netley:libaumarsh+ · study to determine the benefits of improved, habitat within, a managed marsh...
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Integrated Management Overview
Netley-‐Libau Marsh, a major freshwater coastal wetland, lies at the mouth of the Red River and
the south end of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada. Considered one of the largest freshwater
wetlands in Canada, Netley-‐Libau Marsh is recognized as an important wildlife area. It is
designated an Important Bird Area by Bird Studies Canada and the Canadian Nature Federation,
and is also a candidate for designation as a Manitoba Heritage Marsh by the Manitoba
government. The area is traditionally used for agriculture and recreation (such as boating,
hunting, fishing and snowmobiling). In addition, the wetland is a key filter for the large quantity
of nutrients flowing through the Red River and into Lake Winnipeg—which is a key and
overlooked function of the marsh that is increasingly understood as a key component of an
overall Lake Winnipeg nutrient management strategy.
Location: 50.3°N, 96.8°W – Manitoba, Canada
Area 250 km2 Mean depth: 1–2 m Watershed area: 1,000,000 km2
Current condition: The marsh is in a degraded state, having lost much of its aquatic vegetation
due to generally poor management since the 1920s.
Management focus: A previous attempt (in 1986) to restore the marsh for wildlife production
was not implemented. Efforts are now focused on restoring the marsh for Lake Winnipeg
nutrient reduction and other multi-‐purpose benefits. Excess loading of nutrients (mainly
phosphorous) from a variety of sources in the Lake Winnipeg drainage basin is resulting in
significant eutrophication concerns in the lake.
Netley-‐Libau Marsh
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Network Discussion Themes
Based on the integrated management framework utilized for this project (Oborne, 2009), the
following have been identified as key discussion themes. Network discussions should focus on
the following highlighted items.
Netley-‐Libau integrated management discussion themes
Governance Commitment Science Capacity Coordination
Manitoba has taken a major step in exploring the nutrient reduction potential of the marsh, with major announcements.
A Working Group is in place with govt. and other stakeholders invited. $300,000 has been committed for coastal wetland research.
A 1986 mgmt. plan involving wetland habitat dyking was not implemented. Recent data has focused on nutrient uptake.
The "Netley Cut" will be of concern. This eroded channel may be important for flood reduction, but it limits wetland function.
The Working Group is overseeing coastal marsh research in Manitoba, while an existing mgmt. secretariat exists for Delta Marsh.
Current challenges address concerns related to fish habitat impacts with any modification of the marsh.
A visioning and planning exercise is now underway. Most funding is committed to Delta Marsh. More will be needed for Netley-‐Libau.
Additional work has explored hydrology, bathymetry and fisheries. There is a need for a new marsh mgmt. plan for nutrient reduction.
The cessation of dredging in the Red River has also altered flows. There are likely compromises to explore in the planning process.
There will be a need for a Netley-‐Libau Marsh Authority at some point. There appears to be a need for a mgmt. secretariat.
Integrated Management Assessment
After previous attempts, this project appears to be in a transition between the governance and
commitment stages, while discussions around coordination would also be helpful. There are
future capacity issues to be addressed.
Contact Richard Grosshans, PhD Candidate Associate, IISD Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 0Y4 CANADA Tel. 204-‐958-‐7718 Fax: 204-‐958-‐7710 Email: [email protected]
Netley-‐Libau Integrated Management Framework (adapted from Oborne, 2009).
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Netley-‐Libau Marsh: Exploring the Opportunities
Netley-‐Libau Marsh is comprised of
shallow lakes, channels and wetland
areas through which the Red River flows
on its way to Lake Winnipeg. It was
described in 1857 by Henry Youle Hind,
on his Canadian Red River Exploring
Expeditions, as a series of reedy marshes
that extend in all directions as far as
the eye can see. Over the past few
decades, however, the structure of Netley-‐Libau Marsh has been significantly altered. Drainage,
dredging and other water management schemes occurring since the early part of the twentieth
century have substantially altered the natural flow of the Red River through the marsh. Since
the 1970s, Lake Winnipeg water levels have also been managed by Manitoba Hydro for
hydroelectric production. Netley-‐Libau Marsh has experienced a significant loss of plant
communities, as well as wildlife and fish habitat; a gradual loss of aquatic vegetation and
wetland areas; the erosion of channels; an amalgamation of water bodies and declining water
bird populations. Unfortunately, Netley-‐Libau Marsh is not currently functioning as a healthy
coastal wetland. Many of the benefits the lake could provide—such as habitat and removing
and storing excess nutrients that have been lost—can be revitalized through restoration and
management.
