Posted by Sarah Klein
Lake Winnipeg (HANDOUT)
The Lake Winnipeg Foundation has received national recognition for its work to preserve one of the province’s largest bodies of water.
On World Water Day (March 22), the LWF received the Council of the Federation’s first-ever Excellence in Water Stewardship Award for Manitoba.
Lake Winnipeg word cloud (HANDOUT)
Supporters of Lake Winnipeg want the public’s help in creating a word cloud to show what the lake means to Manitobans.
“The Global Nature Fund recently described Lake Winnipeg as the Threatened Lake of the Year in 2013,” said Vicki Burns, outreach coordinator with the Lake Winnipeg Foundation. “But we know that Lake Winnipeg matters to Manitobans and we’re asking you to let us know why.”
Impressions of the lake will be posted on LakeWinnipegFoundation.org in a word cloud-type format for all to see.
To help out, send a text message to 39-39-39 with the keyword LAKE + your answer to the question: What three words best describe Lake Winnipeg to you?
“This lake belongs to all of us and it is in a downward spiral,” said Burns. “We are going to need all Manitobans on board to save it. To do this, we want to find out what the lake means to each of us.”
Liberal leader Jon Gerrard (CHRISD.CA FILE)
Manitoba Liberal leader Jon Gerrard is hosting a forum on Saturday to address the issues facing Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba.
Earlier this week, the Global Nature Fund named Lake Winnipeg as the most threatened lake of the year due to nutrients in agricultural run-off, sewage discharges and other factors.
Gerrard will join top Manitoba environmentalists for a panel discussion at the River Heights Community Centre on Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m.
Guests include speakers from the University of Manitoba, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Wilderness Committee, and a former senior biologist and operations manager for ELA.
The public is welcome to attend.
– Staff
Lake Winnipeg (HANDOUT)
Nutrients in agricultural run-off and sewage discharges threaten the lake’s future by stimulating large amounts of blue-green algae that imbalance the lake’s food web and can be toxic to humans, the organization said on its website.
The Lake Winnipeg Foundation (LWF), which works to preserve the lake, says scientists have been warning about the future of the lake since 1969.
“They warned that we needed to decrease the nutrients that are causing the toxic blue-green algae blooms back then,” said Vicki Burns, outreach coordinator for the Lake Winnipeg Foundation in a release. “Yet, despite these warnings the action to clean up the lake has been very slow. However, the embarrassment that goes with a global recognition of such dubious distinction, is actually galvanizing the LWF and our important partners. We are more determined than ever to save our lake.”
The LWF is currently leading development of an action plan that will focus on science and is engaging and collaborating with key stakeholders in the Lake Winnipeg situation.
The Foundation plans on announcing the first stage of its sustainability plan for the lake in the coming weeks.
Blowing snow created hazardous conditions on Lake Winnipeg for some ATV riders on Saturday.
Manitoba RCMP say they responded to several calls of vehicles and ATVs stuck in the snow resulting in people walking for help and becoming disorientated trying to find their way to shore.
Areas in the southern parts of Lake Winnipeg, including St. Clements, Matlock (Chalet Beach) and Libau areas, are where police are advising the public avoid until conditions improve.
– Staff
The Lake Winnipeg Foundation is worried recent federal funding to clean up the lake will overshadow its fundraiser this weekend.
The 6th Annual Walk for Water is taking place Sunday at Victoria Beach, Gimli, Matlock and Grindstone.
“We’re concerned that many of the public think the federal government’s recent announcement will pay for everything needed to save the lake,” said Karin Boyd, president of the foundation. “We know that is not the case and we urge the public to support our Walk for Water and other Lake-A-Thon events.”
The foundation says a large portion of Ottawa’s funding will go to core staff within Environment Canada, not to concrete projects on the ground that will decrease the phosphorus getting into the lake.
– Staff
Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks with Dr. Al Kristofferson of the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium after announcing funding for a second phase of cleanup for Lake Winnipeg in Gimli, Manitoba on Thursday, August 2, 2012. (FRED GREENSLADE / REUTERS)
Gimli Beach on Lake Winnipeg (CHRISD.CA FILE)
Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Thursday the second phase to clean up Lake Winnipeg.
While in Gimli, Manitoba, Harper committed $18 million from Ottawa to help transboundary partners understand water quality issues facing Lake Winnipeg and provide scientific research, monitoring and support for community stewardship initiatives to improve the lake’s water quality.
The Lake Winnipeg Basin Initiative (LWBI) will focus on improving water quality for people living in the region as well as for fish and wildlife in and surrounding Lake Winnipeg.
