whitewater lake wildlife management area public information session december 7 th, 2011
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Whitewater Lake Wildlife Management Area
Public Information SessionDecember 7th, 2011
WWL - History• Early recognition as an important staging and
moulting area for waterfowl and other marsh birds.
• Designated as a Public Shooting Ground by federal government in 1925.
• During the drought of the 1930’s dugouts were blasted into lakebed to hold water in dry years
• Identified as a Candidate Heritage Marsh in early 1980’s.
WWL - History
• Designated as a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in 1974
• At one time WMA boundaries described as “the waters from day to day on Whitewater Lake”.
• WMA boundaries surveyed and designated in 1994
Wildlife Management Areas• The Manitoba Wildlife Act provides for the designation of
Crown lands as wildlife Management Areas (WMA's) for the "better management, conservation and enhancement of the wildlife resource of the province.“
• Wildlife Management Areas exist for the benefit of wildlife and for the enjoyment of people. They play an important role in biodiversity conservation and provide for a variety of wildlife-related forms of recreation.
International Recognition• Whitewater Lake is one of Manitoba’s most
productive large wetlands.• Categorized as a Marsh of Great Significance
in the NAWMP Implementation Plan • Recognized as a globally significant
Important Bird Area by Bird Life International
Rare Species at Whitewater
• Species diversity – Manitoba’s most diverse basin for waterbirds
• Unique species – Only location in province for some
Threatened and Endangered Species
• In low water cycles various threatened and endangered species utilize shore and upland habitat
• Ferruginous Hawk, Piping Plover, Loggerhead Shrike, Sprague’s Pipit.
Recreation at Whitewater
• Watchable wildlife• Waterfowl hunting in spring and fall• Furbearer trapping
Ecosystem Dynamics at WWL
• Large shallow terminal basin with no outlet• Flood – drought cycle is a key factor to the
lakes productivity• Development may introduce exotic
species• Stable water levels could negatively
impact wildlife habitat