Hydrology - surface water

Description:

The Surface Water Management Section provides scientific hydrological services to support the sustainable use of surface water, to assure the protection of people and to minimize damage to property from droughts and floods. Routine updates on water availability and drought conditions are also prepared.

The Surface Water Management Section's programs include:

• planning and engineering studies to guide water use, allocation and water power licensing decisions,
• providing hydrologic studies for planning and design of waterways
• participating in multi-disciplinary resource management activities,
• providing hydraulic and hydrologic information to other government departments and agencies and the public, including the preparation and dissemination of drought and water supply reports
• advising on operation of water control works used for water supply, conservation, flood control, fish and wildlife habitat, and recreation, and
• managing hydrometric monitoring needs for the province

Clients:

Municipalities, communities, First Nations, individual landowners, citizens of Manitoba, Manitoba Conservation, Emergency Management Organization, Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation, Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives, conservation districts, irrigation districts, Information Services, engineering and environmental consultants, federal government and City of Winnipeg.

Clients needs include dependable water supplies, water availability to assist in economic development planning and licensing, design flows, fish passage and instream flow needs, accurate collection and computation of field data and its manipulation into databases in a timely fashion, and drought condition reports.

Objectives:

1. To ensure that lakes, rivers and wetlands are managed and conserved.
2. To enable judicious operation of water control works by reflecting human and environmental needs
3. To provide for the sustainable allocation and use of water supplies.
4. To ensure that the system of watercourses maintains its efficiency by meeting provincial hydrological design standards, including fish passage requirements.
5. To develop and maintain comprehensive and accessible water management databases.