Manitoba’s WaterProtection HandbookEveryone’s Responsibility

About This Handbook

This Water Protection Handbook is intended for

use by individual cottagers, cottage associations,

non-governmental environmental organizations,

and all other Manitobans living and working in

urban and rural areas with an interest in keeping

our waters clean. Manitobans value clean waters

both for our own enjoyment and for the benefit

of our children and future generations.

This handbook is comprised of four sections:

“A Valuable Resource”

provides background facts and figures on

Manitoba’s water environment;

“A Matter of Quality”

provides information specifically on

water quality;

“Protecting the Water”

provides detailed guidance on how Manitobans

can protect and improve local water quality;

“For More Information”

includes a “Give us a Call” telephone list along

with a “Glossary of Terms”.

Each section also includes highlighted areas that

provide information on “What You Can Do”.

We hope that you will keep this handbook as a

valuable reference for use by you and your family

for many years to come.

Table of Contents

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A Valuable ResourceThe Water Cycle .......................................................................2Surface Water...........................................................................4Groundwater ...........................................................................7Water Use................................................................................11Household Water Use ............................................................13

A Matter of QualityPollution Source .....................................................................16Bacteria and Other Pathogens...............................................18Nutrients in Water .................................................................21Algae .......................................................................................24Aquatic Plants ........................................................................27Aquatic Insects .......................................................................29Sediments and Erosion .........................................................31Contaminants in Fish .............................................................33Invasions of Exotic Species ...................................................36Swimmer’s Itch.......................................................................38Pine Pollen ..............................................................................40Natural Foam..........................................................................41

Protecting the WaterShorelines ...............................................................................42Sewage ....................................................................................44Lawns and Gardens................................................................47Household Hazardous Waste ................................................50Environmentally Sensitive Choices........................................52Boating....................................................................................54Pet Waste ................................................................................57

For More InformationGive Us a Call..........................................................................58Glossary of Terms...................................................................60

QuizAre You a Water Protectoror Contaminator? ...................................................................64

Hydrologic Cycle

PRECIPITATION

CONDENSATION

EVAPORATION

TRANSPIRATION

LAKE

STREAM FLOW

OCEAN

IMPERMEABLE

WATERTABLE

SURFACE RUNOFF

GROUNDWATER

PERCOLATION

A Valuable Resource

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The Water Cycle

A Continuous Cycle

The earth’s water cycle, called thehydrologic cycle, is the continuouscirculation of water betweenthe earth and the atmosphere.Radiation from the sunevaporates water fromoceans, lakes, rivers, soiland plants. Water vapourrises and collects as clouds.Cloud moisture condensesand falls back to the earthas rain, hail, snow or sleet.Some of this precipitationruns over the earth’s surfaceto collect in lakes, rivers ormarshes. Other precipitationis absorbed into the soil whereit can be taken up by the root-zoneand drawn back to the surface byplants. The rest soaks below theroot-zone and moves downwardinto the groundwater. Natural springsrelease groundwater that drains into rivers,lakes and eventually, oceans.

The time it takes for one water molecule to pass throughthe cycle can range from hours to months to thousandsof years. A water molecule evaporated from the oceanscould be carried into the polar regions and fall as snow.It could remain frozen within a glacier for centuriesbefore returning to the ocean as part of an iceberg oras melted outflow from the glacier. This means thatwe could be drinking the same water once consumedby dinosaurs.

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Did You Know?

• Only 2.7 per cent of the earth’s water is freshwater- 2.2 per cent is locked up in glaciers and polarice caps. This leaves about 0.5 per cent distributedas groundwater, soil moisture, atmospheric watervapour, lakes and rivers.

• Average annual precipitation in the province rangesfrom 400 millimetres in northern Manitoba to 600millimetres in the southeastern corner.

• Two-thirds of Manitoba’s precipitation fallsbetween May and October.

• Manitoba’s average snowfall ranges from 1,200millimetres in the south to 1,700 millimetres inthe north.

• Each year, an average of 300 to 350 millimetresof water is evaporated in the north while 450 to500 millimetres evaporates in the warmer southernhalf of the province.

• Manitoba’s large lakes have a moderating effecton climate - they act as heat sinks making the falland early winter milder and the summer cooler.

• Winter snowfall serves as water in storage. Whenthe snow melts in the spring, Manitoba’s riversand streams carry large amounts of water andmany serve as important spawning groundsfor fish.

• All life depends on water. Two-thirds of the humanbody is composed of water. In fact, water is soimportant to our bodies that we can only survivefor a few days without it, but more than 30 dayswithout food.

• Heavy rains result in more runoff while light steadyrains generally soak into the soil.

Many ProcessesContribute to Weather

The water cycle is just one of the climatic processesthat contribute to our weather. Other processesinclude water currents, air movements andvolcanoes. Over the course of time, long-termweather patterns have created extremes - fromice covered continents to vast deserts. Climaticfluctuations lasting days, months, or a few years canresult in local droughts and floods.

Distribution of theEarth’s Water Supply

Supply/Source Volume Percent(in thousands of Totalcubic kilometres)

Oceans 1,310,302 97.3

Ice 29,492 2.2

Groundwater 6,733 0.5

Inland Lakes 242 0.02

Soil Moisture 740 .005

Atmospheric Water Vapour 140 .001

Rivers 1.30 .0001

Source: Environment Canada

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Surface Water QualityMonitoring

Manitoba Water Stewardship has a networkof surface water quality monitoring stationsacross the province. The department monitorsabout 50 sites on a routine basis and haswater quality data available for over 200 bodiesof water. These data, along with water qualitystandards, objectives and guidelines, are usedto evaluate the suitability of water for importantuses such as household consumption,irrigation, recreation and habitat for aquaticlife and wildlife. This information is also usedto help evaluate the impacts of new andexisting developments such as farm chemicalwarehouses and sewage treatment plants,and provide a measure of trends in provincialwater quality conditions.

The City of Winnipeg conducts surface waterquality monitoring on rivers and streams inWinnipeg. This data, along with long-termdata collected by Manitoba Water Stewardshiphas been used to evaluate the effectivenessof Winnipeg’s sewage treatment plants andsewer discharges on water quality in, anddownstream, of the city. Environment Canadaalso monitors water quality, focusing theirefforts on inter-provincial and internationalboundary sites. In addition, there are a numberof other agencies involved in collecting watersamples in Manitoba such as local volunteers,conservation districts, agriculturalorganizations, river groups and specialinterest groups.

Did You Know?

• Manitoba has 900 trillion litres of surface waterwhich covers approximately 16 per cent of theprovince.

• Three of Canada’s 15 largest lakes are found inManitoba - Lake Winnipeg, Lake Manitoba and LakeWinnipegosis.

• At 115 metres, West Hawk Lake is the deepest lakein Manitoba.

• About 12,000 years ago, glacial Lake Agassiz coveredfive-sixths of Manitoba. It drained 7,500 years ago.

• Manitoba is the only province in Canada where allwater in the rivers eventually flow north.

• More than 70 per cent of the flow in our streamsoriginates outside of Manitoba.

• Lake Winnipeg - the largest lake in Manitoba andthe tenth largest in the world - covers 24,389 squarekilometres.

• The Nelson, Churchill, Seal and Hayes rivers carrymore than 99 per cent of the water flowing fromManitoba into Hudson Bay. The Nelson River alonecarries over 60 per cent of this flow.

• Global warming is expected to influence Manitoba’swater resources. For example, warmer airtemperatures are likely to increase watertemperatures and reduce the length of time ofice-covered conditions.

• Like most of the rivers in southern Manitoba, theRed River carries three quarters of its annual runoffbetween April and June.

• As of 2006, Manitoba had four of Canada’s 40designated or nominated heritage rivers under theCanadian Heritage River System – the Seal River,the Bloodvein River, the Hayes River and theRed River (nominated).

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Manitoba’s Wetlands -A Precious Resource

Wetlands are one of the province’s most precious resources. Some wetlandscontain water year-round; others contain water only after the snow meltsin the spring. Marshes, bogs, fens, swamps, sloughs and prairie potholesare all considered wetlands.

Wetlands are valuable because of the diverse functions they perform.For example:

• Aquatic plants and insects thrive in wetland environments.Wetlands are a valuable habitat for many animal species, providingfood, breeding sites, resting areas, nesting materials and sites,molting grounds and protection from weather and predators.

• Wetlands provide natural flood control without dams and dikes.Wetlands collect and retain seasonally high waters, common inthe spring and after heavy rains, providing a natural buffer againstflooding. Water collected by wetlands may also rechargegroundwater supplies.

• Wetlands improve water quality by collecting soil suspended inrunoff and reducing the amount of soil ending up in streams andlakes. Nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals and pesticides arealso removed by wetlands. Because of their natural purificationqualities, artificial wetlands are now being used to treat wastewaterfrom municipal, agricultural and industrial sources.

• Wetlands are scenic and are recreationally valuable providingareas to view and enjoy wildlife.

Wetlands have tremendous economic value to us. It is hard to attach adollar value to improved water quality, diverse wildlife habitat andgroundwater recharge. Despite this, it is estimated that the economicbenefits derived from Canadian wetlands are worth more than $10 billionannually.

Historically, wetlands have been unappreciated and undervalued. At onetime, they were seen as wastelands which needed to be drained anddeveloped. In Canada alone, over one-seventh of the original pre-settlementwetland area has been converted to other uses. Southern Manitoba haslost approximately 70 per cent of its wetlands since the early 1900s.

Fortunately, recent conservation efforts and increasing awareness of thevalue of wetlands has led to the maintenance and enhancement of manywetlands in Manitoba.

Wetland Facts

Forty-one per cent of Manitoba iscovered by wetlands and peatlands.

Approximately 24 per cent of theworld’s wetlands are found inCanada.

Between 1986 and 2003, the NorthAmerican Waterfowl ManagementPlan spent $110 million to enhancewetlands and waterfowl.

Through the North AmericanWaterfowl Management Plan, over1.3 million acres of habitat inManitoba has been protectedthrough land title transfers, bindinglong-term conservation agreementsor restrictive covenants.

Wetlands provide homes for about45 species of waterfowl, 115 speciesof marsh birds and at least 50animals such as grouse, rabbit, deer,beaver, mink and muskrat. Privatesector initiatives have resulted in theprotection of at least one millionhectares of wetlands in Canada.

Recharging an Aquifer

Groundwater recharge occurs primarily in the springwhen winter snows melt and spring rains begin. Lessfrequently, groundwater recharge occurs in the fall afterplant growth has stopped or after heavy rainfalls in thesummer. Most recharge occurs in areas where sand orgravel is found at the surface or where bedrock aquifersare found at shallow depths. Recharge rates are very lowin areas underlain by thick clays. Groundwater oftenmakes its way back up to the surface, discharging intorivers, lakes, or marshes through natural springs orseepages.

Groundwater resources can be depleted if the rate atwhich the water is used is greater than the rate of naturalreplacement. This can result from overpumping or areduction in the recharge rate during drought periods.Water levels in some smaller aquifers in Manitoba, thatwere low from the drought conditions of the 1980s, wererecharged at normal or above normal rates after heavyrains in the mid-1990s.

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Groundwater

In Manitoba, groundwater is an essential resource.Many rural and urban residents rely on this resource forall of their domestic needs. Groundwater is also usedfor livestock watering, irrigation, industrial processing,heating and cooling.

Groundwater Movement

Water percolates into the ground through spaces betweengrains of sand or silt, or in cracks and crevices in solidrock, then may continue to move down into an underlyingaquifer. Areas where groundwater moves downwardinto an aquifer are termed recharge areas; areas whereground water moves out of an aquifer as seepage orsprings are termed discharge areas. Groundwater movesfrom recharge areas to discharge areas over a period ofweeks or months but may take thousands of years orlonger where recharge and discharge areas are seperatedby tens or hundreds of kilometres. The rate of groundwater movements varies – in a year, water may movehundreds of metres in fractured limestone, tens ofmetres in coarse sand or only a few centimetres inheavy clay.

A Valuable Resource

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UNCONFINEDAQUIFER

CONFINEDAQUIFER

IMPERMEABLE

Drinking Water Source

Some of Manitoba’s groundwater is too saline or saltyto be used for drinking water or irrigation. Other aquifersare low in salts and provide excellent drinking watersuch as the Oak Lake Aquifer, south of Virden, and theAssiniboine Delta Aquifer, in the Carberry area.

Although the quality of Manitoba’s groundwater isgenerally good, local water quality problems are present.In some areas of the province, the concentration ofuranium, fluoride, boron, arsenic, radium, iron,manganese and nitrates in groundwater exceeds drinkingwater quality guidelines. Taste and odour problems ingroundwater can sometimes be related to high ironcontent or to the growth of iron-loving bacteria in thewell. Bacteria that thrive on sulphur can produce odorousgases in some groundwater.

Man-Made Water QualityProblems

Many groundwater quality problems are natural, butsome have been caused by human activities. Somesources of contamination include leaching undergroundpetroleum storage tanks, holding tanks and sewagelagoons. Industrial waste disposal, municipal landfills,and septic fields may, in some cases, pose problems.Spills of fertilizers and pesticides near groundwater wellsand leaks from intensive livestock holding areas canalso cause contamination. Poor well construction ormaintenance may be a contributing factor to groundwatercontamination.

High nitrate concentrations have been found ingroundwater at a number of sites across the province.Manure and chemical fertilizer are two potential sourcesof nitrate contamination in groundwater. The CanadianDrinking Water Quality Guidelines recommend thatwater should not contain more than 10 milligrams ofnitrate-nitrogen per litre of water. Infants under sixmonths are susceptible to nitrate poisoning - a conditioncalled blue baby syndrome. Nitrates reduce the abilityof the blood to carry oxygen, causing infants to developa bluish skin colour.

Monitoring GroundwaterQuality

Manitoba Water Stewardship monitors groundwaterquantity and quality in the province. Data are used todetermine the suitability of water sources for domesticconsumption and the availability of groundwater forwithdrawl, and to evaluate the impacts of land activitieson groundwater quality. Recently, non-governmentalagencies have participated in these programs.Landowners participating in these studies have benefitedfrom knowing the quality of their water supplies.

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What You Can Do

• Follow label instructions and usefertilizers and pesticides at a safedistance from wells.

• Locate livestock holding pens far awayfrom wells and in areas where seepageinto groundwater will not occur. Wellsshould be properly cased and thesurrounding land graded in such a waythat water drains away from the well.Livestock should not have access to wells.

• Promptly repair faulty septic fields.

• Repair leaks from home heating oil tanks.

