Water - Manitoba's natural treasure

Clean Water For me. For you. Forever Water - Manitoba's natural treasure How water flows through our lives Threats to Manitoba's water Working to protect Manitoba's water You can help... Doing nothing is not an option Not just a drop in the bucket Clean Water home

Manitoba water facts Manitoba’s 100,000 lakes and assorted rivers and streams carry 900 trillion litres of surface water and cover 16% of the province. Wetlands and peatlands cover 41% of the province. Three of Canada’s 14 largest lakes are in Manitoba — Lake Winnipeg, Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipegosis. Manitoba is the only province in Canada where all river water eventually flows north. More than 70% of the water flow in our streams and rivers originates outside of Manitoba.

Water is Manitoba’s most precious and essential resource.

Our deep, pristine lakes give us drinking water. Our lakes are also beautiful recreation spots enjoyed by thousands of campers, cottagers and anglers. Many Manitobans also earn their living fishing on our waters.

Manitoba’s lakes, rivers and wetlands are home to a wide variety of fish and wildlife and our rushing rivers generate power for our businesses and light up our homes.

Even more important, water is the source of all life on earth. It touches every area of our lives. Without it, we could not thrive — we could not even survive.

Unfortunately, many of the things we do every day can harm our water. That’s why the provincial government is working with municipalities, farmers, business leaders and Manitobans just like you to take action to protect our water and clean it up.

Small changes can make a big difference. This guide outlines practical things we can all do to preserve and protect our water. We all need to be part of the solution.

Where the water flows

Water is contained in natural geographic regions called watersheds. Think of them as large bowls. Sometimes they are grouped together to form larger regions; sometimes they are small and isolated. Watersheds help us protect our water by allowing us to control the spread of pollutants and foreign species from one watershed to another. When we see Manitoba as a network of watersheds, it helps us to understand how actions in one area can affect water in other areas.

Where the water meets the land

The strip of land alongside rivers, lakes, streams, dugouts, ponds and even man-made ditches is called a riparian zone or shoreline. The trees and vegetation along this strip of land are an important habitat for many kinds of wildlife and the last line of defence between pollutants in the ground and our water. Maintaining our shoreline is essential to preserving and protecting Manitoba’s water.

Wetland habitats

Areas where the ground is soggy, or where shallow water ripples through high grass or reeds, are often called bogs, fens or marshes. These wetland habitats are a vital part of Manitoba’s water landscape; they provide habitat for many aquatic and semi-aquatic birds, animals and insects. Wetlands are also natural fi lters that reduce the pollutants and toxins that can end up in our water system.