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Manitoba Water Policies Summary
The best water for all life and lasting prosperity
Manitoba Water Stewardship provides leadership in environmental stewardship for the benefit of current and future generations of Manitobans so the social, economic and inherent environmental value of water is protected and realized. Manitoba's water and fish resources are managed sustainably and people are safe from water hazards.
The United Nations has declared 2003 as the Year of Fresh Water. This declaration comes at a time when quality fresh water is a scarce resource in many parts of the world. This year we are reminded of the importance of protecting fresh water supplies wherever they are found.
Manitoba is fortunate to be blessed with an abundance of fresh water, but we know that we cannot take this resource for granted. We must take action today to ensure that we have a good supply of quality fresh water for tomorrow. This includes protecting the quality of our drinking water, challenging water diversions beyond our borders and addressing changes in climate that will bring more frequent spring flooding and periods of summer drought. It also includes paying special attention to water bodies, such as Lake Winnipeg, that could be vulnerable to the effects of excess nutrients.
We are taking action:
These are important steps in ensuring the sustainability of our water resources. However, the increasing complexity of water issues points to the need for a comprehensive strategy that is based on the protection of whole watersheds. For example, the wrong combination of soils, topography and nutrients in one area could affect water quality in another area. The identification of nutrient management zones, using scientific criteria, would assist provincial and municipal governments in making appropriate decisions to better protect ground and surface waters. This approach, together with other actions contained in this strategy, supports province wide watershed planning to protect our water today and for our future generations.
Manitoba is fortunate to have an abundance of fresh water. The remains of the ancient waterways that once carved the Manitoba landscape continue to play an important role in shaping our province. From the prairie rivers in the south, to the icy waters of Hudson Bay, our water resources are as diverse as they are abundant.
Fully 13 per cent of Canada’s fresh water enters into, and drains through, Manitoba into Hudson Bay. A significant amount of this water is received through our border with the United States. In total, water from a portion of three provinces, all three Canadian territories, and four U.S. states drains directly into Manitoba. As the drainage basin for much of Western Canada and a portion of the plains states, it is easy to understand how activities far away from us can still have a significant impact on the waterways that eventually flow into, and through, our province.
As Manitobans, we depend on this flow of water for almost every aspect of our lives. Whether it is hydro-electricity, fishing, industrial use or agriculture, billions of dollars are generated each year as a direct result of our vast supplies of fresh water. As individuals we depend on water for our household needs as well as for the aesthetic beauty and relaxation we derive from living or vacationing near our countless rivers and lakes. Clearly we all have a vested interest and a role to play in sustaining our water resources. Nowhere is this more evident than in the importance we place on our largest and most unique body of water, Lake Winnipeg.
Lake Winnipeg is the world’s 10th largest freshwater lake, covering almost 24,000 square kilometres in surface area. The lake plays an important role in the lives of many Manitobans and is an important symbol for the province. Not only does this enormous and exceptional body of water provide us with countless recreational and economic benefits, its beautiful beaches are also a feature attraction for visitors to our province.
This prairie ocean provides a livelihood for about 850 licensed commercial fishers and numerous anglers; it provides transportation links to remote and northern communities, and serves many other important functions. The primary function is to provide unique habitat for fish and other organisms.
Lake Winnipeg receives drainage from nearly 1,000,000 square kilometres extending to the Rocky Mountains in Alberta in the west, and includes large portions of North Dakota and Minnesota in the south, and northwestern Ontario in the east. Consequently, activities within both Manitoba and neighbouring jurisdictions can affect the health of Lake Winnipeg.
Recent studies conducted by Manitoba Conservation, as well as research carried out by other government agencies, and work done through the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium (LWRC), have found that the lake is slowly changing. It is believed that excess nutrients from various sources throughout the basin are causing the lake to become enriched, allowing for more frequent growth of abundant algae, affecting fish habitat, recreation, other important water uses, and clogging commercial fishers’ nets.