• Repair and clean up petroleum spills.Report spills to your nearest ManitobaConservation office.

• When constructing a new well, select awell-drained location far away from septicfields, outhouses, livestock holding areasor manure piles. Use a licensed drillerand ensure there is an effective casinggrout to prevent seepage of surfacerunoff between the well casing andborehole.

• Properly seal all abandoned wells.

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Did You Know?

• About 27 per cent of Manitobans rely ongroundwater for their domestic needs. Of the387 public water systems in Manitoba, 215 relyon groundwater sources.

• To help protect groundwater, ManitobaConservation enforces legislation controlling theinstallation, operation, removal and abandonmentof petroleum storage tanks.

• Two-thirds of the world’s freshwater is foundunderground. However, more than half ofManitoba’s water is found on the surface.

• Boiling will not remove nitrates from yourdrinking water supply. Have your groundwatertested. The maximum acceptable concentrationin drinking water is 10 milligrams of nitrates(nitrate-nitrogen) per litre.

• In Manitoba, groundwater regulation andmanagement are carried out by ManitobaWater Stewardship.

• Groundwater is an important source of irrigationwater for rural Manitoba, particularly over theAssiniboine Delta Aquifer in the Carberry area.

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Water Use

Manitoba has an abundance of water and it playsan important role in our daily lives. Water uses includedrinking water, recreation, irrigation, industrial operationsand aquatic life and wildlife habitat.

Many Economic Uses

Surface water is a vital element for a wide variety ofeconomic uses. About 73 per cent of Manitobans relyon surface supplies for their drinking water. Most ofManitoba’s electrical energy is generated from surfacewaters. Most of the province’s other industrial waterneeds are also provided by lakes and rivers. Dugouts,ponds and streams are used extensively by Manitobafarmers for watering livestock, irrigating crops anddrinking water. Though much less significant today ona province-wide basis, surface water is still an essentialmode of transportation of goods and raw materials formany communities along the northeast shore of LakeWinnipeg. In addition to providing an essential rawmaterial for our economic needs, surface water acrossthe province is used to absorb our domestic, municipaland industrial wastes.

Ecological Value Important Too

Economic interests often cause us to forget about thesignificance of surface water for its ecological value.Surface water provides vital habitat for a wide range ofaquatic life including fish, insects, aquatic plants andalgae. Ponds, streams and other surface waters alsoprovide drinking water and habitat for wildlife.

Many of our economic uses rely indirectly on vitalecological processes that occur in surface water. Forexample, our surface water supports over $30 millionin commercial fishery, a domestic fishery that providesa major protein source for remote aboriginalcommunities, and a recreational fishery valued at manytens of millions of dollars.

A Valuable Resource

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Manitoba WaterQuality Standards,Objectives,and Guidelines

Manitoba Water Quality Standards,Objectives and Guidelines are used inManitoba to protect the quality of waterfor domestic consumption, aquatic lifeand wildlife, industrial consumption,irrigation, livestock watering andrecreation. The standards, objectivesand guidelines specify the acceptableconcentrations of over 80 substances -including mercury, fecal coliformbacteria, organochloride pesticides,phosphorus and dissolved oxygen -for specific water uses. For example,the objectives state that drinking watershould contain no fecal coliforms whilewater for recreational activities shouldhave fewer than 200 fecal coliforms perhundred millilitre sample. The provinceensures that water is protected forspecific uses by setting enforceablelimits for the quality of industrialand municipal discharges underThe Environment Act.

The Manitoba Water QualityStandards, Objectives and Guidelinesdocument is available on ManitobaWater Stewardship’s website:www.manitoba.ca/waterstewardship

Major Water Uses

• Domestic consumption - is the use of water for drinking,food processing and other household uses. About 73 percent of Manitoba’s population consumes surface water fordrinking purposes; the remaining 27 per cent usegroundwater.

• Habitat for aquatic life and wildlife - about 16 per cent ofManitoba’s surface area is covered by lakes, streams, wetlandsand other waterbodies, providing valuable habitat for aquaticlife communities such as fish, rooted plants, algae, aquaticinsects and shellfish. Habitat is also provided for semi-aquatic wildlife and waterfowl, muskrats, beavers, ducks andgeese.

• Industrial consumption - both surface water and groundwaterare used by various industries in Manitoba: pulp and paper,mining, food processing, smelting, manufacturing anddistilling. Water is required in numerous industrialapplications as boiler feed, cooling water and process water.

• Irrigation - surface water and groundwater are used to irrigatefield crops and greenhouse plants. Irrigation demand isincreasing as Manitoba’s agricultural community diversifiesto meet ongoing economic challenges, including growingpotatoes and specialty crops. Lawns, gardens, golf coursesand park areas in urban and rural regions also requireirrigation water.

• Livestock watering - surface and groundwater are used bythe agricultural sector for watering livestock and poultry.Good quality water is crucial to the livestock industry for theproper growth and development of cattle.

• Recreation - surface water in Manitoba is used for primaryand secondary recreation. In primary recreational activities- swimming and water skiing - immersion is likely. Contactwith the water is limited and usually incidental in secondaryrecreational activities, like boating.

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Household Water Use

Laundry23%

Drinking and Cooking28%

Showers and Baths16%

Toilet Flushing33%

Household Water Use

Water conservation should be practiced at home andat the cottage. Every day, the average Manitoban usesabout 227 litres of water in their home. A recent studyfrom the Rural Municipality of St. Andrews suggeststhat in households, 33 per cent of the water is used toflush toilets, 16 per cent for baths and showers, 23 percent for laundry and 28 per cent for drinking, cooking,dishes, water softener regeneration and lawn and gardenwatering.

Using Water Wisely

Water is wasted in many ways and can be used morewisely by reducing, repairing and retrofitting. You canreduce your water use by making a conscious effort touse less whenever possible. Repairing leaks in taps,toilet tanks and pipes can save water and money.Replacing older and inefficient toilets with efficient sixlitre per flush or dual flush toilets could reduce thewater you use indoors by up to 25 per cent. If you arereplacing your appliances, consider purchasing waterand energy efficient washing machines and dishwashers.

A Valuable Resource

Did You Know?

• When sewage systems becomeoverloaded with excess water, poorlytreated or untreated water enters andcontaminates Manitoba’s lakes, rivers,streams and aquifers.

• Not all water efficient toilets are createdequal. Manitoba Conservationcontributed to a study to determinewhich toilets flush the most material.

• During the summer, lawn watering canincrease water use by 50 per cent ormore.

• One drip per second wastes 10,000 litresof water per year – enough to fill 200bathtubs per year.

• A leaking toilet can waste up to 200,000litres of water per year - enough to fill4,000 bathtubs per year.

What You Can Do

In General• Turn taps off tightly so they do not drip.

• Repair tap, faucet, pipe and hose leaks promptly.

• Plant native drought-tolerant plants in areas you normally water around your house and cottage to reduce outdoor water use and providehabitat for birds and butterflies.

In the Kitchen• Only use a dishwasher when full; use the cycle

that requires the least water.

• Hand-wash dishes in a partly filled sink. Insteadof using running water to rinse dishes, fill a separate sink or use the faucet spray attachment.

• Keep a container of drinking water in therefrigerator instead of running tap water untilit is cold.

In the Bathroom• Check for toilet tank leaks and repair promptly.

Toilets use the largest proportion of householdwater. Use toilets only for their intendedpurpose.

• Do not flush paper towels, cotton swabs or cigarette butts. Never flush paints, solvents, pesticides, or other chemicals since these are hazardous to the aquatic environment - the eventual recipient of all those toilet flushes.

• Water efficient six litre or dual flush toilets are available and are practical for home and cottage use. Check the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association website www.cwwa.ca/ for the latest list of water efficient toilets that work well.

• Use a partially filled sink rather thanrunning water continuously while washingyour hands.

• Short showers use less water than full baths. For bathing, fill only half the tub with water.

• Use a water efficient shower head.14

Laundry• Front loading washing machines tend to be

more water and energy efficient.

• Only use the washing machine when full;use the cycle that requires the least water.

• Adjust the water level if smaller washes arenecessary. If you have a septic system, limitthe number of loads per day to avoidoverloading it.

Water Softeners• Regenerate water softeners only when needed.

Consider a softener system that regenerates based on water quality not on the number of days since the last regeneration.

• Only use softened water where necessary. Consider using unsoftened water for drinking and cooking.

Outdoors• Water your lawn only when it needs it. Lawns

require only 2 - 3 centimetres of water per week.Some sprinklers have an attached measuringwell to determine the volume of water used.You can determine it yourself by collecting waterin a pan. Be sure to include rain in your weeklycalculations.

• Plant drought-tolerant flowers, grasses, shrubsand trees in areas of your yard that you wouldnormally water. Consider letting your lawn gonaturally dormant during hot periods of thesummer by not watering.

• Drip irrigation or soaker hoses are the bestmethods for conserving water while wateringvegetables and herbs.

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• A low-level sprinkler is the best type to use forwatering the lawn; an oscillating sprinkler losesup to 50 per cent of the water to evaporation.

• Cut your grass to a height of 5 - 8 centimetresand leave the grass clippings on the lawn. Thisshades their roots during hot weather and willhelp retain moisture.

• Shrubs and young trees usually require wateringonly once a week while becoming established.

• Transplanted or young garden plants shouldbe watered deeply and more often to help plantsestablish deep root systems.

• Use organic mulch around flowers, shrubs,and trees and incorporate compost into yourgarden soil to help retain moisture.

• Washing your car with running water can useup to 400 litres of water. Use a bucket, a spongeand a trigger nozzle on the hose to reducewater consumption.

• Instead of washing leaves, soil, and debris offa driveway or sidewalk, use a rake and broom.

Non-point Source PollutionHarder to Control

Pollution is commonly referred to as either point sourceor non-point source. Point source pollution is direct,concentrated discharge such as sewage effluent. On theother hand, non-point source pollution is usually lessconcentrated and diffuse in its entry to a waterbody, andtherefore much more difficult to control and regulate.

Although point source discharges from industrial andsewage plant operations were thought to be the largestcontributors to water pollution, it is now widely recognizedthat non-point source pollution is equally, and sometimesmore significant. Rainwater and snow-melt water pick upnutrients, oil, grease, litter and soil and carry them torivers and lakes. Soil may carry fertilizers, pesticides andheavy metals. These pollutants may harm aquatic life andmake the water unsuitable for other uses such as recreationor drinking.

A Matter of Quality

Pollution Source

A combination of natural factors and humanactivities contribute to the varying quality of surfacewater and groundwater in the province. Salts, arsenic,uranium and wildlife waste are some of the naturalsubstances that can pollute water. Humancontributions include contamination from leakingseptic fields, municipal wastewater facilities,petroleum storage tanks, fertilizers, pesticides,pharmaceuticals and livestock waste.

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How Non-point SourcePollutants Affect Manitoba’sWater Quality

Persistent Pollutants Remainin Water for Years

Pollutants that reach Manitoba’s waterways and affectwater quality are classified as either non-persistent orpersistent. Sewage, fertilizers and some householdcleaning products are examples of non-persistent ordegradable pollutants. Non-persistent pollutants caneventually be broken down and their damaging effectscan often be reversed or mitigated.

On the other hand, persistent pollutants degrade slowlyand remain in the water for years. They maybioaccumulate up the aquatic food chain, exposinganimals, birds and people who eat fish to unacceptablyhigh concentrations of chemicals. This can result inanimal and human health risks and seriousenvironmental damage. Persistent pollutants includesome pesticides, oil, or specific compounds of oil andmetals such as cadmium, lead and mercury.

Did You Know?

• Manitoba’s abundant freshwatersupplies are among the cleanestin the world. Sometimes peoplewaste this valuable resourcebecause of its low cost andabundance.

• The province has few industrialfacilities that release effluents intorivers and streams.

• Trash, old bed springs and usedtires look unsightly in ourwaterbodies and cause publicconcern, but are not generallyconsidered a human health risk.However, it is illegal to dispose ofitems like this in surface water.

• In Manitoba, local interest andriver stewardship groups haveplayed a large role in cleaning uprivers and removing unnatural,physical barriers to fish migration.

• As of 2005, there were 200contaminated sites in Manitobawhere groundwater or surfacewater was contaminated. Theserepresent approximately 10 percent of all contaminated sites inthe province.

Disease-causing organisms in water include bacteria,viruses and protozoa. Examples include Salmonella,Norwalk virus, Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Thesepathogenic organisms can be discharged directly towaterbodies or can be transported with surface runoff.Sources are numerous and include wildlife waste,discharge of treated and untreated sewage andrunoff from agricultural activities.

Illnesses Contracted bySwimmers

The most common illnesses contracted by swimmersare infections of the eyes, ears, nose and throat.These infections can be caused by bacteria, such asPseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus whichare most frequently transferred from one bather toanother in crowded swimming areas.

The second most common group of illnesses is stomachupset, or gastroenteritis, typically caused by Salmonellabacteria or intestinal viruses. As the number of fecalbacteria increases, so does the frequency of illness.Symptoms of gastroenteritis include mild fever, vomiting,diarrhea and stomach cramps.

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Escherichia coli -Recreational Water Quality Indicators

In Manitoba, water quality objectives have been adoptedfor Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria to ensure safe levelsfor recreational water. Escherichia coli belong to a groupof bacteria called fecal coliforms that originate in thedigestive tract of warm-blooded animals, waterfowl andhumans. Escherichia coli do not normally cause illnessthemselves, but when present in large numbers areoften associated with more harmful disease-causingorganisms. They are known as indicator bacteria.

The allowable maximum number of indicator bacteriain recreational water is 200 E. coli per 100 millilitres ofsample. A number of scientific studies have beenundertaken to examine the relationship between illnessrates of bathers and water quality. When the guidelineis exceeded, swimmers who frequently immerse theirhead in water have a slightly higher probability ofcontracting gastroenteritis compared with other bathers.Extensive studies have been undertaken by ManitobaWater Stewardship to determine the source ofoccasionally high E. coli counts on Lake Winnipeg

A Matter of QualityBacteria and Other Pathogens

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beaches. Studies have shown that large numbers ofE. coli are present in the wet sand of beaches. Duringsome periods of high winds, when water levels are risingin the south basin, these bacteria can be washed out ofthe sand and into the swimming area of the lake.Research has shown that less than 10 percent of theE. coli at Lake Winnipeg beaches is from human sources,with the remaining numbers from birds and animals.

Manitoba Water Stewardship, in conjunction withManitoba Health, has developed the Manitoba CleanBeaches Program to provide valuable information for youand your family on how to protect our beautiful beachesand reduce health risks.

