Nutrient Management Strategy for the International Red River Watershed. Collaborating Across Jurisdictions to Improve Water Quality

Transcription

1 Nutrient Management Strategy for the International Red River Watershed Collaborating Across Jurisdictions to Improve Water Quality

2 Algal Blooms Across the international Red River watershed and in Lake Winnipeg, water quality has deteriorated over the past few decades Large algal bloom covered 10,000 km 2 of north basin of Lake Winnipeg in 2005 Algal blooms in lakes in Manitoba, Minnesota and elsewhere have resulted in advisories against swimming or other contact with the water

3 Algal Blooms Algae occur naturally and form the base of the food chain An increase in the frequency and severity of algal blooms across the watershed Alglal blooms cause: Reduced recreational appeal Degraded aquatic habitat - low dissolved oxygen Drinking water problems - taste and odour Clog fishing nets Toxic algae

4 Reduced recreational appeal Photo: L. Volkart

5 From CBC

6 Excess Nutrients Increases in nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus - contribute to excess algal blooms in waterways The gradual but steady increase of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution to lakes and rivers over the past several decades is one of the single, largest water quality challenges facing many jurisdictions in North America

7 Why is this issue a huge challenge? Nutrient are increasing Many sources point and non-point Natural sources and some algal blooms may occur naturally Large, international watershed

8 Nutrients are Contributed Across a Large, Multi-jurisdictional Watershed One provinces and three US states Two countries Inter-jurisdictional Hundreds of local counties, rural municipalities

9 Solution? Work Together All jurisdictions have various regulatory frameworks, plans and approaches in place Development of an enhanced, coordinated, and systematic strategy is desirable. In 2009, Minnesota approached the Red River Basin Commission, North Dakota and Manitoba about developing a Conceptual Water Quality Management Plan for the Red River Great work done to develop the plan but efforts stalled in 2010

10 Four Party Discussions In fall 2010, federal governments in the United States and Canada, North Dakota and Manitoba agreed through the Four-Party discussions to develop a basin-wide plan for the management of nutrients All agreed that South Dakota and Minnesota should be engaged Returned to the same group involved in developing the Conceptual Water Quality Management Plan

11 International Red River Board Drafted a proposed approach for developing a basin-wide nutrient management strategy for the International Red River Watershed Minnesota, Manitoba and North Dakota brought the proposed approach to the International Joint Commission s International Red River Board in September 2011 International Red River Board endorsed the proposed approach and established a Water Quality Committee to develop the nutrient management strategy

12 Nutrient Management Strategy Mission To develop a collaborative, science and watershed-based approach to managing nutrients in the Red River and its watershed with the goal of restoring and protecting aquatic ecosystem health and water uses in the Red River watershed and Lake Winnipeg

13 Guiding Principles Scientifically defensible Integrated watershed perspective Coordinated, cooperative and collaborative Jurisdictional independence Protection and/or restoration of aquatic ecosystems and water uses Lake Winnipeg is the end point Benefit local water quality and Lake Winnipeg Consensus-based

14 Six Components to the Development of a Nutrient Management Strategy Work is occurring concurrently on the components Component One endorsement by the International Red River Board Component Two - Develop a Shared Understanding of Jurisdictions Nutrient Regulatory Frameworks and Identify Current Nutrient Reduction Actions, Activities and Plans for the Red River Watershed

15 Component Three Nutrient Targets Recommend and Implement Nutrient Load Allocation and/or Water Quality Targets for Nutrients Identify High Priority Areas for Implementing Nutrient Reduction Measures Lorenz et al. USGS Scientific Investigations Report

16 Component Three Nutrient Targets Identify Nutrient Reduction Actions and Activities for the Red River Watershed that could assist in achieving Nutrient Load Allocations and/or Water Quality Targets for Nutrients Develop a Common Set of Indicators for Measuring Progress

17 Components Four, Five and Six Component Four - Monitor and Report on Progress Component Five - Facilitate ongoing technical, scientific and methodological dialogue and information sharing Component Six - Adapt the nutrient management strategy Timelines Start immediately and ongoing

18 Progress is Underway Water Quality Committee includes representatives from federal, state and provincial governments primarily with water quality expertise Conference call and/or meeting about once per month Deliverables presented to International Red River Board at their face-to-face meetings twice per year

19 What have we learned so far? Lots of actions and activities underway to reduce nutrient loading to the Red River watershed and/or to better understand water quality in the watershed Gaining broader perspective beyond jurisdictional boundaries We can learn a lot from each other