It is believed that changes observed in the lake due to the influx of excess nutrients are reversible. Although Lake Winnipeg commercial fishers continue to harvest record numbers of walleye and sauger, ignoring the problem of nutrient loading is not an option due to the importance of Lake Winnipeg to all of us. The Manitoba government has announced an action plan to begin to achieve the goal of reducing nutrients in the lake to pre- 1970 levels. The plan includes enhanced riparian protection, better programs for soil testing, tightened regulations for sewage and septic systems and additional requirements for larger treatment systems. Clean Environment Commission hearings on Lake Winnipeg will be held and a new Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board will work to implement actions to meet the pre-1970 goal. To be successful, this action plan will require significant effort from all of us and from our neighbours, but we are committed to ensuring the long-term health of this important and unique body of water.
It goes without saying that our water resources are vital to the future of all Manitobans. Therefore, any strategy dealing with water must include a cooperative approach that involves all citizens who depend on, as well as benefit from, our water resources.
For example, the opportunities from renewable hydroelectric power and a diverse agricultural sector are among the most significant benefits we derive from our dependable flow of water. Hydroelectricity is a reliably priced, clean form of energy that enables our provincial utility, Manitoba Hydro, to be a major player in provincial and international energy sectors. Manitoba is committed to the promotion of low-impact hydroelectricity, along with wind and geothermal power, as clean energy sources for the future, and as a means of achieving our climate change commitments under the Kyoto Accord. However, we know that things must be done differently now. By working co-operatively with First Nations communities, and through proper planning and a thorough environmental assessment process, new hydro developments in Manitoba will be low-impact, with little or no flooding. Northern communities will be partners in these new developments and residents will directly benefit from the construction, operation and power generation for the life of the project. By proceeding in a sustainable manner, we can ensure hydro-electric developments benefit all Manitobans.
Manitoba has committed to improving the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and other Manitobans based on principles of mutual recognition, respect, resource sharing and responsibility. The government recognizes the rights and interests of Aboriginal people established through treaties and the Canada Constitution Act of 1982. These principles will form the basis for the consultation process to be undertaken by the province in the further development and implementation of the water strategy.
Agricultural diversification and intensification, including value-added food processing, has made Manitoba a leader in food production throughout the world. At the same time new challenges such as a changing climate causing droughts as well as recent studies showing excess nutrients in our waterways mean we must look carefully at water management. Our goal must be to protect both our water resources and our highly valued agricultural sector. We must give producers the tools they need to successfully meet new challenges and enhance sustainable practices on the land.
Over time, the use of water has changed and will continue to change, as will the pressures placed upon the resource. An increasing population and accompanying development, increased industrial demands, technological changes, increased pollution, and climatic changes have all had an effect on the resource. Pressures will continually increase and change, therefore we must take a long-sighted and flexible approach to water management and ensure that we approach decision making in the context of the whole watershed.
Watershed planning requires both a comprehensive and co-operative approach to managing water issues and, as such, has already had a long history in Manitoba through our many Conservation Districts. Conservation Districts work at the local level with all community members to revitalize waterways and manage water control structures. The growth of these districts from nine to 16 in just the past three years demonstrates the increasing commitment of Manitobans to sustainable watershed planning. We must build on that commitment - as governments, communities and individuals - to develop watershed plans across the province.
Step one is the development of province-wide benchmarks, through policies, guidelines and legislation, for sustainable water withdrawals, water retention, and treated effluent discharges that will ensure the integrity of watersheds ecosystem. Co-operative water management efforts, in partnership with all stakeholders, will be required to implement effective solutions dependent upon the uniqueness of each watershed. All of these mechanisms must reflect the principles and guidelines of sustainable development and be supported through legislation, providing an overall regulatory and management framework.
In light of emerging issues and challenges, Manitoba has held a series of public consultations and reviews to seek recommendations on land drainage, water use and allocation, ecosystem based planning (Consultation on Sustainable Development Implementation or COSDI), drinking water and livestock stewardship. Based on the recommendations from these reports a discussion document, Water: A Proposed Strategic Plan for Manitoba, was publicly reviewed by a steering committee and advisory committee drawn from many stakeholder groups in our province.