Protect the Beach

The following beach hygiene tips will help keep ourbeaches clean:

• Please don’t feed the shore birds. Gulls canquickly become accustomed to eating andresiding on the beach.

• Don’t litter or discard food on the beach.Dispose of trash in proper receptacles.

• Don’t bring your pets. Pets are not allowed onprovincial park beaches and on most beachesin rural municipalities.

• Change diapered children frequently and awayfrom the water’s edge.

• Never bury waste in the sand.

Protect Yourselfand Other Bathers

The following personal hygiene tips are recommended:

• Wash your hands before handling food. Thesimple action of washing your hands beforetouching food will reduce your risk of ingestingharmful organisms that may be on the beach.

• Avoid swallowing lake water when playing orswimming.

• Stay away from the water if you are experiencingdigestive or intestinal problems.

Drinking Water Quality

All surface water sources must be disinfected prior touse as drinking water. Disinfection is a key step includedat all municipal water treatment facilities. However,cottagers, hikers, canoeists, wilderness travellers andprivate homeowners with their own water source needto ensure that all water consumed is safe and free ofdisease-causing organisms. Like other jurisdictions,Manitoba routinely recommends that untreated surfacewater not be used for drinking purposes. Disinfectionis the minimum treatment required. Consumption ofuntreated water may pose unacceptable health risks.

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Did You Know?

• Boiling is one of the oldest, safest,and most effective methods ofdisinfecting water. Water shouldbe held at a slow, rolling boil forat least one minute to ensureparasites such as Cryptosporidiumand Giardia are killed.

• Each year, more than 60 majorbeaches across Manitoba aremonitored for recreational waterquality. Results are availableon the Manitoba WaterStewardship website:www.manitoba.ca/waterstewardship.

• Water quality data collected frommajor beaches in Manitoba sincethe early 1980s indicate that waterquality is generally excellent. Slightlyelevated indicator bacteria densitiesare occasionally detected at somebeaches and at a slightly increasedfrequency at Lake Winnipeg beaches.Upon re-sampling, densities havequickly returned to below theguideline.

• Beaver fever is an ailment sometimescontracted by campers, hikers, andothers when untreated surface wateris consumed. It is caused by theparasite Giardia lamblia. Symptomsinclude mild to severe diarrhea,cramps and a lack of appetite.Symptoms may take 10 - 15 daysto appear and persist for six toseven weeks.

What You Can Do

• Most water can be successfully treated toproduce safe drinking water regardless of itsquality. However, preventing contamination isthe best way to protect the existing good waterquality in many of our lakes, streams, riversand dugouts.

• When you are out in the wilderness hiking orcanoeing, take along a container of cleandrinking water instead of using potentiallycontaminated surface water. If you use surfacewater, boil it for one minute or treat it with awater disinfectant. Household bleach is aneffective disinfectant for bacteria and mostviruses in drinking water. Add two drops(0.1 millilitres) to one litre of water, shake, andthen let stand for 30 minutes. Four drops ofbleach in each litre of water may be requiredto effectively disinfect water that is cloudy orodorous.

• Wise watershed management practicesinclude ensuring your holding tanks andseptic fields are operating properly, controllingcontaminated runoff from your property andforming watershed stewardship groups withyour neighbours.

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A Matter of Quality

Nutrients in Water

Aquatic plant life, an essential component of theaquatic food chain and a healthy aquatic environment,generally depends on the availability of nitrogen andphosphorus. An excess of these nutrients can lead toan over-abundance of plants which can have aprogressively detrimental effect on our lakes and rivers.

Sources of Nitrogen andPhosphorus

Nutrients are commonly found in:

• human sewage

• drainage from bog areas

• greywater

• pet and livestock feces

• lawn and garden fertilizers

• cleaning products

• agricultural fertilizers

• leaching or weathering of rock

• industrial effluent

• soil erosion

How Nutrients Affect theAquatic Ecosystem

Water temperature, clarity, depth, the amount of dissolvedoxygen, available nutrients and plant growth are allinterrelated. The growth of aquatic plants and algaerequires the penetration of sunlight through the waterin combination with sufficient nutrients. In turn, thedissolved oxygen produced by these plants is essentialfor fish and aquatic insects. A progressive increase innutrients causing excessive plant and algal growth caneventually have a profound effect on the physical, chemicaland biological characteristics of the lake or river. Often,different plant and fish species begin to appear whilethose less tolerant to changing conditions begin todisappear.

Lakes are categorized as either oligotrophic, mesotrophic,or eutrophic, depending on the concentration of nutrients.Clearwater Lake and West Hawk Lake are oligotrophic -they are deep and cold, and have low concentrations ofnutrients. Mesotrophic lakes, like Barren and Breretonlakes, are warmer with enough nutrients to supportweeds and occasional algal blooms. Eutrophic lakes areusually shallow and enriched with an overabundance ofnutrients. The south basin of Lake Winnipeg is eutrophicand may have dense algal blooms because of excessnutrients.

nutrient residuals in soil and crop uptake needs, bylimiting the use of fertilizers on land adjacent towaterbodies, by improving land-use practices and byusing phosphate free cleaning products.

Nutrients in Lake Winnipeg

Excessive concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorusin Lake Winnipeg are causing gradual changes to occurin the lake’s water quality and biological communities.Nutrients are directly associated with the production ofnuisance growths of algae - affecting fish habitat,recreation, drinking water quality and clogging fishingnets. Some nuisance growths of algae can also producetoxins. Nutrients are contributed from virtually all ofour activities across the watershed – human and animalsewage, agricultural and industrial activities, cleaning

products, lawn and garden fertilizers anderosion. The Lake Winnipeg

watershed covers an area ofalmost one million

square kilometres andstretches from

the Rockies inAlberta tonorthwesternOntarioand southinto fourAmericanstates. Thewatershed is home toeight millionpeople and

20 millionlivestock.

Many of thenutrients

generatedwithin this large

watershed eventually end up in Lake Winnipeg.

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Eutrophication -A Natural Process

Eutrophication is the natural aging process for all lakes.Under normal conditions, this process takes thousandsof years. Enriching our lakes with nutrients frommunicipal wastes, industrial wastes, poor land-use andfertilizer practices and faulty septic systems can artificiallyaccelerate the process of eutrophication to a few shortyears. A nutrient-enriched or eutrophic lake will havefrequent algal blooms and excessive weed beds alongthe shoreline. Fish kills are more frequent in these lakesbecause the low oxygen content is further depleted asexcess plant material is decomposed, especially duringwinter.

On Manitoba’s prairies, many lakes are eutrophicbecause of the rich soils in the drainage basin. Innorthern and eastern Manitoba, most lakesare mesotrophic or oligotrophicbecause they are situated onbedrock with little soil coverto naturally increasenutrient levels.AlthoughManitoba’s lakesare influencedby naturallyoccurringprocesses,we can helpprotect andenhancewaterquality byensuringour sewageand greywaterdoes not reachsurface waters,by matchingnutrient applicationsof manure, fertilizersand municipal sludge with

23

Manitobans need to work together to reduce nutrientsin Lake Winnipeg. Industries and municipalities suchas the City of Winnipeg are reducing nitrogen andphosphorus released from wastewater treatment plants.Agriculture is improving land use practices and applyingmanure and inorganic fertilizers based on croprequirements, soil type, slope and proximity to surfacewater. The Manitoba Government is working withSaskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario and the United Statesto reduce nutrients that enter Manitoba. We can allhelp to reduce nutrients to Lake Winnipeg by protectingriparian zones, choosing phosphate-free soaps, keepingseptic tanks and fields in good working order, limitingthe use of lawn and garden fertilizers and using waterefficiently.

Some Nutrients are Toxic

Ammonia, in its un-ionized form, is toxic to fish andother aquatic organisms, depending upon ambienttemperature and pH. Groundwater quality is affectedby the concentration of available nitrates. Highconcentrations of nitrate in drinking water can result innitrate poisoning, a condition known as blue babysyndrome in infants. Nitrate is very soluble in water andcan move readily through the soil to the groundwater.Potential sources of nitrate in groundwater include leakyseptic systems, animal wastes, industrial wastes andfertilizers applied to home, cottage and agriculturalcrop land.

Did You Know?• Only laundry detergents must limit

phosphate content to less than five percent under federal legislation. Otherhousehold cleaning products oftencontain high amounts of phosphates.

• If phosphorus levels exceed 0.025milligrams per litre, a lake may experienceperiodic algae blooms. Typicalconcentrations of phosphorus can rangefrom less than 0.001 milligrams per litre,as is generally found in West Hawk Lake,to more than 1.0 milligram per litre, foundin some prairie lakes.

• Excessive amounts of the nutrientammonia (un-ionized) is toxic to aquaticlife. Sources of ammonia include animaland human waste.

What You Can Do• Since most of the water used for

household purposes in Manitoba isreturned to surface water, use phosphate-free soaps and detergents. Ask your localstore to stock these products.

• Don’t use fertilizer on lawns or gardenswithin 30 metres of the shoreline.

• Ensure that your septic system isoperating properly and is serviced on aregular basis.

• Keep your shoreline in a natural state -don’t remove natural vegetation from the water’s edge. Near shorelines, use softer and more permeable surfaces (gravel or wood chips) instead of concrete and asphalt.

• Prevent shoreline erosion to ensure thatsoil nutrients do not contaminate surfacewater supplies.

Potential ProblemsExtensive algal blooms can cause a number of problems:

• reduced recreational appeal - water with a largealgal bloom looks murky and smells foul,making it undesirable for swimming, wadingand water-skiing.

• degraded aquatic habitat - too much algae canresult in low oxygen levels in the water whenthe algae decays, leading to winter and summerfish kills.

• toxic algae - some species of blue-green algaeproduce liver and nerve toxins that can causeillness or death in livestock or pets drinking thewater. People have reported incidents of skinirritation from swimming in waters with toxicalgae. In addition, drinking water containingtoxic algae can cause gastroenteritis, or stomachupset and diarrhea. More serious long-termhealth effects may result from long-termexposure through drinking water. Because theyare likely to swallow water while swimming, itis best to keep small children out of the waterwhere algal blooms are present.

• drinking water problems - excessive algae inmunicipal drinking water supplies can affectthe taste and odour. Algal blooms can alsoincrease water treatment costs by cloggingwater filters.

A Matter of Quality

Algae

Algae range extensively in size and shape, frommicroscopic single cell organisms to giant seaweedseveral metres long. They are an important part of theaquatic ecosystem, providing food and oxygen to manyaquatic organisms. Sometimes algae make drinking andrecreational water supplies unusable when they reachnuisance proportions.

What are Algal Blooms?When algae become very abundant and form floatingclumps or scums along shorelines, they are called algalblooms. The water looks like thick pea soup and mayemit a strong odour. Aphanizomenon, Microcystis andAnabaena are common types of nuisance blue-greenalgae found in Manitoba surface waters.

Causes of Algal BloomsAlgae occur naturally in all surface waters. Algal bloomsare common in many of Manitoba’s lakes, rivers andstreams. Nitrogen and phosphorus - found in sewage,greywater, animal feces, fertilizers, or silt from landerosion - can lead to excessive algal growth. Heat, a lackof wind and plenty of sun create optimum conditionsfor algal growth. Clear water transmits more light andcan support more algae when available nutrients arepresent.

24MicrocystisAphanizomenon Anabaena

Did You Know?• Manitoba Water Stewardship tested a

number of surface waters in the provinceand found liver toxins produced by blue-green algae in many lakes and farmdugouts. Levels in treated drinking waterhave, at times, exceeded guideline levels.

• Evidence suggests that the use of coppersulphate (bluestone) to control algae inreservoirs used for drinking water maylead to formation of nuisance algae thatare resistant to this pesticide and difficultto remove by conventional watertreatment processes. In addition, coppercan accumulate in lake sediments whereit could cause harm to bottom-dwellingorganisms. Copper levels in KillarneyLake sediments were found to be 50times higher than other lakes in the areadue to bluestone use over the years.

• The frequency and intensity of algalblooms can be reduced by minimizingthe concentrations of nitrogen andphosphorus in surface waters. Whennitrogen and phosphorus are applied toland surfaces in higher amounts thancan be used by growing plants in aseason, they can runoff into surfacewater with heavy rainfall, floods andmelting snow. Some Environment Actlicenses for dischargers to surface waters– for example food processing facilitiesand the City of Winnipeg – contain limitsfor the amount of nitrogen andphosphorus that can be discharged torivers, streams and lakes. Regulationsare also in place (or in some cases beingproposed) to protect water from nutrientsthat may arise from the over-applicationof fertilizers, animal manure andmunicipal wastewater sludge.

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Prevention is the Best ControlChemical treatment of surface waters for control of algaecan be expensive and is not always practical, successfulor legal. Copper-based herbicides (Ex: bluestone) areregistered for use in dugouts. It is illegal to applybluestone to public water without a permit fromManitoba Conservation. Treating water with chemicalsmay have a negative effect on aquatic life. Prevention is the preferred method for control of algae in surfacewaters. The most effective long-term control is tominimize the quantity of nitrogen and phosphorusentering the water.

Did You Know?

• Increased ultraviolet radiation resulting fromthe thinning of the ozone layer cansignificantly affect the growth of algae andmay affect freshwater and marine food webs.The long-term ecological consequences ofthis are not well known.

• The water quality history of a lake can bedetermined by looking at the algae and theirpigments (chlorophyll) in lake-bottom cores.The cores can be dated to determine whetheror not conditions have changed as a resultof natural or human influences.

• Black algae (Lyngbya wollei - also known asPlectonema wollei)) - a species of algae notnormally found in Manitoba - was first foundin Betula Lake in the mid-1990s. It has sincebeen found in White Lake. Black algae formsthick carpets or mats on the lake bottom orfloating in the water near the shore. Thedense, coarse texture of this algae speciesgive it the appearance and feel of wet woolor dog fur, with an earthy smell. It tends tobe very dark green or black in colour and issometimes called “coarse black algae”.Abundant masses of black algae growingup from the lake bottom are unpleasantfor swimmers and boaters. Black algaealso produce a chemical called geosminwhich gives a distinct earthy taste andodour to water. Black algae collectedfrom reservoirs in the southern UnitedStates have also been found to containneurotoxins that have similar effects toshellfish poisoning. Neurotoxins mayaffect humans or animals that directlyconsume the algae in large quantities -simply touching black algae usually doesnot expose people to sufficient quantitiesto be harmful. No toxins from black algaehave been found in Manitoba.

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What You Can Do

You can help reduce algal blooms by minimizing theamount of sewage, greywater, fertilizers and silt thatreach surface waters.

