Near million-dollar boost for scientific research to improve Lake Winnipeg water quality

Winnipeg, MB – Ongoing research, in and around Lake Winnipeg, including funding for the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium and the research ship Namao, will receive $965,000 in funding this year from the Manitoba government.

The Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium leads important work on issues that impact the health of the lake including nutrient loading and the formation of algae blooms. Manitoba Water Stewardship also funds lake-wide research on the Namao in collaboration with scientists from the federal government and universities.

Provincial staff monitor water and sediment quality throughout the north and south basins of Lake Winnipeg. Results are compared to samples collected in previous years and become part of the long-term water quality monitoring record on Lake Winnipeg. Research will also continue to understand how, when and why algae blooms form on Lake Winnipeg.

A federal-provincial Lake Winnipeg team has also been named to coordinate efforts between governments to reduce nutrient loads to the lake, as was previously recommended by the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board. Both the new co-ordination team and the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board will be served by a Lake Winnipeg science team that will be comprised of federal, provincial and university scientists.

Both new teams will be co-chaired jointly by Manitoba Water Stewardship and Environment Canada senior officials and are scheduled to hold inaugural meetings within the next few weeks. The teams will include representatives from Ontario, the Prairie Provinces Water Board, and other federal and provincial departments with responsibility for managing water including Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and others.