“Lake Winnipeg is a significant driver of the region’s economy that must be protected,” Harper said. “This continued support will ensure that there is clean water for Manitoba residents and visitors to the region for years to come.”
Harper was joined by Public Safety Minister Vic Toews and Selkirk-Interlake MP James Bezan at the Lakeview Hotels and Resorts for the announcement.
Posted by Brian Schultz
Lake Winnipeg (CHRISD.CA FILE)
The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce has set out to better manage the Lake Winnipeg watershed by adopting a set of strategic priorities with a number of partner organizations.
The Chamber will present a video by Lake Friendly on June 14, “What You Do Matters,” which will demonstrate their efforts as they look to preserve the watershed for future generations.
“Lake Winnipeg is the tenth largest freshwater lake in the world and faces a multitude of environmental challenges,” the Chamber said. “Nutrient loads on Lake Winnipeg have apparently exceeded ecological thresholds and (it’s) now deservedly the subject of concerted scientific and institutional attention.”
The video will be presented at the Fort Garry Hotel. Tickets range in price from $25 to $40.
The event will also coincide with World Water Day.
Posted by Sarah Klein
Lake Winnipeg (FILE)
The Manitoba government unveiled a plan Thursday meant to protect the province’s water and save Lake Winnipeg from increasing levels of phosphorous.
Part of the plan will be to reduce the amount of phosphorous levels in the lake by 50 percent, as recommended in a five-year study commissioned by the province. Doing so will reverse regular algae blooms and return the lake to a pre-1990 state.
“The stakes are too high and the time to take action is now,” Premier Greg Selinger said. “Lake Winnipeg is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world and it’s in trouble. We must take the steps necessary to preserve the lake and make it safe for generations of Manitobans to enjoy.”
As it stands, phosphorous levels in Lake Winnipeg are three times higher than they were in Lake Erie, when the body of water was referred to as being “dead.”
To help reduce phosphorous, the province will work to keep hog manure out of the lake by:
Modernization of sewage treatment in Winnipeg and throughout Manitoba by:
Protecting Manitoba’s wetlands by:
The province will host an international summit in the coming year to bring stakeholders together and levels of government throughout the Lake Winnipeg watershed to co-ordinate phosphorous reductions.
– With files from the Province of Manitoba
Posted by Sarah Klein
A group of people enjoy a swim at Winnipeg Beach on the shores of Lake Winnipeg in this July 18, 2010 file photo. (CHRISD.CA)
A new report being released this week says two out of three nations worldwide will see a water shortfall by the year 2025.
The report is being brought forward at the Lake Winnipeg Water Summit, which gathers the most creative minds from government, business, civil society and academia for the two-day “Lake Winnipeg Basin Summit / Our Lake Our Solutions” conference today and Wednesday.
The report, titled Water and the Future of the Canadian Economy, will be presented in Winnipeg and was authored by the Innovolve Group. Dr. Anthony Watanabe, president and CEO of Innovolve, is the keynote speaker today and will be presenting the report — funded in part by the RBC Blue Water Project.
Other findings in the report include water’s annual measurable contribution to the Canadian economy ranges from $7.5 billion to $23 billion, and that the global water industry is projected to reach US $1 trillion by 2020.
The Lake Winnipeg Foundation’s Red Zone II public forum starts at 7:15 p.m. at the IMAX Theatre at Portage Place. The public is invited to attend to learn about the health of Lake Winnipeg. Former Manitoba premier Gary Filmon will act as moderator.
A public information session today in Gimli will look at the progress being made to clean up Lake Winnipeg and its basin.
Selkirk-Interlake MP James Bezan will participate in the session, which runs from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The public can take part at the Gimli Waterfront Centre, 5th floor of Johnson Hall, at 94 1st Avenue.
A ship that has sit docked and abandoned since 1990 will soon vacate its location near Selkirk Park.
MS Lord Selkirk II sailed its last voyage 20 years ago and has been somewhat of a landmark in the area northeast of Winnipeg since then.
But now, residents living nearby will no longer have to look at the rusted-out vessel that once sailed the province.
The ship has been sold to a company in China who will strip it down and use for scrap parts. No exact word on when the company will come to begin dismantling it, but officials believe it will be sometime in August or September.
Over the years the ship has been vandalized and targeted, which has warranted a security watch to be put into effect recently.
Selkirk city councillors have been trying to get the ship moved for over a decade, but haven’t had the authority. Because the ship is in water, it’s under the ownership of either the primary owner, or the department of Oceans and Fisheries.
MS Lord Selkirk II was originally built in 1969 and replaced the retired MS Kenora. Before retiring in 1990, it sailed the Red River and Lake Winnipeg for 17 years.
ChrisD.ca photos/Ted Grant
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