• Dispose of domestic sewage and greywaterproperly. Build your outhouse or septic field atleast 30 metres from surface waters - further ifthe soil is sandy or rocky. If you have waterfrontproperty with water under pressure, considerinstalling a holding tank instead of a septicsystem. Always use low-nutrient cleaningproducts and keep greywater and sewage fromentering lakes and rivers.

• Use fertilizers carefully. Do not use fertilizerson land adjacent to a lake or river. Heavy rainsor lawn watering can wash fertilizers off theland into the water where algae will use themto grow.

• Protect and enhance your shoreline vegetation.Shorelines with little vegetation are easily erodedand allow nutrient-rich runoff water to reachsurface waters. Do not mow, let it grow.

A Matter of Quality

Aquatic Plants

Aquatic macrophytes are plants that require a waterenvironment to complete all or most of their life cycle.There are three main types - emergent, floating andsubmerged.

Types Based on Growth FormEmergent plants extend above the water surface inshallow areas of lakes, ponds and ditches. They haverelatively rigid stems and do not rely on the water forsupport. Cattails and bulrushes are among the mostcommon types in the province.

Floating aquatic plants may be rooted or free-floating. Free-floating plants obtaintheir nutrients directly from thewater. Rooted floating plantslack stem rigidity anddepend on the waterfor support.Pondweed andyellow pond-lilyare commonrooted types.Duckweed, asmall plantoftenmistaken foralgae, is themostcommon free-floating aquaticmacrophyte inManitoba.

Some plants, such asbur-reeds, water plantainsand arrow-heads sharecharacteristics of both emergent andfloating aquatic plants. These plants usually

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extend out of the water like emergent plants but havefloating leaves similar to floating aquatic plants.

Submerged aquatic plants have flexible stems and leaves,are rooted in the sediments and are completely coveredby water - although some species have flowers thatextend above the surface. Common plants include waterbuttercups, water milfoils and bladderworts.

The Importance of AquaticPlantsAquatic plants are a natural and important part of the

aquatic ecosystem. They provide excellenthabitat for fish, aquatic insects and

terrestrial wildlife. They are animportant constituent in the

diet of muskrats and mooseand are a source of food

and nesting materialfor waterfowl. Aquatic

plants help preventturbidity - cloudy,silty water - bystabilizing lakesediments. Theyalso protectshorelines fromexcessive erosion

by absorbing theforce of wave action.

These plants use uplarge amounts of

nutrients, reducing theamount available for algal

growth and they absorbpotentially toxic substances - like

mercury and lead - improving water quality.

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Problems Caused by Too ManyAquatic Plants

Excessive growth of aquatic plants in recreationalwaterbodies and drinking water reservoirs can create anumber of problems, including:

• swimming nuisances - excessive aquatic plantgrowth in shallow water discourages swimmingand interferes with activities along shorelinesand beaches.

• boating difficulties - plants clog motorboatpropellers and interfere with sailboatcentreboards.

• less appealing drinking water - aquatic plantdecomposition can lead to foul odour, taste anddiscolouration of drinking water, making moreadvanced water treatment necessary.

• less dissolved oxygen in the water for fish -a result of the decomposition of excessiveamounts of aquatic plants. Artificial wateraeration has been used in Silver Beach Lake,Oak Lake, Gull Lake and others, to alleviatethis problem.

• dense aquatic plant growth in small streamsand drains - can impede water flow andcontribute to flooding.

High densities of aquatic plants may be an indicator ofwater quality problems. If your lake or river has too manyplants, it may mean that there is too much nitrogen andphosphorus entering the water. Check to see which ofthe following nutrient sources you can control: fertilizers,sewage, greywater, pet feces, cleaning products orshoreline erosion.

What You Can Do• Disrupt as few aquatic plants as possible

- remember that they provide essentialhabitat for fish and waterfowl.

• Don’t use herbicides in lakes and rivers- it is illegal.

• Consider the role that aquatic plantsplay as home to waterfowl, fish,amphibians and aquatic insects.

Did You Know?

• Aquatic plants do not attract leeches oract as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.Leeches prefer soft sediments inshallow, calm water and will be in theseareas whether or not plants are present.Mosquito larvae cannot survive theintense predation by fish and aquaticinsects in aquatic plant stands.

• Utricularia or bladderworts, arecommon in Manitoba waters. Thesesubmerged carnivorous plants trap andconsume small insects and aquaticanimals that they trap in their tinybladders.

Aquatic Insects

Most of us have come in contact with insects suchas mayflies, mosquitoes, water boatmen and divingbeetles, which spend some or most of their life cycle inthe aquatic environment. They can be found in lakes,rivers, streams, dugouts, wetlands and even in the water-filled leaves of the carnivorous pitcher plant.

Aquatic insects occupy a variety of habitats. They live in bottom sediments, swim freely through the watercolumn, attach themselves to submerged rocks andvegetation or walk on the water’s surface. Althoughextremely well adapted to water, they depend directlyon the terrestrial environment for at least part of their life cycle.

All aquatic insects require oxygen to survive. Thosespending their immature stages as larvae or nymphs inthe water must obtain oxygen through their skin or gills.Once these insects develop into adults, they breathesurface air through respiratory tubes at their posteriorend or by capturing and swimming with an air bubbleunder their body, similar to SCUBA divers.

Some aquatic insects, like mayflies, midges, horsefliesand caddisflies, emerge as adults in enormousabundance usually because of appropriate environmentalconditions (such as temperature and light), foods thatare seasonally available (such as plants or other insects),and/or to avoid adverse physical conditions (such asdrought or low oxygen levels).

Aquatic insects are essential in the food chain, both inthe water and on land. They are food sources forpredatory insects, invertebrates, fish, bats and birds.They also help decompose vegetation.

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Insects as Indicators ofAquatic Health

The abundance and diversity of aquatic insects are animportant indicator of the health of the aquaticenvironment. Generally, the greater the number of insectand invertebrate species in a particular area of a lakeor reach of a river, the healthier the environment. Forexample, if too much sediment enters the aquaticenvironment, invertebrate species unable to toleratethese conditions will disappear. This information hasbeen used to develop indices that can reflect ecosystemhealth. These are being used by Manitoba WaterStewardship to evaluate site-specific conditions.

A Matter of Quality

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What You Can Do

Aquatic insects rely on relativelyundisturbed aquatic habitat.You can provide a diversehabitat for the insects bymaintaining a healthypopulation of aquaticvegetation, putting rocks inriffles and leaving some fallentree stumps in the water.

Did You Know?

• In Manitoba, there are about 90 families (large groupings of organismswith similar characteristics) of insects with at least one aquatic orsemi-aquatic species.

• The open seas and oceans are the only habitat where aquatic insectsare virtually non-existent.

• There are over 300 species of midges in Manitoba, most of whichhave aquatic larvae. Midges sometimes resemble mosquitoes in sizeand body-form, but do not bite. On the other hand, there are only 45species of mosquitoes in Manitoba, most of which will bite humans.

• Giant swarms of midges which look like grey smoke, can sometimesbe seen along the shores of Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba. Theseswarms provide food for local and migrating birds.

• Only female mosquitoes, blackflies, horse flies and deer flies take ablood meal. They require the protein from blood to produce eggs.

• Some biting flies (horseflies, deer flies and stable flies) have a morepainful bite than others because of the structure of their mouth partsand how they obtain a blood meal.

• Dragonflies are predators as adults and nymphs. The adults huntand capture their prey on the wing, scooping-up other insects withtheir front legs. The nymphs stalk their prey along the water bottom.When disturbed, the nymphs ‘jet propel’ themselves through thewater by contracting large muscles forcing water out of their rectum.

• The larvae of hover flies (those flies that seem to suspend themselvesin air and resemble a bee) can live in polluted water because theybreathe surface air through a long retractable siphon. These larvaeare commonly called rattailed maggots.

• There are at least 150 species of caddisflies in Manitoba. The larvaeof some species construct cases around their bodies from materialslike sand grains, sticks, leaves and stems, held together with silk.Caddisflies can frequently be seen walking on submerged plants orrocks, carrying their cases.

• Although they are not insects, water fleas act as ‘water lawn mowers’often controlling the abundance of algae in surface waters.

Sediments and Erosion

Water Wears Away Sediments

Moving water has considerable potential to causeerosion - the gradual wearing away of surfaces. Generally,the faster the water moves, the faster the rate of erosion.Erosion rates also depend upon the nature of the soil.Soils from sloping lawns and fields, stream banks andstream beds are all susceptible to erosion by flowingwater.

The products of erosion include tiny particles of silt, clayand sand. The settling of these particles is known assedimentation. It occurs in locations where slow-movingwater loses its ability to transport heavier particles.

The natural rate of erosion can be accelerated by anyhuman activity that increases the rate of water movementor decreases the physical stability of stream beds andshorelines. Obstructions placed in streams - boat docks,piers and dams - speed up water flowing around themand increases the energy that can erode the stream bedor bank. Removing trees, shrubs and rocks from streambanks and shorelines, and tilling fields or gardens closeto the water’s edge can also increase the risk of erosion.

Land drainage is often necessary but the design of theproject must fully incorporate all hydrologicalconsiderations. Construction techniques to reduceerosion of the drain include the use of in-stream bafflesor rapids made with rocks to reduce erosive energy thatmight develop, and grass-covered drains to removesediments from runoff water.

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Physical and BiologicalImpacts of Erosion

Eroded materials that are deposited in waterbodiesrange in size from very fine silts and clays to coarsesands and gravel. The results of these deposited materialsinclude increased turbidity or murkiness, the formationof deltas, clogging of channels, impairment of flowswith an increased risk of flooding and the prematureinfilling of lakes and ponds. These physical impacts cansometimes be remedied, but dredging and other formsof channel clearing are costly.

Erosion of waterfront properties can mean substantiallosses for more than just the property owner. As erosionreduces the value and productivity of land, sedimentsreduce the value and change the biological productivityin water.

Biological impacts on fish and other aquatic life aremore subtle than physical ones. Less sunlight penetratesturbid waters, reducing the growth rate of aquatic plantsand algae - the food source for all aquatic organismsincluding fish. Northern pike and trout - which rely ontheir vision to feed - are less able to find food in turbidwaters. Erosion of stream beds and banks and adjacentyards and fields, directly and indirectly, affects the amountof food available to fish and other aquatic organisms.

A Matter of Quality

32

Sedimentation Can DestroyAquatic Habitats

Sedimentation, especially if erosion occurs on a largescale, or in a very short time period, can physically affectaquatic organisms. For example, benthic or bottom-dwelling organisms, such as clams and caddisfly larvae,can be buried deeply by sediments. Deposited materialmay also be unsuitable for habitat. Gravel and pebblebottoms - habitat required by stoneflies and some speciesof mayflies - can also be buried by sediments, makingthem unsuitable for these organisms. Many fish species,such as walleye, trout, and bass, require coarse sandsand gravel for spawning purposes; such spawning sitesare destroyed by sedimentation.

Human uses of water can also be affected by erosion.Treatment costs for drinking water escalate when turbidityincreases. Also, turbid waters with sediment build-upin beach areas are less attractive to people for swimming,water-skiing and boating.

Did You Know?

• Flood-reduction drainage projects can be amajor source of sedimentation in lakes andother waterbodies.

• Erosion of the Edwards Creek drain nearDauphin, constructed more than 40 years ago,has deposited millions of tonnes of sedimentinto Dauphin Lake creating a new delta.

What You Can Do

Here are a few things to keep in mind whenyou are building a boathouse or dock at thewater’s edge:

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada hasproduced a cottagers guide containinghelpful information on how to protectyour shoreline and build a dock thatmeets your needs. Information is alsoprovided on the approvals that mightbe required before you begin to build.

• Place only clean gravel - free from finematerials and organic matter - alongthe lakeshore or riverbank.

• When constructing docks, minimizeinterference with the natural movementof water and sediment by supportingthe structure with piles or floats.

• Use rip-rap (large rocks) to protectbanks from erosion.

• Leave as much natural vegetation aspossible. When natural disturbancesoccur, immediately stabilize andrevegetate shorelines. Contouring theshape of the shoreline or usinguntreated logs or timber with rockswill encourage plant life to becomeestablished.

A Matter of Quality

Contaminants in Fish

Fish are one of the most nutritious low-fat proteinsources consumed by people. Although high levels ofcontaminates in fish flesh have been reported fromother Canadian waters (Ex: the Great Lakes),contaminates in fish from Manitoba lakes and rivershave been relatively low.

Chemicals in Our Water

In the mid-20th century, the increasing world-wide useof chemicals and resulting health problems broughtattention to the possible environmental impacts of toxicchemicals. Impacts on the environment around heavilyindustrialized sites, such as the Great Lakes, added topublic concern about chemical releases and their long-term effects. Thanks to scientific research linkingenvironmental contamination and deformities in aquaticlife, and increasing public pressure, much has sincebeen done to eliminate many of these harmful chemicalsfrom reaching aquatic environments.

Mercury in Fish

In Minimata Bay, Japan in the 1950s,mercury in fish was identified as aproblem. Many people developedserious neurological disorders andsome eventually died from mercurypoisoning after eating contaminatedfish. In 1969, contaminants in fishbecame a concern in Manitoba withthe discovery of elevated mercuryresidues in fish from the English-Wabigoon River System in Ontario andin fish from the south basin of LakeWinnipeg. At the same time, mercury

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contamination was discovered in fish from theSaskatchewan River. This led to the temporary closureof commercial fishing on the Saskatchewan River andLake Winnipeg in Manitoba. Studies attributed themercury contamination mainly to discharges from somepulp and paper mills. Controls on the use and releaseof mercury from industry during the 1970s helped reducethe level of mercury pollution in these areas.

Increased mercury levels were discovered in fish fromlakes flooded by the Churchill River hydroelectric diversionin northern Manitoba during the late 1970s and early1980s. In the newly flooded land, bacteria altered theform of naturally occurring mercury, making it morereadily taken-up by fish. This resulted in elevated levelsof mercury found in some fish species caught in floodedlakes. Over time, these elevatedconcentrations are slowlydeclining.

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Fish ConsumptionGuidelines Developed

During the late 1970s, the Government of Manitobabegan collecting samples of fish tissue from some ofthe major river systems in southern Manitoba todetermine if there was a problem with the accumulationof metals or persistent chemical residues in fish flesh.Mercury was the only residue found at elevated levelsin some fish species from a few of Manitoba’swaterbodies. Consequently, a sport fish consumptionguideline for mercury in fish was preparedrecommending consumption limits for certain sizesand types of fish. For example, according to the mostrecent guide, fish caught from southern waters can beconsumed within certain limits. However, larger northernpike from some flooded northern lakes are notrecommended for consumption.