The ideas of Manitobans assembled from these various public reviews, form the foundation of this comprehensive strategic plan for managing water resources in Manitoba. To gain further input from Manitobans, there will be Aboriginal and northern residents consultations on this water strategy document. The information collected will be incorporated into the water strategy implementation process.
Manitoba’s future depends on the wise use of our water resources. The development of a coherent strategy that integrates the various demands on our water with a co-operative approach to sustaining the resource, is critical to our well being and the maintenance of our natural ecosystems.
Manitoba’s Water Strategy identifies six interrelated policy areas. These policy areas were first introduced in Manitoba’s Water Policies (1990) and are further defined and explained on page 27. This section includes a broad range of water management challenges and opportunities that Manitobans have encountered on the landscape.
The six policy areas are:
Each of these policy areas recognizes the important need for water education. A number of specific actions have already been undertaken to address issues within each policy area. Manitoba Conservation and appropriate agencies will, in conjunction with public feedback, develop ways to address other outstanding issues. These strategies must also be able to address emerging challenges and developments in other jurisdictions, within the Hudson Bay Drainage Basin in particular. It is important that future actions take a comprehensive watershed-based approach in order to manage Manitoba’s water in a sustainable manner. By implementing watershed based planning, we are better prepared to address current issues and anticipate water problems on the horizon. We recognize and acknowledge that all six areas are interdependent. Actions taken or developments underway relating to one item may affect another. Recognizing these interdependencies is a critical aspect of sustainable watershed planning.
The objective of Manitoba's Water Quality Policies is to protect and enhance our aquatic ecosystems by ensuring that surface water and ground water quality is adequate for all designated uses and ecosystem needs. |
These policies protect our water, based on the Manitoba Water Quality Standards, Objectives and Guidelines, which consist of adopted, scientifically based, allowable levels. Maintaining quality of the resource shall be supported through programs and projects based on sustainability principles. Policies also address pollution through co-operative pollution control programs.
The objective of Manitoba’s water conservation policies is to conserve and manage the lakes, rivers, groundwater and wetlands of Manitoba so as to protect the ability of the environment to sustain life and provide environmental and economic benefits, along with other values to existing and future generations. |
Our conservation policies are achieved through regulations, incentives, education and watershed-based integrated management of resources. Watershed-based integrated resource management would retain water and moderate flows for water supply, ground water recharge and wetland habitat, while reducing erosion and deposition.
The objective of Manitoba’s water use and allocation policies is to ensure the long term sustainability of the province’s surface water and ground water for the benefit of all Manitobans. |
These policies address responsibilities for the management of water resources, including legislation that addresses the provincial responsibility for water, and provide guidance on how that resource shall be managed. Priorities should be established on a basin and watershed basis. For example, prohibition of inter-basin transfers is clearly stated, while specifying that any intra-basin transfers shall consider the impacts on both the donor and receiving sub-basins.
The objective of Manitoba’s water supply policies is to develop and manage the province’s water resources to ensure that water is available to meet priority needs and to support sustainable economic development and environmental quality. |
These policies focus on managing water demands while considering the impacts of development on other uses and the environment. The fair distribution of the costs of development of water supply infrastructure among beneficiaries, as well as the protection of pristine and potable water supplies are issues addressed by this policy area. There is also a need to ensure that water resources are available during extreme fluctuations when base supplies are reduced or under stress.
The objective of Manitoba’s flooding policies is to alleviate human suffering and minimize the economic costs of damages caused by flooding. |
These policies primarily seek to reduce damages and human suffering caused by flooding, through the control of development in flood prone areas and the exploration of economically viable measures to reduce flood damages. Practical means to decrease flood vulnerability need to be developed and implemented throughout the province, recognizing the differences within and between various regions.
