by the Lake Winnipeg Implementation Committee are contained in the Technical Annex download below.

Download the Lake Winnipeg Implementation Committee report Restoring the Health of Lake Winnipeg - Technical Annex (PDF)

Recommendations - Lake Winnipeg Implementation Committee

MANITOBA/CANADA CO-OPERATION
  1. The two governments embody their future cooperation on Lake Winnipeg in a formal 5-year Federal/Provincial agreement signed by the Prime Minister and the premier.
  2. The agreement provides for total funding of $40 million over five years sourced 2/3 by Canada and 1/3 by Manitoba.
  3. The agreement contains the means of integrating input from the full range of interests, particularly those embodied in the Healthy Lake Winnipeg Charter Council.
SCIENCE
  1. The two governments act expeditiously to reach a scientific consensus on the historic loading of phosphorus and nitrogen to Lake Winnipeg and a science-based target and time table for the reduction of nutrient inflows to the lake.
  2. The two governments acknowledge, notwithstanding that phosphorus is the controlling nutrient in the lake, the importance of controlling human-induced nitrogen sources to achieve important water quality objectives in the basin that may not directly impact Lake Winnipeg.
  3. The two governments act expeditiously to address the question of possible human health implications of algal toxins in Lake Winnipeg.
  4. Chemical pollution and climate change receive attention as emerging issues for Lake Winnipeg.
  5. The two governments actively seek the input of all interests, particularly utilizing the Healthy Lake Winnipeg Charter Council, in setting priorities for their programming.
  6. An annual "balance point" be determined between lake and land-based monitoring and research to ensure that adequate attention is paid to causal actions on the landscape. This balance point should be expressed in dollars and initially should start at approximately 60 per cent for the lake and 40 per cent for the land, given the more mature state of the water-based science planning.
  7. The Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium be provided with an endowment from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to ensure the on-going maintenance and operation of the MV Namao as a major research platform on Lake Winnipeg. It is suggested that this endowment be capable of generating approximately $0.6 million annually.
  8. Address the backlog of historic scientific samples from Lake Winnipeg, and prepare a detailed "State of the Science" report as urgent priorities under the federal/provincial agreement.
  9. The Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans should identify Lake Winnipeg as a "flagship" issue for the Freshwater Institute, and adopt the goal of substantially increasing the human and financial resources of the Freshwater Institute to provide the freshwater science capacity required to meet the challenge.
  10. A formal link be established between the Healthy Lake Winnipeg Charter Council and the Great Lakes Science Council to ensure that maximum use is made of the extensive knowledge accumulated under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
  11. The two governments recognize and promote the value of watershed planning on both a macro-and micro-scale, and institute mechanisms to build capacity within watersheds to effect planning in both scales.
  12. Recognizing the use of Lake Winnipeg as a reservoir to facilitate power generation, Manitoba Hydro should be a positive contributor to the initiative, providing $1million per year for research related to the restoration of the health of the lake.
EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT
  1. The two governments establish an institution under the auspices of the Healthy Lake Winnipeg Charter Council, and fund its start up, with a mandate to attract private funding to engage in public education and information dissemination, research and capacity building related to the lake and its basin.
  2. An Annual State of the Basin Summit sponsored by the Healthy Lake Winnipeg Charter Council should be supported as a major public accountability event, integral to engaging the general public in the basin in the issues.
  3. The governments aggressively promote watershed planning both to the general public and to individuals, organizations and institutions in the basin involved in land and water management as the foundation of all efforts to restore Lake Winnipeg; and empower participation through capacity building.
INTEGRATION
  1. The governments commit to a Healthy Lake Winnipeg Charter to provide to the charter signatories, advice, recommendations and leadership in the co-ordination of research, educational programs and basin management activities, towards the restoration and continuing health of Lake Winnipeg.
  2. The signatories to the Charter form the Healthy Lake Winnipeg Charter Council and agree to fulfill the charter responsibilities, including, among other things, commitment to over-all goals, development of, and commitment to, broad annual priorities, public accountability and reporting at an annual State of the Basin Summit.
  3. The two governments request the involvement of the International Joint Commission in an independent audit capacity in the future accountability process established under the charter.
  4. The governments initiate discussion at the Prairie Provinces Water Board with the International Joint Commission and the Province of Ontario concerning the early formal inclusion of all jurisdictions in the effort to restore and maintain a healthy Lake Winnipeg.

Lake Winnipeg Forum

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Forum report cover On February 15, 2007, the Red River Basin Commission held a Winnipeg workshop, sponsored by the Winnipeg Foundation. Invited stakeholders discussed ways to better combine efforts throughout the basin to restore the health of Lake Winnipeg. The Lake Winnipeg Implementation Committee had identified in its 2005 report the urgent need to identify combined ways to restore Lake Winnipeg.

The main messages from the February 2007 Lake Winnipeg Forum:
  • There was a clear consensus among participants that a coordinating mechanism is needed in the basin, and there is good will and sufficient cooperation among the players to develop a coordinating mechanism.
  • Whatever the mechanism it has to be developed voluntarily by and for the stakeholders in the basin - a group that comes together to help itself.
  • An inventory of all the basin stakeholders with an interest in Lake Winnipeg is urgently needed.
  • Governments need to be key partners but this will not be alternative governance.
  • This will not be alternative governance. Accountability is through transparency.
  • Integrating actions throughout the basin for the benefit of Lake Winnipeg has to accommodate that direct interest in its condition decreases over distance from the Lake. This means reinforcing local benefits that are helpful to Lake Winnipeg.
  • The starting point is action on the ground, some of which is already well underway.
  • We know enough about the problem to act while gaining more sophisticated understanding of the processes at work in the lake and in the basin. Developing better coordination should not act as a brake to action.
  • Participants want to move ahead - there's a sense of urgency.
  • Participants favor reconvening in several months time to reach consensus on a coordinating mechanism. They feel a steering committee needs to be formed to draft some initial proposals and to organize a further working session.
downloadDownload February 2007 Report from Lake Winnipeg Forum (PDF)
Visit the Red River Basin Commission web site

Manitoba Eco Network provides information and mapping for Lake Winnipeg drainage basins.

View Manitoba Eco Network Maps of Lake Winnipeg's Drainage Basins

Lake Winnipeg Actions Assessed by Board

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MV Namao Research Vessel Two years after the release of the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board's final report containing 135 recommendations for action, the board has evaluated progress made by the Government of Manitoba in implementing the recommendations.

The progress report outlines indicates the Manitoba government has demonstrated good progress on the majority of the 135 recommendations including:

  • recognizing the priority on reducing nutrients from waste-water effluents;
  • passing first-in-Canada legislation to virtually eliminate the phosphorus content in household automatic dishwasher detergent and to eliminate the application of fertilizers in buffer zones along waterways;
  • providing ongoing investment to research in and around Lake Winnipeg including support for the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium research ship Namao;
  • launching a public education campaign in conjunction with the south basin reeves and mayors promoting lake-friendly products to minimize impacts to Lake Winnipeg;
  • implementing stronger measures and additional resources for licensing drainage projects and improving drain maintenance across the province; and
  • starting to restore and protect critical wetlands including Delta and Netley marshes.

"The Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board's report has provided a path forward to improve the health of the lake," states Water Stewardship Minister Christine Melnick. "Action is underway and will continue as we work to address a problem that was decades in the making."

View March 18, 2010 Manitoba Chamber of Commerce press release
download Download Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board Report on Progress (PDF)
Source: Manitoba Chamber of Commerce, Government of Manitoba



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