The Fishing Line

Manitoba is one of the North American leadersin fish conservation. The summer and winterangling opportunities in Manitoba are endlessand continue to improve, thanks to goodfisheries management and conservation-mindedanglers. Manitobans have been fishing barblesssince 1990 when new regulations were passed.Barbless hooks help decrease the stress on fishby reducing handling time.

Many Manitobans enjoy fishing for both foodand recreation. Whether angling from shore orboat, anglers can do their part to ensure ahealthy water environment. Here are a few tips:

• Use only live bait that has beenobtained from a licensed Manitoba baitdealer or catch your own in designatedareas.

• Clean fish in a designated area anddiscard fish remains in the trash.

• Always discard fishing line in the trash.Most lines do not decay and can injurefish, birds and other wildlife that gettangled in the line.

• Ensure that six-pack plastic rings andmetal drink can tabs are placed inthe trash-these can also injure fishand other wildlife.

• Practise selective harvest andcatch-and-release fishing.

Did You Know?• Manitoba surface waters support

more than 90 species of fish.• Lake sturgeon - Manitoba’s largest

fish - have been around forthousands of years. Female sturgeon

reach sexual maturity after about

25 years and can live up to150 years.

• If you wear wet wool gloves while handling fish, you can

help reduce the damage to the

fish’s protective slime layer.• The Red River supports a world class

channel catfish fishery.

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What You Can Do

• Limit your use of pesticides(insecticides, herbicides,fungicides) as much aspossible. Follow the labelinstructions carefully anddispose of used containersin a safe manner.

• Do not flush chemicals downsinks or storm drains. Takeunwanted or unusedchemicals to a hazardouswaste disposal facility.

• When fishing in Manitoba,refer to the consumptionguide for recreationallyangled fish to determineallowable limits for eatingdue to mercury. Those fishnot recommended forconsumption should bereleased unharmed.

Did You Know?

• Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is generallyfound in low concentrations in air, water and soil.Consequently, mercury residues are naturally present tosome degree in plant, fish, animal and human tissues.

• The long-term flooding of land, due to naturalcircumstances or human developments like hydroelectricor flood-protection dams, often leads to elevated mercurylevels in the water. Naturally occurring mercury releasedfrom soils and rocks is converted by microorganisms toa form more easily absorbed by fish and other aquatic life.

• Consumption guidelines have been developed for mercuryin fish from some of the major southern and northernlakes and rivers. Southern waters include the Assiniboine,Little Saskatchewan, Pembina, Plum, Red, Souris andWinnipeg river systems. Northern waters include theChurchill, Nelson, Rat and Saskatchewan river systems.This information may be obtained from Manitoba WaterStewardship.

• Predatory fish, such as walleye and northern pike, willusually have higher mercury residues than bottom or insectfeeding species, such as whitefish or goldeye. Lowermercury residues usually occur in the smaller and youngerfish of a species.

• Other metal residues in fish - arsenic, chromium, cadmium,copper, lead, nickel, zinc and selenium - are found to bewithin normal ranges in Manitoba fish and do not pose ahealth risk to people.

• Contaminants, such as PCBs and residues from insecticideslike DDT, have not exceeded existing guidelines forcommercial sale of fish for human consumption in Canada.Since the banning of PCB production in North America in1978, traces of PCB residues have declined.

• Children under 15 and women of child-bearing age shouldonly eat fish with a mercury concentration of 0.5micrograms or less per gram of fish flesh and follow advicefrom the consumption guidelines on acceptable amounts.

• Mercury may continue to be found in products such asthermometers, mirrors, batteries, electrical switches andfluorescent light bulbs.

A Form of Biological Pollution

Exotic species are organisms accidentally or intentionallyintroduced into habitats where they are not naturally found.World-wide, they have caused damage to aquatic habitat, lossof species diversity and costly damage to drinking watersupplies and recreational waters. Approximately 90 per centof those organisms that are accidentally introduced do notsurvive. However, the surviving 10 per cent often thrive in thenew habitat because of ample food supplies, limited competitionfor space and other resources, few natural predators andlimited natural parasites and diseases.

Exotic species intentionally introduced - like the common carpand purple loosestrife - often have unexpected detrimentalimpacts. Bottom-feeding carp have stirred up sediments inthe Delta Marsh, on the south shore of Lake Manitoba, reducingaquatic plant growth. Purple loosestrife has choked outmuch of the natural shoreline vegetation along portionsof the Assiniboine River. Exotic species are a form ofbiological pollution, and can be as disruptive toecosystems as chemical pollution.

While zebra mussels have not invaded Manitoba, they havecaused millions of dollars of damage in the Great Lakesincluding clogging water intakes, severely reducing recreationat beach areas, and reducing species of algae and microscopicaquatic animals that are important in the food web.

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A Matter of Quality

Invasions of Exotic Species

Species Threatening to Invade

A number of exotic species have already invadedManitoba or are located in nearby waters and have thepotential to invade and thrive in Manitoba. Exotics alreadyin Manitoba include the wetland plants purple loosestrifeand flowering rush, and the fish species common carpand rainbow smelt. Exotic mollusks, crustaceans, fishand aquatic plants poised to invade Manitoba includezebra and quagga mussels, spiny water flea, rusty crayfish,round goby, tubenose goby, white perch, ruffe, curly-leafpondweed and Eurasian water-milfoil, and others.

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What you can do

Boats are the major mode of transportation for zebramussels and other exotic aquatic species. Boaters,anglers, water-skiers, scuba divers, sailors, float planepilots and canoeists need to take the followingimportant precautions to prevent the accidentaltransport of exotic species from one lake or river toanother or from neighbouring jurisdictions toManitoba:

• Inspect your boat, motor, trailer and boatingequipment, such as anchor, centreboards,rollers and axles. Remove all visible zebramussels and other plants and animals beforeleaving any waterbody. Drain water from themotor, live well, bilge and transom wellsonto land before leaving the area.

• Wash or dry your boat, tackle, downriggers,trailer, and other boating equipment to killharmful species that were not visible at theboat launch. Since some aquatic speciescan survive more than two weeks out ofwater, it is important to:

– rinse your boat and any equipment thatnormally gets wet, with hot tap water,40°C or more.

– spray your boat and trailer with highpressure water - at least 250 poundsof pressure per square inch.

– dry your boat and trailer in the sun forat least five days before transportingthem to another body of water.

• Learn to recognize zebra mussels and otherexotic species. If you suspect that zebramussels or other species have spread to anew location, report it to your local ManitobaWater Stewardship or ManitobaConservation office.

• Never release live bait or unwantedaquarium fish into lakes or rivers and neverrelease aquatic animals from one waterbodyinto another.

Did You Know?

• One female zebra mussel can produce up to onemillion eggs each year.

• The rainbow smelt was first found in Lake Winnipegin 1990. It has now spread throughout the NelsonRiver and as far as Hudson Bay.

• The zebra mussel was first introduced into Lake St.Clair in the Great Lakes around 1986. Within 10years, zebra mussels had invaded the Hudson Riverin New York, the St. Lawrence River near QuebecCity, the Mississippi River at New Orleans and atributary of the Arkansas River in Oklahoma.

• Live zebra mussels have been found attached toboats at inspection stations in California. The boatswere being transported from the Great Lakes - adistance of over 1,000 kilometres. Zebra musselscan live out of water for up to 12 days, dependingon the temperature and humidity.

• Results of a survey conducted at Manitoba andnorthwestern Ontario border crossings showed 93per cent of the vehicles with boats came from placeswith zebra mussels. Although five per cent of theboats had been in waters with zebra mussels in theprevious five days, no zebra mussels were foundon them. Ninety-three per cent of the boaters knewthat zebra mussels were present in their jurisdictionof origin.

• Since the 1800s, at least 136 exotic species havebeen introduced into the Great Lakes. About 37 percent were unintentionally released and 32 per centwere brought in with ship ballast water.

• Float planes and scuba divers’ wet suits can alsoinadvertently transfer zebra mussels.

• Until a few years ago, plant nurseries were stillselling hybrid cultivars of purple loosestrife. Purpleloosestife is a weed that chokes out native wetlandvegetation, creating a dense purple landscapeinhospitable to many species of wildlife. Recentresearch has shown that the hybrids will cross-pollinate with wild strains and cause further spread.

Swimmer’s Itch

The swimmer’s itch parasite is found naturally in manyManitoba lakes. It causes a temporary skin irritation orrash in swimmers who accidentally get involved in itslife cycle.

As water droplets evaporate from the skin, the tinytrematode larvae enters a swimmer’s pores and dies,leaving an itchy elevated red spot that may last fromfour to fourteen days. The allergic reaction to swimmer’sitch can be extremely annoying but it is not a dangerousinfection.

Life Cycle

The swimmer’s itch worm is a parasitic trematode carriedin the intestines of waterfowl and aquatic mammals,such as muskrat and beaver. The eggs are laidin the host by adult worms and are passedinto the water through the host’s feces.

While in the water, these eggs hatchinto microscopic miracidia (pronouncedmir-a-si-dea) that enter the tissue of snails.To complete their life cycle, miracidiadevelop into cercariae (pronouncedsir-care-e-ay) or swimmer’s itch worms,that leave the snail and search out asuitable host such as waterfowl andaquatic mammals. Swimmer’s itchoccurs when the cercariae accidentallypenetrates human skin rather than theirnatural hosts such as waterfowl andaquatic mammals.

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Symptoms of the Itch

The first signs of swimmer’s itch are noticeable soonafter you get out of the water. Once dry, you will detecttingling sensations on exposed parts of your body. Thenext sign is the development of small red spots wherethe organism has penetrated through your skin. Hourslater, the tingling sensation will cease and the red spotswill enlarge and become itchy. The degree of discomfortvaries with the individual, the severity of the infestation,and prior exposure. If these symptoms develop, anti-itch medications, such as lotions and someantihistamines will provide relief. Your family physicianor pharmacist can recommend the best treatment.

A Matter of Quality

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What You Can Do

• If you get swimmer’s itch from a Manitobalake, report it to the Water QualityManagement Section of ManitobaWater Stewardship at 945-7100 or1-800-282-8069 ext.(7100).

• To see if swimmer’s itch has been reportedat your favourite lake, check the ManitobaWater Stewardship website.

• Avoid swimming in areas known to haveswimmer’s itch. Check for warning signsposted on beaches.

• Towel down briskly right after leaving thewater to help remove the parasite.

• Take a shower immediately after leavingthe suspected area.

• Avoid areas with large numbers of aquaticplants. These are ideal habitats for snailsand swimmer’s itch parasites.

• Although not scientifically proven, somepeople believe the use of a fragrant suntanoil may reduce the risk of gettingswimmer’s itch.

Did You Know?

• Swimmer’s itch shows up in someManitoba lakes every summer. Manitoba

Water Stewardship receives reports ofswimmer’s itch from about three toseventeen lakes per year.

• Swimmer’s itch usually starts showingup in Manitoba lakes in June - warmwater accelerates its development.

• Wind can concentrate swimmer’s itchparasites in shallow beach areas.

• Where outbreaks have been confirmed,the provincial departments of WaterStewardship, Health and Conservationwork co-operatively to ensure thatswimmer’s itch advisory signs are postedto warn beach users.

A Matter of Quality

Pine PollenUnsightly but Harmless

Manitoba Water Stewardship has received many calls about a mustard-yellow substance floating on the surface of some lakes, streams and ponds.Although this substance may look like an oil or chemical spill, it is morethan likely pine pollen. On surface waters, pollen may look unsightly andeven give off a foul odour as it decomposes, but it is not harmful. Pollenusually dissipates within a week, as the grains are consumed by aquaticorganisms, are washed up on shore, sink to the bottom or decompose.

You can quickly check for pollen by running your hand over other outdoorflat surfaces - your car, a lawn chair, a composting bin lid. If you pick up afine yellow dust, you can be fairly certain it is pine pollen you see in thewater.

Pollen ProducersManitoba is home to three species of pine trees - jack, white and red pine.Jack pine is by far the most numerous and produces most of the pollengrains. Generally, pollen is released in early June in southern Manitoba andtowards the end of June in northern parts of the province. Although spruceand poplar trees also produce pollen, their contribution is generally muchless than that of pine trees.

Pollen and the Pine Life CycleIn the jack pine, microscopic pollen grains are produced in the small, yellow,male cones (microsporophylls) found in clusters at the end of branchesor twigs. These are not to be confused with the larger, curved and lessnumerous female cones (megasporophylls), which contain the egg cells.Several hundred male cones, each capable of producing hundreds or eventhousands of pollen grains, are commonly found on a single pine tree.

Pollen production and dispersal are necessary stages in the pine tree lifecycle. Pollen grains are borne by the wind after their release from malecones. A chance meeting with a female cone results in pollination andfertilization of egg cells and the eventual formation of pine seeds. The entirereproductive process - from pollen release to seed production - can takeup to three years depending on the species. Pines produce an enormousamount of pollen to ensure an adequate number of pollen grains come incontact with female cones.

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What You Can Do

• Confirm that it is pine pollen - run yourhand over other flat surfaces to check ifthey are also covered in a fine yellow dust.

• Do not be alarmed. Pine pollen in waterdoes not present a health concern.

• If you are bothered by the sometimesunsightly appearance or odour, avoid usingthe water until the pollen has dissipated.The pollen should disappear in about aweek.

Did You Know?

• Pollen production and release is a naturalprocess and its presence will not affect theoverall water quality of a lake.

• The grains are produced in enormousnumbers and the process in forests isreferred to as pollen rain.

• Pine pollen is a source of food for a numberof fungi and microscopic animals.

• When a pollen grain is viewed under amicroscope, tiny wing-like structures canbe seen protruding from its sides. Thesewings aid in wind dispersal and providebuoyancy in water.

• Pollen deposited on lakes can sometimesform dense floating mats, trapping algaeand other debris along shorelines.

• Since pollen grains float on the watersurface they rarely enter submerged waterintake lines.

• Pine pollen is sometimes mistaken forchemical spills or atmospheric fallout ofsulphur from smelters.

• Fossilized pollen grains in lake sedimentshave been used to determine pre-historicclimatic conditions and plant communitiesin an area.

Natural Foam

Each year, foam is seen on some Manitoban surface waters.In some cases, foam is the result of man-made pollution,but often the presence of foam can be a completely naturalphenomenon. Lakes and rivers with large amounts of organicplant material can produce foam under turbulent waterconditions.