The objective of Manitoba’s water drainage policies is to enhance the economic viability of Manitoba’s agricultural community through the provision of comprehensively planned drainage infrastructure. |
Drainage is defined as that infrastructure which is designed to remove excess rainfall during the growing season, based on the productive capability of the soil and on technical, economic and environmental factors. The policies present maintenance of drains as a higher priority than reconstruction, while reconstruction is a higher priority than new construction. Drainage shall be undertaken on a watershed basis, endeavouring to protect wetland areas, fish habitat and downstream water quality. Drainage will also consider water retention, control and timing of run-off.
An effective and transparent method of implementing Manitoba’s Water Strategy is crucial to ensuring long-term conservation of our water resources. The development of this implementation framework will be a participatory process that considers both present and future demands on our water, and ensures the protection of ecosystems.
Manitoba’s Water Strategy is comprised of actions that have been undertaken or proposed, to address specific issues in the six different policy areas. Implementation has begun and will continue to be a priority. A three-part implementation framework has been created to integrate and coordinate our strategy. The three elements of this framework are:
Based on the input provided from users and user groups, the watershed-planning processes will tackle specific issues and prioritize water needs and allocations on a local level. These will then be compared to other management plans, embodying the framework of ecosystem-based planning outlined in the COSDI report.
Watershed plans will be brought together so priorities for the entire basin can be established. Basin planning will be done within the context of Manitoba’s vision and mission. Partnerships and agreements are imperative to guaranteeing the fulfillment of these plans. It is also imperative to the success of watershed planning that environmental stewardship, our quality of life and the viability of our economy be included. This will be done with legislation to ensure the future of our water resources remain an important part of Manitoba’s environment and economy.
To complete this exhaustive task, the public will continue to be consulted on a variety of water management issues. The information gathered will be used to determine and develop the future course of water management in Manitoba. The following is a brief discussion of the three elements of the implementation framework.
Integrated water planning and management is a public policy priority for the government of Manitoba. The framework for water management planning is intended to provide general guidance by outlining the components and steps used in water management planning. While the major components of all plans must be similar, detailed processes for preparation of each of these plans will vary.
Planning at basin, aquifer, and watershed levels has occurred to varying degrees in the province for more than a decade. The components of the framework reflect successes from past experience and new requirements based on our increased understanding of the complexity of the environment and the challenges of the future.
Planning and managing resources and activities on the basis of watersheds, basins and aquifers is supported by Manitobans as voiced through public consultation processes. The government, through its commitment to sustainable development, has made it clear that responsibility for water management is shared by all Manitobans. At the same time, the provincial government will provide a lead role to guide water management by working to create watershed districts across the province. We can work toward this goal by building on the example set by existing conservation districts, groups driven by local priorities that partner with a variety of local stakeholders to accomplish innovative water management programs. Municipal governments, local governing bodies, First Nations, agricultural producers, industry and members of the general public will need to play a role in water management planning activities.
The government will support and facilitate public involvement and ensure that appropriate planning activities are conducted.
Water can be managed on a watershed basis to address inefficiencies and environmental, economic, and social impacts. Municipalities and local governing bodies require a process to co-ordinate their efforts in the development of watershed-based plans. Manitoba would benefit from co-operative, watershed based planning with other provincial jurisdictions to ensure actions are complementary and co-ordinated.
The Manitoba Water Strategy will support development of a watershed-planning framework that provides all Manitobans with an opportunity to participate. Public participation will ensure our strategy is effective, as the consideration of community interests will be maintained throughout the planning process. The use of local knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge is a critical element in the understanding of water management and adaptations at a community level. This includes predictions for seasonal and annual fluctuations of the resource. Watershed management plans must be adequately maintained and enforced to be effective.
Watershed plans must also be flexible to develop an integrated approach between provincial, basin, watershed, conservation district, aquifer, planning district, municipal, First Nation and large scale land and water use plans. Obtaining the participation of Manitoba Hydro, the resources sector, agricultural producers, industry and others will also be essential.
