Progress Report on the Lake Winnipeg Basin Initiative 2012 to 2013 and 2014 to 2014: chapter 5


Transboundary Partnerships

The Lake Winnipeg Basin covers approximately one million square kilometres encompassing parts of two countries, four provinces and four states. This has resulted in complex governance with respect to transboundary water management in the basin due to the numerous stakeholders, jurisdictions and organizations involved. No one jurisdiction has sole authority to address the issue on its own.

Image of Birdtail Creek near Miniota, Manitoba

Birdtail Creek near Miniota, Manitoba.

International and provincial water management boards play a key role in establishing transboundary nutrient objectives that are critical for telling us how much phosphorus we can expect the lake to naturally process from each waterway. Governments can then make decisions that will guide actions to meet these nutrient objectives. Environment Canada participates on a number of water science and water management boards (e.g., Prairie Provinces Water Board, International Joint Commission [IJC] boards) to facilitate coordinated and integrated nutrient management efforts across the basin and to help address nutrient loading originating from within and outside of Manitoba’s borders.

The Transboundary Partnerships pillar of the LWBI (formerly known as the Governance pillar in LWBI Phase I) places an increased emphasis on the use of existing transboundary water management boards to encourage government action to reduce nutrients. There is also an increased focus on working more closely with other governments (provincial, state, federal), jurisdictions and organizations within the basin to manage nutrients affecting water quality.

In Phase II of the LWBI, Environment Canada transboundary partnership activities in the basin seek to:

As well, Environment Canada continues to ensure priority progress on nutrient issues through domestic and international water boards is made while working with partners toward the development of a broad binational nutrient management strategy across the basin.

Progress in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014

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