How Foam is Produced

When aquatic organisms such as algae die and begin todecompose, fatty acids are produced. These fatty acids arevery similar to those found in common soap products. Waveaction or river currents cause the fatty acids to form foam,often accumulating along shorelines and river banks, covesand eddies. On some lakes, the foam can form long streaks,called Langmuir streaks.

Is It Natural orMan-made Foam?

Foam is generally white in colour, breaks down relativelyquickly and smells like fish or earth. Foam from silt or erosionis usually a dirty brown colour. In contrast, foam fromdetergent will have a noticeable perfume smell from theadditives which give your wash a fragrant scent. Foam causedby detergent pollution suggests there could be a seriouspollution problem.

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Did You Know?

• Large amounts of naturalfoam have been observed onSturgeon Creek duringperiods of heavy rains. Boththe agitation of the water byrainfall and the addition oforganic material with runoffprobably contributed to thefoam production.

• Small streams often havepools of foam where fish hidefrom predators.

• In Manitoba, foam is morelikely to form in the softerwater of the PrecambrianShield - for example, CaddyLake in the WhiteshellProvincial Park and BlackLake in Nopiming ProvincialPark.

• Natural foam has asomewhat earthy or fishyaroma and it breaks downquite quickly.

• Isolated tundra ponds nearChurchill often have naturalfoam along their shorelinecaused by the breakdown ofplant material and highwinds.

• Natural foam is often seen inearly morning and is usuallygone by midday.

Protecting the Water

ShorelinesShorelines are one of the most attractive features ofManitoba’s lakes and rivers. In addition to the view,shorelines offer people a place to swim, tie a boat orbuild a dock. Shorelines also provide essential habitatfor numerous plants, fish and animals.

Causes and Effects ofShoreline Erosion

Owners often remove rocks, trees, and other vegetationfrom the shoreline to build structures or pathways or

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provide access to water for livestock. This can result inshoreline erosion. Excessive wave action created byusing power boats and personal water craft too closeto the shoreline also causes erosion.

Water quality deteriorates when the shoreline is eroded.The addition of soil and plant material to surface waterincreases the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen inthe water, leading to increased plant and algae growth.Increased silt affects aquatic life and creates murkywaters. When silt settles, it collects between rocks andpebbles reducing the spawning success of fish. Silt alsomakes it more difficult for fish to find aquatic insectsto eat.

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What You Can Do

• Maintain or enhance the vegetative zone.Allow natural vegetation to grow or plantmore trees and shrubs with deep rootsystems along your shoreline. This willslow down nutrient rich runoff and helpprevent shoreline and bank erosion.

• Reduce the accessibility of surface waterto livestock. Instead, pump water totroughs.

• Leave large boulders along your shorelineto stabilize it and provide habitat forterrestrial and aquatic organisms, liketurtles, waterfowl and fish.

• Re-establish vegetation on steep slopes byholding groundcover seedlings in placewith mulch and loose-weave mesh orburlap.

• Build steps or a ramp for access betweenthe top and bottom of the bank.

Did You Know?

• Root systems of grasses, shrubs and treeshold soil and help prevent erosion fromwind and water.

• Access points to stream crossings by cattle,all terrain vehicles and other largemachinery exposes the stream to landrunoff, carrying silt and pollutants, likeherbicides, pesticides and fertilizers.

• Altering your shoreline will affect waterquality for downstream users.

Vegetative BufferReduces Erosion

A vegetative buffer of trees, shrubs and grassesextending 30 - 50 metres from the waterline provideswater quality protection. It prevents erosion by holdingsoil, provides a wildlife corridor and habitat andshades and cools the water for aquatic life duringthe summer months. In addition to stabilizing theshoreline, a well-maintained vegetative zone will filterout sediments, nutrients, pesticides and heavy metalscarried by rain and snow-melt runoff.

You can reduce erosion on your property bymaintaining a vegetative zone through grading,planting a permanent vegetative cover and improvingsoil stability. Removing vegetation to improve accessor the view, leads to erosion, gullies and bankslumping. The short-term gains from tilling to thewater’s edge are lost when more land disappearsduring a heavy rain or snow-melt, or from large wavesduring storms.

Livestock with direct access to the water’s edge candamage or destroy the vegetative zone. Stream banksand shorelines become trampled, destroyingvegetation and exposing bare soil to wind and watererosion. In addition, fecal material is introduceddirectly into the lake or river, increasing health risksto drinking water or recreational users.

Sewage

Holding Tanks Best forthe Environment

Proper treatment and disposal of sewage is essentialfor the protection of water quality. Most urban Manitobansare serviced by municipal wastewater treatment plants.Rural residents use septic fields, holding tanks or ejectorsfor sewage disposal. Outhouses may be found on cottageproperties. Pump-out systems - like holding tanks -generally provide the highest level of protection to surfacewater and groundwater. The sewage is hauled to awastewater treatment plant or sewage lagoon and treatedbefore being discharged to the environment. Holdingtanks must be checked regularly for leaks.

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Septic Systems Safeif Used Properly

A septic tank and leaching field is a subsurface system.Household sewage and greywater flow by gravity or arepumped into the septic tank. In the tank, heavier particlessettle to the bottom, while grease and oil rise to the top.Solids, oil and grease remain in the tank while the liquideffluent flows out into the leaching field. Microscopicorganisms begin to break down the waste before it leavesthe septic system. Once it filters into the ground, thesewage effluent is further broken down by bacteria andorganisms in the soil.

Septic systems are effective when theyare located in the proper soil type - onethat allows the effluent enough time fortreatment before it reaches groundwateror surface water. When the system isimproperly installed or used, it canbecome a public health andenvironmental hazard.

Outhouses should be used only forsewage disposal and should be locatedat least 30 metres from the shoreline.Greywater should be disposed of in aseptic field or holding tank. Compostingtoilets that meet National SanitationFoundation (NSF) internationalstandards are another safe alternative.

Protecting the Water

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Septic SystemProblems

Failure to pump out the tank - if your septictank is not pumped out regularly, the solidsmay flow into the leaching field, clogging thebed or backing up into your house.

Overloaded systems - septic fields are often toosmall for the volume of waste generated, havingbeen designed before the addition ofdishwashers, extra washrooms, or other highwater-use appliances. Sewage may pool abovethe leaching bed of an overloaded systembecause the soil is saturated.

Improper installation - when the water table ishigh or when a field is built with improper fill,the saturated soil conditions can cause pipesto break or to become blocked.

Treatment failure - septic fields built in coarse,sandy soils may appear to be functioningproperly but the effluent may be passing throughthe soil too quickly for treatment. Contaminantslike phosphorus and nitrates will then enter thegroundwater or nearby lakes or rivers, leadingto contamination of domestic groundwatersupplies or proliferation of algae and otheraquatic plants in nearby surface waters.

What You Can Do

The life expectancy of a septic system under optimumconditions is about 15 to 25 years. Regular maintenancewill keep your system operating properly.Follow these steps:

• Have your septic tank pumped out regularly bya qualified hauler. Keep a sketch of the locationof your septic system handy for service andrepairs.

• Do not drive or park vehicles or erect buildingsor decks over the system.

• Plant grass, trees and shrubs downhill from yoursystem - these plants will absorb nutrients,preventing them from reaching surface waters.

• Practice water conservation to keep fromoverloading your system. Install water-savingdevices, such as low-flush toilets and low-flowfaucet aerators.

• Dispose of oil, grease and cigarette butts in thegarbage and place vegetable scraps and coffeegrinds in your compost. Solid material will clogthe field, resulting in costly repairs.

• Keep paint, paint thinners, drain cleaners,pesticides and other chemicals out of your septicsystem to protect beneficial microorganisms thatbreak down wastes.

• Use only environmentally sensitive products inyour home (see Environmentally Sensitive Choiceson page 52). Locate your septic field at least 15metres from a well and 30 metres from anuncased well.

• Harmful bacteria, viruses, and nitrates from yourfield could render your drinking water unfit forconsumption. Have your drinking water testedif in doubt.

• If your system shows symptoms of failure call aqualified service contractor immediately. Thiswill save you money in the long run and protectthe environment.

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Did You Know?

• A Gull Lake water quality study foundthat septic fields were a significantsource of nutrients, causing severealgal blooms, extensive aquatic weedgrowth and fish kills. The Gull LakeBasin Management Board workedco-operatively with the local municipalgovernment to pass a by-law requiringcottages to convert from septic fieldsto holding tanks. The cost of a pump-out is less than a hundredth of the costof a septic system replacement.

• Manitoba Conservation has regulationsin place controlling the location,installation and operation of septicsystems, holding tanks and outhouses.Call the nearest Manitoba Conservationoffice for more information or a copyof the regulations.

• Manitoba Conservation has a sewagesystem inspection program inprovincial parks.

Signs of Failing Systems

Common symptoms of failing septic systems include:

• unusually green or spongy grass above theleaching field

• offensive odours, particularly after a rain

• slow-draining sinks and toilets, sludge back-up into the house

• sewage pooling above the field

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Lawn and Gardens

Many a cold winter’s night is spent planning thedream yard - lush green lawns, beautiful flower bedsand well-stocked vegetable gardens – all free of weedsand insects. Unfortunately, we often assume the perfectyard requires the continual application of chemicalfertilizers and pesticides.

Whether you own a large rural acreage or a small citylot, what you put on your lawn has a great impact onthe quality of surface water and groundwater in thesurrounding watershed. As well, the continuous use ofchemicals can eventually result in unhealthy lawns andgardens that become dependent on the chemical fix. Byusing traditional or alternative fertilizers and pesticidesproperly, you can create a beautiful, healthy,environmentally-friendly yard.

Responsible Fertilizer UseMost commercial fertilizers are man-made and easy touse because the amount of nutrients being applied isknown; however, they do not enhance the organic contentof the soil. Most synthetic fertilizers are water solubleand may leach out of the soil. Organic fertilizers, such

as manure, are beneficial because they increase theorganic matter and help hold moisture in the soil.However, too heavy an application of any fertilizer,synthetic or natural, can burn plants. Applying morenutrients that can not be absorbed by the plant mayresult in excess fertilizer entering surface water orleaching to groundwater.

Soil composition is an important consideration whenapplying fertilizers to enhance plant growth. Heavy claysoils will retain more fertilizer than sandy, silty soils.Homeowners with lawns on the edge of a stream, riveror lake need to take special care to prevent fertilizersfrom entering surface water where they will encouragenuisance plant growth and may cause fish kills. InWhiteshell Provincial Park, the thin layer of soil coveringthe bedrock cannot hold much fertilizer, therefore iteventually leaches to surface waters.

Various landscaping techniques are available to keepfertilizer from draining off your property into surfacewaters. A vegetative buffer of trees, bushes, shrubs andnatural grasses will minimize natural disturbance ofsoil, slow surface runoff and filter sediments andnutrients before they reach the lake or stream.

Protecting the Water

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Use Pesticides with Care

Pesticides are toxic chemicals used to eliminate or controlunwanted insects, plants or other organisms.Indiscriminate pesticide use can be toxic to both beneficialand nuisance insects and plants. Pesticides can alsoleach through the soil and end up in groundwater andsurface water. Once in lakes and streams, they maybecome a threat to aquatic life. Some chemicalsbioaccumulate or become more concentrated throughthe food chain, resulting in long-term negative effects toanimals such as an inability to successfully reproduce.In addition, fish and wildlife may accumulateconcentrations of toxins making them unsuitable forhuman consumption.

Alternative Fertilizersand Pesticides

Fertilizers:

• Well-rotted manure - livestock waste addsorganic material, opens up soil to air and helpsretain water.

• Compost - rotted plant material adds richorganic material to soil and planting beds.

• Mulch - bark chips, straw, leaves or grassclippings smothers weeds, helps retain soilmoisture and maintains warm soil temperature.

Pesticides:

• Companion planting of marigolds withtomatoes and potatoes will ward off nematodeworms. Planting garlic and onions throughoutthe garden will reduce insect pests.

• Bacterial insecticide - biological pesticides thatkill specific insects without harming non-targetspecies are available. For example, Bacillusthuringiensis, diluted in water and sprayed onplants, controls cabbage loopers and other leaf-eating pests.

• Mechanical or manual maintenance - forexample, consider removing Colorado potatobeetles by hand.

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What You Can Do

• Keep areas along lakeshores and streambeds naturally vegetated; minimize theremoval of rocks, grasses, shrubs and treesalong the shoreline.

• Use fertilizers and pesticides sparingly;use fertilizers in multiple applicationsrather than one large application; usealternative fertilizers and pesticideswhenever possible. Compost leaves orother organic matter to prevent debrisfrom entering lakes or rivers.

• If you live in Winnipeg, and have too manyleaves to compost in your back yard, takepart in the city of Winnipeg’s Leaf It WithUs program. The city composts leavesand the resulting compost is used forlandscaping.

• Compost kitchen and garden wastes toprovide a natural supplement to yards andgardens.

• An inexpensive and easy-to-constructcomposter can be made from chicken wireand two-by-fours. The two-by-fours shouldbe coated with a non-toxic protector suchas linseed oil.

• Xeriscape your yard - it requires lesspesticide, fertilizer, water andmaintenance. Put plants with similar waterneeds together, use compost and manureto improve water retention and percolationin soil, irrigate efficiently, reduce lawn area;choose native plants or those from similarzones and use mulches to reduce surfaceevaporation of water.

• Avoid using railway ties for landscapingor dock construction. Railway ties aregenerally treated with creosote, which isa mixture of toxic chemicals. Thesechemicals can leach into the soil or waterand are toxic to plants and people. As analternative that is less damaging to plants,wildlife and people, use lumber or timbertreated with chromated copper arsenate.

Did You Know?

• A typical garden hose can use 180 litres ofwater in just five minutes.

• Organic or natural fertilizers, such asmanure and sewage sludge, are beneficialonly if used properly; over-application canbe just as detrimental to groundwater andsurface water as the over-application ofinorganic or man-made fertilizers.

• Manitoba Water Stewardship has beenmonitoring surface water in the provincefor pesticide residues since 1972.Concentrations of lindane, atrazine,simazine, bromoxinil and 2,4-D haveoccasionally exceeded levels for protectingaquatic life. Drinking water guidelines intreated water have not been exceeded.Levels of 2,4-D are slightly elevated in theRed River north of Winnipeg, which couldsuggest over-use of this pesticide byhomeowners and commercial applicators.

• Composting is the natural decompositionor breakdown of organic material, likevegetable scraps and grass clippings, intoa dark, soil-like substance called humus.