The Netley-‐Libau Marsh Research Project
The purpose of the Netley-‐Libau Marsh research project is to understand the importance of the
marsh to the health of Lake Winnipeg, and how this large freshwater coastal wetland influences
the quality of water flowing into the lake from the Red River. Current research on Netley-‐Libau
Marsh has looked at biomass and nutrient accumulation in marsh plants such as cattail to
understand nutrient cycling and nutrient storage within this marsh system. Research has also
Aerial view of the Netley-‐Libau Marsh (photo by Richard Grosshans, 2004)
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examined the concept of harvesting and removing cattail (Typha spp.) biomass for the purpose
of removing stored nutrients from the wetland.
IISD is working with several key project partners as part of
a new Wetlands Working Group. The group is hosted by
the Department of Water Stewardship, which clearly
emphasizes the growing commitment to and renewed
interest in the research, future management and
rehabilitation of this critical coastal wetland. The Netley-‐
Libau Marsh research project continues to evolve with an
enhanced and expanded research program, with financial
support from Manitoba Water Stewardship and the
Government of Manitoba.
To learn more about the Netley-‐Libau Marsh Research
Project visit the Water Innovation Centre website.
Netley-‐Libau Marsh: An Opportunity for Lake Winnipeg Stewardship
Three recently released reports helped shape the foundation for IISD’s work in the Netley-‐Libau
Marsh area of Lake Winnipeg. Changes in the Emergent Plant Community of Netley-‐Libau Marsh
between 1979 and 2001 (Grosshans et al, 2004, in partnership with Ducks Unlimited Canada
and the Delta Marsh Field Station) called attention to the declining health of Netley-‐Libau
Marsh and emphasized its degraded function as a freshwater coastal wetland of Lake Winnipeg.
Our Collective Responsibility: Reducing Nutrient Loading to Lake Winnipeg, (Lake Winnipeg
Stewardship Board, 2006) and Restoring the Health of Lake Winnipeg: Canada's Sixth Great
Lake, (Lake Winnipeg Implementation Committee, 2005), were produced out of concern for
Lake Winnipeg, and called attention to the declining health of Canada’s sixth great lake. These
reports made a series of recommendations needed to address the impacts of continued
Cattails (Typha spp.) growing in a harvest site in Netley-‐Libau Marsh (photo by Richard Grosshans, 2006)
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eutrophication1 and successfully caught the attention of the Manitoba public and the provincial
and federal governments. All three reports draw awareness to the importance of Netley-‐Libau
Marsh in the Lake Winnipeg Basin. These reports acknowledge Netley-‐Libau Marsh as a world-‐
class, but degraded coastal wetland at the mouth of the lake’s largest nutrient source (the Red
River), while specifically recommending that the Province of Manitoba explore the potential for
wetland-‐related initiatives to help reduce Lake Winnipeg nutrient loading.
IISD’s research efforts began with the formation
of an NSERC-‐funded research project,
collaborating with the University of Manitoba,
Ducks Unlimited Canada and Manitoba Water
Stewardship. The project’s goal was to tackle
outstanding scientific and engineering issues
related to nutrient uptake and storage in the
marsh through plant biomass accumulation, as
well as to explore marsh biomass for bioenergy
production. Initial research findings
published at the start of the research study
in Biomass and Bioenergy (Cicek et al., 2006)
documented the fundamental concept of revitalizing Netley-‐Libau Marsh as a multi-‐functional
ecosystem for an international audience, which formed the basis for a larger scale research
project. This research has since provided insights on nutrient storage in Netley-‐Libau Marsh,
cattail biomass harvesting and utilization methods, and technologies for the conversion of
harvested biomass into energy.