One of the key components of Manitoba’s Water Strategy is the review and modification of legislation related to water. This work has already begun with new legislation to protect drinking water through the Drinking Water Safety Act and another law banning bulk water removals. It also includes the development of legislation to compensate those who may be affected by the operation of the expanded Red River Floodway.
The intent is to develop comprehensive water legislation that will incorporate most existing water legislation into a single act. This review and development of legislation is based on recent public input, and will be subject to further, more extensive, public consultation. The Water Rights Act, The Water Resources Administration Act, The Ground Water and Water Well Act, The Diking Authority Act, The Water Commission Act, The Water Supply Commission Act and The Water Resources Conservation and Protection Act will be reviewed for inclusion in the consolidation. Further review will determine when other water legislation should also be consolidated. The legislative changes will work within the watershed planning components to aid, regulate, and strengthen water management in Manitoba.
We will work towards providing secure water supplies for current users, while ensuring water is available for other potential users in the future. Watershed, aquifer and basin planning should be recognized in legislation. The provision for, and determination of, requirements to sustain life within the ecosystem is not recognized in legislation. This must be considered a paramount objective to maintain aquatic health.
The Manitoba government has made progress in addressing the administrative backlog of water license applications and will continue to do so simultaneously with the watershed planning process. This legislative renewal process will take into account the requirements of the federal Fisheries Act to ensure compatibility and a more integrated and seamless approach for clients.
The Manitoba government recognizes that all stakeholders within the watershed are important and each can play an important role in the development of legislation that puts us on solid ground for the future.
The benefits we realize from our relationship with water can at times be overshadowed by the destructive nature of flooding. In 1999, excessive rainfall and runoff in portions of southwestern Manitoba posed significant costs to agricultural and rural communities. The loss of income for those Manitobans had effects in many other areas of the economy as well. Physical and emotional trauma takes a toll on those who experience flooding.
According to the International Joint Commission (IJC), the economic damage to Canada and the United States from the 1997 flood in the Red River Basin approached $7 billion, and flood recovery and mitigation costs continue to grow. Additionally, the human suffering and social and economic impact on individuals and their communities has been substantial. Through perseverance and determination Manitobans met the challenges of these and other flood events. Now is the time to take the necessary steps to protect ourselves from future floods through preventative action and co-operation.
The Land Drainage Review, the Water Use and Allocation Review, the Livestock Review, the Drinking Water Review, the IJC report, and the Water Commission Review of the 1997 flood have all brought to light the importance of effective water management. This includes maintenance of provincial and other works, water supply and flood control infrastructure development, water use, flow and quality monitoring, data collection and analysis, policies and regulations on development in flood prone areas and enforcement of new water legislation.
Proper watershed planning and management in Manitoba will require the commitment of financial and other resources from various source partnerships. Funding options for the continued maintenance and reconstruction of the provincial waterway system and watershed restoration projects should be explored to reflect an equitable sharing of benefits and costs among users. This planning should consider all uses of water, drainage, effluent discharge and waterpower.
Significant concerns have been expressed about overall funding and the level of contributions from among the partners. Throughout the 1990s, funding cuts at both federal and provincial levels affected the ability of all stakeholders to maintain and manage water resources properly. While funding has improved, there is clearly a need for long-term, sustainable funding for the future. Stakeholders have expressed a willingness to address the situation. Therefore, a financial strategy will involve all stakeholders in a co-operative discussion working towards new funding arrangements and partnerships. Various committees comprised of all levels of government and other key groups and organizations will be formed. Their task will be to seek consensus on new funding arrangements that are fair and equitable.
Manitobans currently face a number of complex and challenging water policy areas. The Manitoba government is taking action due to the necessity for finding immediate solutions. We also must manage with an eye towards sustainability and a comprehensive vision. The Manitoba government is working towards a more holistic and integrated water strategy to guide our actions into the future. To manage sustainably, we must become true stewards of the resource by considering all of the important components within a watershed.
The goal of Manitoba’s Water Strategy is to develop watershed-based planning across the entire province to ensure that future management of specific water issues is done carefully. A sustainable approach will ensure that all our needs are met, while maintaining ecosystem protection. Sustainability is the key to successful water management.