• Up to 30 per cent of the waste produced byeach householder can be composted in thebackyard, reducing domestic waste andextending the lives of landfill sites.

• Decomposition is accomplished by soilmicroorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi,that produce enzymes to digest organicmaterials in compost piles.

The Damage They Do

Products containing lye, phenols, petroleum distillatesand trichlorobenzene are toxic. These products shouldnever be poured down drains, storm sewers, nor placedin the garbage. When they reach our streams, rivers,and lakes, they can kill or cause chronic problems, suchas cancers, lesions and infertility in aquatic wildlife.

Hazardous household cleaners can disrupt the naturalbiological processes taking place in a septic system. Inaddition, not all of the toxins in sewage hauled from aholding tank or flushed down the toilet into a sewersystem will be removed at a sewage treatment facility.Proper disposal can minimize the amount ofcontaminants reaching our rivers, lakes, streamsand groundwater.

Antifreeze should never be poured on the groundwhere it can poison pets and wildlife and potentiallycontaminate surface water and groundwater.

There are many products used in, and around ourhomes, cottages, garages, boats and cars that may notlook hazardous, but can injure people or damage theenvironment if improperly used or disposed. Hazardousproducts are those that contain chemicals consideredtoxic to humans, aquatic life, wildlife, or have otherharmful properties, like high flammability.

Examples of HazardousHousehold Products

• household bleach, drain cleaners, oven cleaners,furniture polishes, aerosol spray cans

• oil-based paint, wood stains and preservatives,turpentine, paint strippers, solvents

• pesticides - weedkillers and bug sprays

• gasoline, diesel fuel, motor oil, antifreeze,transmission and brake fluid, car batteries

• photographic chemicals

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Protecting the Water

Household Hazardous Waste

What You Can Do

• Avoid purchasing products that are toxic andhazardous.

• If you must purchase toxic products, buy only theamount you need, read the label carefully and usethe product only as directed.

• Keep unused products in their original containersso the label can be referred to for product use anddisposal.

• Store hazardous products in a safe place and handlethem with care.

• Recycle items such as old batteries and used oilwhenever possible.

• Keep sawdust, cat litter or another absorbent materialhandy in case of an accidental spill.

• Use hazardous chemicals far from wells, cisternsor waterbodies.

• Never pour household chemicals down the drain,storm sewer or on the ground.

• Find out if your community has a program for thedisposal of hazardous materials; if it does not,suggest your local government start one.

• See if your neighbour can use your leftoverhazardous household products or exchange thoseproducts at community events, like paint swaps.

• Some used building supply stores will also acceptpartial cans of paint and other products.

• Miller Environmental Corporation, a hazardouswaste company, holds Hazardous Household WasteDays for Winnipeg homeowners to discard unwantedtoxic chemicals.

• Some municipal waste disposal grounds recyclehazardous materials. Miller EnvironmentalCorporation holds over 10 recycling events inrural Manitoba every year. Check with your localrecycling program or municipality for eventsplanned in your area.

• Organize a Storm Drain Marking event with yourclassroom or neighbours to inform people that waterfrom the street enters storm drains and ends up inour lakes, rivers and streams.

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Proper Disposal

Many hazardous household products can bedisposed of at hazardous household wastedepots or are now being accepted in recyclingprograms. If you throw them in the garbage,toxic waste accumulates at landfill sites.

Product LabelTells The Story

If you want to know if a product is hazardous,read the label. Labels may include the wordsDANGER, POISON, CAUTION, andWARNING or the following danger symbols:

Corrosive substances, likebattery acid and draincleaners eat away at manymaterials.

Toxic materials arepoisonous to you, yourchildren, your pets andwildlife. Examples includerat poison, bleach,pesticides, cleaning fluids,antifreeze and somemedications.

Reactive bleach and poolchemicals can explode orproduce deadly vapours.

Flammable substances, likelighter fluid, turpentine, andgasoline, ignite easily.

Consumers have many choices, including a wide rangeof environmentally friendly products. Whenever possible,choose those less likely to harm the environment. Inmost cases, reading the product label will help determinewhether or not the product containshazardous substances.

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Protecting the Water

Is it Really Biodegradable?

Purchase biodegradable products - those that are brokendown in the environment by micro-organisms. Substancescan also be degraded by light, heat and chemicals naturallyfound in the environment. Some or all of these processescan act together to degrade or decompose a substance.Examples of biodegradable material include sewage,fertilizers and some household cleaners. Be cautiousof the product claims - as of 2006, in Canada there areno legal requirements to substantiate that a product isbiodegradable, environmentally friendly, green ornon-polluting.

Look for the EcoLogo

Environment Canada’s Environmental Choice Programensures that products or services carrying the EcoLogoare leaders in environmental responsibility. This is notonly true for the product itself, but can apply to thepackaging or to the end product. EcoLogo products andservices can improve energy efficiency, reduce hazardousby-products, contain recycled materials or may be reused.When you see the EcoLogo, it is an indication that theproduct or service has beenrigorously examined ortested to ensure thatit is a betterenvironmentalchoice.

Environmentally Sensitive Choices

Did You Know?

• Manitoba is committed to reducing the amount ofsolid waste produced in the province.

• The two cents environmental charge on all non-deposit non-dairy beverage containers sold inManitoba is helping finance recycling programsacross the province.

• Over 90 per cent of Manitoba’s municipalities nowhave recycling services available.

What You Can Do

• Phone the company if you cannot find theinformation that you need on the product label -some companies now have 1-800 numbers listedon their products.

• Buy phosphate-free detergents for laundry anddishes.

• Purchase products with the EcoLogo stamp ofapproval.

• Buy biodegradable products.

• Purchase products with minimal packaging. Buyrefills and reuse your containers. Call suppliers ifyou feel they are using too much packaging.

• Reuse grocery bags, or better still, use cloth bagswhile shopping.

• Carry your own coffee mug to avoid usingdisposable cups.

• Consider reusing before recycling.

• Try the following alternatives to householdinsecticides: to remove food sources store cerealsin air-tight containers, store excess flour in thefreezer, clean crumbs and sticky spills and use flypaper rather than bug spray. Remove clutter,especially in damp areas of your basement, toeliminate hiding and breeding areas for unwantedpests.

• In your garden, pull weeds and pick harmful insectsoff your plants.

• Use diatomaceous earth or plant chrysanthemumsfor their natural insecticidal qualities.

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Explore the Alternatives

There are thousands of commercial products to clean,remove, eliminate or kill unwanted substances or pests.There are also many cheaper and less harmful methodsto achieve the same result. For example, instead ofusing an insecticide, sprinkle chili pepper or boraxacross ant entrance trails to discourage and repel them.

Keep in mind that much of what you flush, rinse anddispose of down the drain will likely end up in rivers,lakes or groundwater. Many of these products arecleaners. Check your local library or the Internet andexplore the alternatives. Consumers buyingenvironmentally friendly products will encouragemanufacturers to produce more environmentallysensitive products.

Safer Household Cleaners

Elbow grease: probably the most reliable anddependable

Baking soda: a good scouring and deodorizing agentthat can be used for cleaning appliances, vinyl, stainlesssteel sinks, toilets, deodorizing rugs and drains

Vinegar: in water, it is a great glass cleaner - undiluted,it removes mildew

Pure soap: a good all-purpose cleaner for anythingfrom clothes to dishes to boats

Borax: sodium borate or borax is a natural moldinhibitor and can be used to deodorize and cleanfloors, walls and tiles

Natural oils: mixtures of lemon oil, mineral oil andeven olive oil can be used for furniture and woodpolish, including wooden floors

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BoatingWhether for water sports, fishing or a pleasant rideon a sunny summer day, boating is a large part ofrecreational water activities. However, boats can havea negative impact on the aquatic environment. Goodboating practices can ensure water quality is protectedin the province’s lakes and rivers.

Fuel Spills Toxic

Small spills of fuel in the water can be toxic to aquaticlife and render the water unusable for drinking. To avoidspills, carefully fill fuel tanks using a funnel and checktanks and motors regularly for leaks. Whenever possible,fill fuel tanks on shore. It is a good idea to carry ragson board to soak up fuel spills, oil leaks and othersubstances that could end up in the bilge, and eventually,the lake. There are absorbentdevices that can be placed inthe bilge to help clean oiland gas spills.

Sewage and GreywaterContamination

Sewage and greywater from boats should always bepumped out into proper disposal facilities. Human wastecontains disease-causing organisms (e.g. Salmonella)that can contaminate water or beaches and cause illness.

Most large boats are equipped, and older boats canbe retrofitted, with holding tanks. Find out wherepump-out facilities are available in your area. Remember,greywater typically contains nutrients. Avoid discharginggreywater overboard.

Protecting the Water

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Maintaining Your Boat

Boat cleaning and maintenance can introduce toxicchemicals to our lakes and rivers. Washing your boatwith phosphate-free soaps and detergents on dry landis recommended. Paints and paint removers are toxicto the aquatic environment. Keep paint chips out ofthe water by scraping your boat away from the water’sedge on a tarpaulin. Dispose of paint chips safely.A well-maintained motor and boat will help keep ourwater clean.

Use these environmentally safe cleaners instead of thetraditional harsh ones:

• baking soda - can be used as a scouring agentfor shower areas and toilets. To clean stainson fibreglass, use salt and baking soda.

• vinegar and water - can be used to washwindows and decks. Use vinegar, salt andwater to clean brass and chrome and to removemildew.

• olive oil - can be used as a natural woodpolisher.

• hydrogen peroxide - can be used in place ofbleach as a disinfectant and whitener.

Rusted Pop Cans an Eyesore

No one likes to canoe into a calm little cove during awilderness adventure only to see a pop can nestled inthe cattails. One of the most visible effects of carelessboating on water quality is the garbage left behind byboaters. Not only is garbage unsightly, but some items,in particular six-pack plastic rings, can trap, injure orkill wildlife.

Styrofoam containers are easily blown overboard. Packa garbage bag or use reusable containers.

What You Can Do

• Handle oil, gasoline, transmission fluidand antifreeze carefully on your boat.Avoid over-filling the fuel tank.

• Stop passengers from throwing garbageoverboard; collect garbage and discard itin the trash.

• Use a non-toxic antifreeze for winterizingyour boat since this gets discharged onyour first launch.

• Avoid driving motor boats in shallowwater. Propellers can damage spawningareas, disturb aquatic vegetation and stirup mud, clouding water and recirculatingnutrients.

• Wash your boat on dry land only; avoidusing harsh cleaners, soaps, ordetergents.

• Do your part and pick up any garbageyou see in or around your lake.

• Reduce your speed when driving yourboat close to shore.

• Power boats can be environmentallysensitive if maintained and operatedproperly. However, as an alternative,consider using manual powered boats(sailboat, canoe, paddle boats). It is goodfor your health and the environment.

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Reduce Your Speed

There is nothing like going full throttle in a motor boaton a hot summer’s day. That is, until you consider thenegative impact this activity could have on the lakeenvironment such as; shoreline erosion, increasedturbidity and plant growth and destruction of fishspawning sites and waterfowl nests.

Increased wave action from motor boats and personalwater craft, especially in areas where waves do notnaturally occur, will erode shorelines. Eroded sedimentsmay reduce depth, cloud water and introduce nutrientsinto the water. The nutrients will increase the growth ofalgae and aquatic weeds, reducing the recreationalappeal of the lake.

Power boats, including personal water craft, can stir upbottom sediment in shallow water, causing murky watersand increasing the release of nutrients into the water.Fish often spawn in the shallow shoreline areas of lakes.Operating these craft too close to shorelines can destroyspawning areas and disturb waterfowl nests. Out ofrespect for your neighbours and wildlife, reduce yourspeed appropriately.

Did You Know?

• In Manitoba, regulations under TheCanada Shipping Act make it illegal todischarge sewage from a boat indesignated waterbodies. Thesedesignated waterways include the RedRiver from the United States border toLake Winnipeg, the Assiniboine Riverfrom the St. James Bridge to the RedRiver and all of Shoal Lake that lieswithin the Manitoba boundary. Moredesignated waterways are planned forthe future.

• The Transport Canada BoatingRestriction Regulations require a30-metre band along shorelines wherepower boats are limited to a speed of10 kilometres per hour. This protectsboth shorelines and swimmers.

• The Mid-Canada Marine DealersAssociation Inc. has installed sewagepump-out stations on the Red River andon Lake of the Woods.

• Boats may affect nesting waterfowl bydriving adult birds from their nests,exposing eggs or young to predators.

• In Manitoba, it is illegal to litter.

Pet WasteAll streets, sidewalks, parking lots and other pavedsurfaces act as direct pipelines to surface waters. Whateveryour pet leaves behind will be washed into the nearestwaterbody.

Stoop'n Scoop the Poop

Most urban dwellers have likely seen, and perhaps evensmelled, a winter's accumulation of pet feces in popularwalking areas such as parks, railway tracks and riverbanks.Pet feces on sidewalks, streets and parks will be washedinto surface waters during rainstorms or snow-melt. Likehuman waste, animal waste may contain harmful bacteriaand viruses, rendering the water unfit for irrigation,recreation, or other uses. In addition, pet waste containsnitrogen and phosphorus - nutrients that will acceleratethe growth of nuisancealgae and aquaticweeds. Pet wastecan also destroygrass, flowersand shrubs.

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Did You Know?

• In the City of Winnipeg it isillegal to leave pet wastes inpublic areas.

• Runoff from residential areas isusually contaminated withanimal feces.

• Concerned residents tested thewater at four storm sewers thatdrain the streets surroundingTruro Creek in Winnipeg. Fecalcoliform levels from the one-time test were greater than2,000 fecal coliforms perhundred millilitres of water. Thisis much higher than levelsrecommended for recreationalwater.

• Fecal bacteria can survive forextended periods of time in lakeand river sediments.

What You Can Do

• Always clean up your pet's fecesand dispose with your trash.

• Carry a pooper scooper andplastic bags whenever you walkyour dog.

• Ask your local government topost signs in parks remindingpeople to pick up after theirpets.

• Consider supplying plastic bagsand trash cans for easy disposal.

Protecting the Water

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Manitoba Water Stewardship’s web site atwww.manitoba.ca/waterstewardship has moreinformation on all of the topics discussed in thishandbook. Web sites for other governmentdepartments such as Manitoba Conservationwww.manitoba.ca/conservation may haveinformation on programs that can impact waterquality such as the petroleum storage program.

For More InformationGive Us a Call

Brochures, pamphlets, and reports on the topics discussed inthis handbook are often available electronically on the ManitobaWater Stewardship web site or can be obtained in paper copyfrom the Conservation and Environment Librarywww.manitoba.ca/conservation/library/.