The Manitoba Government’s Wetland Working Group
The working group, hosted by the Department of Water Stewardship, emphasizes the
1 Eutrophication: “having waters rich in mineral and organic nutrients that promote a proliferation of plant life, especially algae, which reduces the dissolved oxygen content and often causes the extinction of other
organisms.” (http://www.answers.com/topic/eutrophication)
Cattail (Typha spp.) harvesting in the Neltey research site at Netley-‐Libau Marsh (photo by Richard Grosshans, 2006)
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Government of Manitoba’s growing commitment to Netley-‐Libau Marsh, and a renewed
interest in the research, future management and rehabilitation of this critical coastal wetland.
The working group has, in very short time, provided an important and essential collaboration
between researchers on the Netley-‐Libau Marsh and the Delta Marsh in Manitoba.
Although the scientific and engineering research required to support coastal marsh restoration
in Manitoba is underway, the institutional logistics and financing for an ecological engineering
project of this scale require substantial additional study. In support of future restoration efforts
at Netley-‐Libau Marsh and other coastal wetland complexes, IISD is conducting an international
survey of similar projects to review, focusing on:
• the key institutional and technical features of large-‐scale ecological engineering case studies;
• the application of natural capital and ecological goods and services concepts to characterize the full economic benefit of the various projects;
• the application of adaptive management principles (as now being piloted in the Florida Everglades); and
• institutional models for participatory stakeholder engagement and benefit-‐sharing, including communication and outreach tools.
Lake Winnipeg’s Challenge: Coping with Excess Nutrients
Lake Winnipeg is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, and is economically and
recreationally important to the Province of Manitoba. Its health is vital to all Manitobans. The
lake is experiencing severe problems caused by the excessive loading of nutrients that are
deposited into the lake through its contributing river systems. Nitrogen, phosphorus and other
nutrients are required to support all life. However, they become harmful to any water body
when their loads exceed the water’s natural capacity to manage them. This is a condition
known as eutrophication, and it leads to the increased frequency of blue-‐green algal blooms that
deprive the lake of oxygen.
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A major source of these excess nutrients is the Red River.
This natural drainage system is now a highly developed
landscape—comprised of cities, towns, farms, homes,
roads, drains and creeks contributing to the challenges
facing Lake Winnipeg. These loads come from natural
sources, urban and agricultural runoff, and varying
qualities of sewage treatment from private and
community sources. With the continued destruction
and loss of natural buffers or barriers on the landscape, such as grassy areas, wooded rivers
banks and wetland basins, which slow the flow and help retain rain water, this nutrient-‐rich
runoff drains directly into creeks, rivers and lakes.
Dealing with Red River Nutrient Loads
While providing only 11 per cent of annual
water flows into Lake Winnipeg, the Red River
Basin actually contributes 30 per cent of the
annual loads of nitrogen and over 60 per cent
of annual phosphorus loads to the lake. The
Red River is the single largest source of excess
nutrient loads in Lake Winnipeg. Reducing
nutrient loads from the Red River Basin
represents the greatest opportunity we have
to reduce Lake Winnipeg nutrient loads. For
the lake’s health to improve there is a need to reduce this loading from all sources throughout
the drainage system—ideally before these loads reach the river, but certainly before they reach
the lake.
Water is all around us—in the atmosphere, in groundwater, wetlands, streams, rivers and lakes.
It flows downstream through successively larger watersheds comprising the larger Red River
Algae blooms and experimental equipment in Netley-‐Libau Marsh (photo by Richard Grosshans, 2005)
A branch of the Red River as it winds through Netley-‐Libau Marsh (photo by Richard Grosshans, 2004)
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Basin, on the way to Lake Winnipeg. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is a
decision-‐making process that recognizes that everything that happens on the land also affects
downstream water supplies. IWRM recognizes the importance of understanding the need for
sound water supply and water quality management at the interface between land and water.
This denotes the importance of considering the views and activities of all stakeholders.
Systematic reduction of nutrient loads within the various watersheds and sub-‐watersheds of
the Red River Basin will result in improved Lake Winnipeg water quality. Efforts toward
achieving this goal are underway, and they will need to grow and be sustained in harmony with
consistent basin-‐wide efforts to improve the lake.