The three elements of the implementation framework outlined in this document are crucial to Manitoba’s Water Strategy process. This is the means to co-ordinate diverse actions into a broad, coherent and integrated strategy for the future. The development of this framework will be a participatory process that considers present and future anticipated demands on our water, within a sustainable vision.
Water management in Manitoba is a big job. All Manitobans rely on water for their own personal use, but many must also rely on water, directly or indirectly, to provide an income for themselves and their families. Water is critical to ecosystem viability and this must be maintained. For Manitoba’s Water Strategy to be successful we must develop effective, long-lasting partnerships among all Manitobans to secure safe, clean water supplies for our future.
Within Manitoba there are 10 sub-basins (see map 1), which contain smaller drainage areas commonly known as watersheds (see map 2). Waters within a watershed flow towards a common river basin.
Resource management can be planned, integrated and monitored at the watershed level, aiding both users and decision-makers. How we manage both land and surface water influences the quantity and quality of our ground water sources. Consequently, our water sources are influenced by almost everything we do within the watershed, either directly or indirectly.
At the watershed level, it is easily seen that water sustains life, from micro-organisms to the largest mammal, from fungi to trees. Water is essential in sustaining ecosystems. Manitoba waters etch the landscape, support life and help shape our society. Water will always be essential to our present existence and our future.
The significance of water to Manitoba also lies in its power to cause hardship and devastation. Natural and extreme fluctuations in the quantity of the water season to season and year to year, can result in severe droughts or massive flooding, localized or widespread. Water not only has the power to sustain, but also to destroy.
Three-quarters of Manitobans live in areas of the province known for their history of extensive flooding. Conversely, Manitoba is also part of the prairie region that experiences extremes in droughts, causing hardships for people and the economy.
Map 1 - Sub-basins within Drainage Area Flowing through Manitoba
To protect and enhance our aquatic ecosystems by ensuring that surface-water and ground water quality is adequate for all designated uses and ecosystem needs.
Policy 1.1 - The "Manitoba Surface Water Quality Objectives" shall be adopted and implemented to protect water uses for Manitobans.
Policy 1.2 - Water quality shall be enhanced through the management of water resources.
Policy 1.3 - Water quality enhancement programs shall be designed to restore environmental quality, as well as deliver economic, cultural, and heritage benefits to Manitobans.
Policy 1.4 - The quality of wastewater discharges shall be improved and non-point sources of pollution decreased to achieve water quality objectives.
Policy 1.5 - Pollution control programs shall be designed in consultation with affected user groups and, where possible, implemented in such a manner as to cause minimum disruption to established land and water uses.
To conserve and manage the lakes, rivers, and wetlands of Manitoba so as to protect the ability of the environment to sustain life and provide environmental, economic, and aesthetic benefits to existing and future generations.
Policy 2.1 - River, lake, and shoreland habitat and the general environmental, subsistence, and economic values of rivers, lakes, and wetlands shall, where possible, be conserved.
Policy 2.2 - Soil conservation, wetland retention, and the application of appropriate land use practices shall be promoted primarily by the provision of incentives, but with regulation where required, not only as essential elements of water conservation and protection, but also as key measures to reduce siltation impacts, downstream flooding, and non-point source pollution.
Policy 2.3 - Those waterways whose cultural, natural, and/or recreational values are of provincial or national significance shall be given special consideration.
Policy 2.4 - Water retention, and control and timing of runoff, shall be promoted as part of watershed management.
To ensure the long term sustainability of the province’s surface water and ground water for the benefit of all Manitobans.
Policy 3.1 - Economic well being and sustainability shall be the goal in the allocation and utilization of Manitoba’s water resources for consumptive and in-stream uses.
Policy 3.2 - Water management priorities shall be determined through a basin planning process that takes into account the protection of potable water supplies, environmental integrity, existing commitments, and economic requirements.
Policy 3.3 - Ground water development and utilization shall be managed so that the long term sustainability of aquifers is achieved and existing uses are not negatively impacted.