More information can also be obtained by calling Manitoba WaterStewardship or other Departments responsible for specific programareas. Addresses for these departments are on the next page.

Topic Phone # Section/Department

24-Hour Emergency Response Assistance 944-4888 Manitoba Conservation(spill reporting) (call collect)

Surface Water Quality Data 945-7100 Water Quality Management Section, Manitoba Water Stewardship

Recreational Water Quality and Escherichia coli 945-7100 Water Quality Management Section, Manitoba Water Stewardship

Algae 945-7100 Water Quality Management Section, Manitoba Water Stewardship

Swimmer’s Itch 945-7100 Water Quality Management Section, Manitoba Water Stewardship

Mercury-Fish Consumption Guidelines 945-7100 Water Quality Management Section, Manitoba Water Stewardship

Water Quality Standards, Objectives, 945-7100 Water Quality Management Section, and Guidelines Manitoba Water Stewardship

Nutrients in Water 945-7100 Water Quality Management Section, Manitoba Water Stewardship

Fish Kills 945-7100 Water Quality Management Section, Manitoba Water Stewardship

Aquatic Invasive Species 945-7100 Water Quality Management Section, Manitoba Water Stewardship

Office of Drinking Water 945-5762 Manitoba Water Stewardship

Groundwater 945-7420 Groundwater Management Section, Manitoba Water Stewardship

Petroleum Storage Program 945-2458 Manitoba Conservation

Environmental Assessments and Licensing 945-8321 Environmental Assessment and Licensing, Manitoba Conservation

Contaminated/Impacted Sites Program 945-7009 Manitoba Conservation

Onsite Wastewater Management Systems Program 945-2970 Manitoba Conservation

Conservation and Environment Library 945-7125 Manitoba Water Stewardship/Conservation

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Bissett, Berens River, Manigotagan, Nopiming Area1007 Century StreetWinnipeg, Manitoba R3H 0W4Telephone: 945-6279

Killarney, Morden, Winkler, Morris Area555 Main StreetWinkler, Manitoba R6W 1C4Telephone: 325-1752

Portage la Prairie, Neepawa, Dauphin Area25 Tupper St. N.Portage la Prairie, Manitoba R1N 3K1Telephone: 239-3186

Winnipeg, Steinbach Area1007 Century StreetWinnipeg, Manitoba R3H 0W4Telephone: 945-0215

Brandon, Virden, Russell Area1129 Queens AvenueBrandon, Manitoba R7A 1L9Telephone: 726-6563

Conservation and Environment LibraryManitoba Water Stewardship/ConservationSuite 160, 123 Main StreetWinnipeg, Manitoba R3C 1A5

Environmental Assessment and LicensingManitoba ConservationSuite 160, 123 Main StreetWinnipeg, Manitoba R3C 1A5

Petroleum Storage Program, Contaminated/Impacted Sites Program, Onsite WastewaterManagement Systems Program200 Saulteaux CrescentWinnipeg, Manitoba R3J 3W3

Where are we located?

Water Quality Management SectionManitoba Water StewardshipSuite 160, 123 Main StreetWinnipeg, Manitoba R3C 1A5

Groundwater Management SectionManitoba Water Stewardship200 Saulteaux CrescentWinnipeg, Manitoba R3J 3W3

Office of Drinking WaterManitoba Water Stewardship1007 Century StreetWinnipeg, Manitoba R3H 0W4

Office of Drinking Water Regional Offices:

Swan River, The Pas, Flin Flon, Snow Lake,Grand Rapids, Easterville AreaBox 25503rd & Ross Ave.The Pas, Manitoba R9A 1M4Telephone: 627-8361

Selkirk, Gimli Area75 7th AvenueGimli, Manitoba R0C 1B0Telephone: 642-6134

Thompson, Churchill AreaBox 3259 Elizabeth DriveThompson, Manitoba R8N 1X4Telephone: 677-6704

Whiteshell Park AreaBox 4000Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba R0E 1A0Telephone: 345-1489

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Anabaena:A species of blue-green algae which is common in lakesand reservoirs with enhanced nutrient concentrations.The presence of Anabaena in a water body oftencontributes to poor water quality because it can impartnoxious odours and disagreeable tastes to the water.Anabaena may secrete poisonous toxins into water whichcan be lethal to wildlife and livestock, and cause skinirritations and nausea in humans.

Aphanizomenon:A species of blue-green algae which is often a nuisancein water supplies. It resembles lawn mower clippingsand floats in dense mats at the surface of the water.Intense sunlight kills Aphanizomenon, discolouring thewater and releasing foul odours. Some studies havesuggested this species produces toxins.

Aquifer:A permeable subsurface zone capable of yieldingquantities of groundwater to wells and springs.

Benthic organism:Organisms which live on the bottom of a lake, river,stream, or ocean, such as clams or caddisfly larvae.

Biodegradable:A product which can be broken down inthe environment by microorganisms.

Cercariae:A developmental stage in the life cycle of the swimmer’sitch worm. This stage can penetrate human skin andcause irritation.

Chlorophyll:A pigment found in algae and other aquatic plants thatis used in photosynthesis. The most common chlorophyllpigments are chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. The amountof chlorophyll a in a water sample is often used to assessthe amount of algae or the biomass of algae present ina water body.

Composting:The natural decomposition or breakdown of organicmaterial by bacteria and other soil organisms to producehumus.

Confined aquifer:An aquifer that is bounded above and below by animpermeable layer.

Copper sulphate (also called bluestone):A water soluble salt which is toxic to algae and otheraquatic organisms. It is often used to control algae inswimming pools, but its use in natural waters may notbe practical, successful, or legal.

Cryptosporidium:A microscopic parasite found in the feces of mammalswhich can be transmitted through water. Ingestion ofCryptosporidium causes cryptosporidiosis, a diseasecharacterized by nausea, diarrhea, and cramps.

For More Information

Glossary of Terms

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Deposition:The laying, placing, or throwing down of any material.

Diatomaceous earth:A light-colored porous rock composed of the shells ofdiatoms. Diatoms are microscopic algae that grow inmarine or fresh water and secrete silica skeletons.

Drain:A channel which carries away surface water.

Ecosystem:A group of plants or animals together with that part ofthe physical environment with which they interact.

Effluent:The liquid waste from sewage or industrial processing.

Emergent plant:Aquatic plants found in shallow waters which extendabove the water surface and have relatively rigid stems,(Ex: cattails).

Erosion:The gradual wearing away of land surfaces due to wind,water, or wave action.

Eutrophic lake:A lake with a high concentration of nutrients. Eutrophiclakes are often shallow and exhibit periods of oxygendeficiency.

Exotic species:A species which is accidentally or intentionally introducedinto habitats where it is not naturally found.

Fecal coliform bacteria:Bacteria which originate in the intestines of all warm-blooded animals, including humans and livestock. Thepresence of these bacteria in water often indicatescontamination by human or animal feces.

Fish kill:The partial or complete destruction of the fish populationgenerally due to low oxygen concentrations or heat stress.

Floating plants:Aquatic plants, rooted in the sediments or free-floating,with leaves which float on the surface of the water. Theirstems lack rigidity and the plants rely on the water forsupport. Duckweed is a floating plant found in Manitobawaters.

Food web:A way of showing how plants and animals in a habitat,such as a freshwater lake or in the ocean, depend oneach other.

Gastroenteritis:Stomach upset caused by bacteria or enteric virusesleading to mild fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomachcramps.

Giardia:A microscopic intestinal parasite of humans and aquaticmammals which can be transmitted through water.Ingestion of Giardia causes giardiasis, or Beaver Fever,an intestinal disorder characterized by nausea, diarrhea,and fatigue.

Greywater:Kitchen, shower, and bath water, excluding toilet water.

Heavy Metals:Metals such as mercury, lead, zinc, copper, etc.; thatwhen present in high concentrations, can possibly betoxic to living organisms and may bioaccumulate in thefood chain. Heavy metals can occur naturally in soils,or may be introduced into aquatic ecosystems throughthe discharge of municipal and industrial effluents.

Herbicide:A chemical agent that kills or inhibits plant growth.

Hybrid:The offspring of genetically different parents.

Hydrological considerations:Considerations which deal with the occurrence,circulation, distribution, and properties of waterand its reaction with the environment.

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Hydrologic cycle (or water cycle):The complete cycle through which water moves-fromthe oceans, through the atmosphere, to the land, andback to the oceans.

Inorganic material:Chemical substances of mineral origin not containingcarbon to carbon bonds.

Langmuir streaks of foam:A linear formation resulting from Langmuir circulation,a wave phenomenon which occurs due to steady windaction on the surface of a water body.

Leaching:The separation of constituents from the soil by themovement of water through the ground. The solublecomponents are carried down by the moving water wherethey may enter groundwater aquifers.

Macrophyte:A large aquatic plant which is visible to the naked eye.

Microcystis:A species of blue-green algae which is common in lakesand reservoirs with enhanced nutrient concentrations.Microcystis often contributes to poor water quality becauseit can impart noxious odours and disagreeable tastes tothe water and produces toxins which may be toxic towildlife and livestock.

Miracidia:The immature, microscopic stage of the life cycle of theswimmer’s itch organism.

Mesotrophic lake:A lake of intermediate amounts of nutrients as comparedwith eutrophic and oligotrophic lakes.

Nematodes (or roundworms):The worms are common in the bottom sediments ofwater bodies. They are most often found in oligotrophiclakes and their numbers decrease drastically in eutrophiclakes presumably because of low oxygen concentrations.

Non-point source pollution:Originating from diffuse sources, non-point sourcepollution is caused by rainfall or snow-melt moving overand through the ground picking up natural or manmadepollutants and depositing them into ground or surfacewater.

Non-persistent pollutant:A pollutant which is degradable. The damaging effectsfrom the pollutant can usually be reversed.

Oligotrophic lake:A lake low in nutrients and usually containing abundantamounts of dissolved oxygen. Oligotrophic lakes aregenerally deeper than eutrophic lakes.

Organic material:Substances containing carbon.

Organochloride pesticides:Organochlorides or chlorinated organic chemicals arepersistent and tend to build up or bioaccumulate in thefood chain.

Pathogen:A disease-causing organism.

Pathogenic:Causing or capable of causing disease.

Peatland:A type of wetland which forms under acidic conditionsleading to the partial decomposition of organic materialsuch as mosses, sedges, trees, and other plants. Thepartially decomposed material becomes compacted andcarbonized, and contains less than 20 per cent mineralmaterial.

Persistent pollutant:A pollutant which degrades very slowly and remains inthe environment for years.

Pesticides:Toxic chemicals used to eliminate or control unwantedinsects, plants, or other organisms. Pesticides includeinsecticides, herbicides, and fungicides.

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Point source pollution:A stationary location from which pollutants are discharged.An example of point source pollution is direct,concentrated discharge such as sewage effluentdischarging from a pipe into a river.

Predation:The killing and eating of an individual of one species byan individual of another species.

Protozoa:A single-cell organism, such as Giardia, that can onlydivide within a host organism.

Rate of recharge:The rate of inflow into a groundwater aquifer.

Retrofit:Modification of existing equipment.

Riparian zone:An area of vegetation including trees, shrubs and grassesextending upland from the waterline of rivers, streams,and lakes.

Sedimentation:The deposition of silt, soil, or sand particles in locationswhere slow-moving water loses its ability to hold heavierparticles in suspension.

Species diversity:The variety of species within a region or a given area.

Submergent aquatic plant:Plants with flexible steams and leaves, rooted in thesediments, and completely covered by water, such aspond weed.

Subsurface:Below the surface.

Terrestrial:Adapted to living on land. Not aquatic.

Total annual sustainable yield:The total annual sustainable yield forgroundwater is that total quantity ofgroundwater which can be extractedannually without exceeding therecharge rate.

Trematode:A parasitic flatworm that lives as a parasite in the liver,gut, lungs, or blood vessels of vertebrates, attachingitself by suckers or hooks and sometimes causingserious disease.

Turbidity:A measure of the amount of material suspended inwater including clay, silt, organic and inorganic chemicals,as well as small aquatic organisms. Turbidity affects theamount of light which is able to pass through the watercolumn.

Water column:A vertical slice of a waterbody.

Watershed:The area which supplies water to a stream and itstributaries by direct runoff and by groundwater runoffis the drainage area or watershed for the stream.

Water table:The upper portion of the part of the ground that iscompletely saturated with water.

Wetlands:Areas inundated and saturated by surface or groundwateroften and long enough to support vegetation adaptedfor saturated soil conditions.

Xeriscape:A landscape technique which has reduced requirementsfor water by using native plants and shrubs.

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Quiz

Take this quiz to see how well you areprotecting our water resources:

1. Do you use phosphate-free detergents?

2. Do you put all your trash in a bag and dispose of iton land after your boating trip?

3. Do you use fertilizers sparingly and responsibly, toavoid contaminating surface water and groundwater?

4. Do you limit your use of pesticides, use them onlyas directed, or use alternatives?

5. If you own a waterfront home or cottage, do youprotect and enhance your shoreline?

6. Do you avoid flushing chemicals down sinks orstorm drains?

7. Would you partipate in a local Clean Water Day?

8. Do you inspect your boat for zebra mussels andother aquatic plants, drain the bilge, and wash ordry your boat before you leave a waterbody?

9. Do you empty your bait bucket on land before leavingany waterbody?

10. Do you protect fish habitat by retaining aquaticvegetation along the shoreline?

11. Do you have regular maintenance done on yourseptic field or holding tank?

12. Do you practice water conservation in your household– use low-water use appliances and fixtures, wateryour lawn sparingly, and repair leaks in pipes andfaucets?

13. Do you compost kitchen and garden wastes and usethese instead of inorganic fertilizer?

Are You a Water Protector or Contaminator?

14. Do you purchase environmentally friendlyalternatives in place of hazardous householdproducts?

15. Do you recycle old batteries and used oil?

16. Do you purchase products with the Ecologo stampof approval?

17. Do you buy biodegradable products?

18. Do you clean up you pet’s feces and dispose withyour trash?

19. Do you avoid overfilling your boat’s fuel tanks?

20. Do you reduce your speed when you navigate yourmotor boat close to the shoreline?

If you answered YES to:

18 to 20 of the questions:

You are a WATER PROTECTOR! You are an excellent role model for your community.Keep up the good work!

13 to 17 of the questions:

Good work, but there is room for improvement!

Less than 12 of the questions:

You are a WATER CONTAMINATOR!We need your help in protecting our water resourcesfor present and future users. Read this guide to findout what you can do to help!