Policy 3.4 - Surface water shall be managed to ensure sustainability of supplies.
Policy 3.5 - Transfer of untreated water across the Continental Divide (to or from the Hudson Bay drainage area) shall be opposed. Transfers within the Hudson Bay drainage area shall be minimized and only considered after a complete assessment of the environmental, social, and economic impacts on the donor and receiving basins.
To develop and manage the province’s water resources to ensure that water is available to meet priority needs and to support sustainable economic development and environmental quality.
Policy 4.1 - Demand management programs shall be implemented to conserve water and reduce the requirements for new water supply infrastructure.
Policy 4.2 - Irrigation, industrial, and other development proposals involving direct or indirect water use shall consider impacts on existing and potential water uses as well as impacts on the environment.
Policy 4.3 - The cost of developing, operating, and maintaining the water resource infrastructure shall be apportioned among the beneficiaries in accordance with their share of the benefits.
Policy 4.4 - Pristine and potable water sources shall be afforded special protection.
To alleviate human suffering and minimize the economic costs of damages caused by flooding.
Policy 5.1 - Development on land subject to flooding or other water related hazards shall occur only under planning guidelines which prevent human suffering and property damage, limit public costs and liabilities, and address environmental impacts.
Policy 5.2 - Economically viable measures to alleviate personal and property damage to existing development in flood prone areas shall be fostered.
Policy 5.3 - The negative impacts of changes to water level and flow regimes caused by hydro-electric development projects shall be mitigated to the extent possible.
To enhance the economic viability of Manitoba’s agricultural community through the provision of a comprehensively planned drainage infrastructure.
Policy 6.1 - Drainage works shall be designed to remove excess rainfall from cropland during the growing season.
Policy 6.2 - The standard of drainage shall be based on the production capability of the soil and on technical, economic, and environmental criteria, recognizing watershed, community, and farm impacts.
Policy 6.3 - Maintenance of existing drainage systems shall be of higher priority than reconstruction.
Policy 6.4 - Reconstruction of drainage systems to improve productivity and to reduce erosion and deposition shall be given a higher priority than expansion into new agricultural lands.
Policy 6.5 - Drainage projects shall be planned and executed so that projects in one area do not adversely affect another area.
Policy 6.6 - The protection of wetlands shall be a consideration in planning and developing drainage projects.
Policy 6.7 - Water retention, and control and timing of runoff, shall be promoted as part of watershed management.
To enhance the awareness and knowledge of Manitoba’s water resources.
Policy 7.1 - Schools: -Students of all ages shall be provided with information on the significance of Manitoba’s water resources.
Policy 7.2 - General Public: Education on water matters shall be achieved in part through the sharing of information, demonstration projects, and the involvement of the general public.
Policy 7.3 - Forum for Scientific and Technical Input: A forum shall be developed to obtain input from the scientific, technical, and professional communities on water management issues.
Policy 7.4 - Community Leaders and Elected Representatives: Community leaders and elected representatives shall be provided with the information they need to make sound water management decisions.
The Manitoba Water Strategy (PDF 10.9 Mb) complete document
The Manitoba Water Strategy - Pages 1 to 3 (PDF 1.90 Mb)
The Manitoba Water Strategy - Pages 4 to 5 (PDF 1.05 Mb)
The Manitoba Water Strategy - Pages 6 to 7 (PDF 1.49 Mb)
The Manitoba Water Strategy - Page 8 (PDF 1.36 Mb)
The Manitoba Water Strategy - Page 9 (PDF .91 Mb)
The Manitoba Water Strategy - Pages 10 to 17 (PDF 1.34 Mb)
The Manitoba Water Strategy - Pages 18 to 23 (PDF 1.31 Mb)
The Manitoba Water Strategy - Page 24 (PDF .89 Mb)
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The Manitoba Water Strategy - Page 26 (PDF 2.90 Mb)
The Manitoba Water Strategy - Pages 27 to 28 (PDF .89 Mb)