Netley-‐Libau Marsh: A Rich History
At the mouth of the Red River lies Netley-‐
Libau Marsh, one of the largest freshwater
coastal wetlands in Canada, at the south end
of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. The marsh may
not be well-‐known to many Manitobans, but
the area is traditionally used for agriculture
and recreation, such as boating, hunting,
fishing and snowmobiling. There is evidence of
human habitation in the area spanning at least
3,000 years, with the marsh used historically by the Cree (Shipley, 1956) and the Ottawa
(Carter, 1989). The greatest documented use of the marsh area occurred after 1790 when
Saulteaux Chief Peguis led his people “to the area of Netley Creek, just above Lake Winnipeg”
(Manitoba Culture, Heritage and Recreation, 1984). The marsh area was rich in waterfowl,
game and sugar maples, and was a popular spot for the cultivation of corn (Carter, 1989). The
Peguis people prospered in this location through their agricultural development and access to
the marsh’s bountiful resources. The early Red River settlers were dependent upon Peguis and
Encampment on the Red River, Hind Expedition, 1857-‐1858 (source: National Archives of Canada)
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his people. They “greeted them with gifts of fish and wild rice, and through the many lean years
to follow before prosperity came to the farmers he provided buffalo-‐meat for them” (Shipley,
1956).
In 1833 St. Peter’s Anglican parish was established near the Peguis lands. Over the next several
decades, Aboriginal, Métis and white agriculturalists farmed and lived in this region until Treaty
One was established in 1871 to separate the Peguis and settler lands. In 1907 the Peguis
community surrendered the high-‐quality soil and the treaty in response to pressure by a
Canadian government—a process deemed invalid as early as 1911 (Carter, 1989). A total of
60,000 acres (including part of Netley-‐Libau Marsh), encompassing the surveyed St. Peter’s
Reserve (37,915 acres) and an additional disputed area (22,085 acres) is currently the subject of
a Specific Land Claim by the Peguis First Nation (Indian Claims Commission, 2001).
Netley-‐Libau Marsh Research
Netley-‐Libau Marsh is comprised of shallow lakes, channels and wetland areas through which
the Red River flows on its way to Lake Winnipeg. Healthy, functioning coastal wetlands have
been demonstrated to substantially reduce downstream nutrient loadings. Unfortunately,
Netley-‐Libau Marsh is not currently functioning as a healthy coastal wetland, and many of the
benefits to the lake that it could provide as habitat, such as removing and storing excess
nutrients that would otherwise enrich the lake, have been severely degraded.
Narrative of the Canadian Red River Exploring Expedition of 1857
Red River enters Lake Winnipeg by six distinct channels. Its junction with the lake by the branch through which we entered is marked by a low spit of sand, which was the only piece of land
visible amidst the tall reeds extending far to the south.”
For many miles the south coast of Lake Winnipeg consists of alternate strips of sand sustaining
willows, and narrow reedy marshes running parallel to the coast line.”
Marshes surround the spits or old beaches on which the willows grow, and extend in all
directions as far as the eye can reach. (Henry Youle Hind, 1860)
Over the past few decades, however, the structure of Netley-‐Libau Marsh has been significantly
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altered from Hind’s original sketch. Drainage, dredging and other water management schemes
occurring since the early part of the last century have substantially altered the natural flow of
the Red River through the marsh. Since the 1970s Lake Winnipeg water levels have also been
managed by Manitoba Hydro for hydroelectric production. Netley-‐Libau Marsh has experienced
a significant loss of plant communities, as well as wildlife and fish habitat; a gradual loss of
aquatic vegetation and wetland areas; the erosion of channels; an amalgamation of water
bodies; and declining water bird populations. A study by Grosshans, Wrubleski and
Goldsborough (2004) documented changes in the marsh from 1979 to 2001, noting that many
of the plant communities, particularly bulrushes and other sedges most important for
waterfowl habitat, had declined significantly.
1979 2001
Vegetation maps of Netley-‐Libau Marsh revealing habitat loss throughout Netley-‐Libau Marsh (source: Grosshans, Wrubleski & Goldsborough, 2004)
The Netley “Cut” in 1936
Over the last century, the west side of the marsh, referred to today primarily as Netley Lake,
has experienced the most devastating loss of islands, channels and wetland areas. A small
channel opening was cut through the riverbank in the early 1920s to allow access from the Red
River into Big Netley Lake. David Hinks, Manitoba Department of Mines and Natural Resources,
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described this opening and the diverse marshes on the west side of the river in 1936 during his
Aquatic Plant Survey of the big marshes in Manitoba. At that time, the opening was about 40 m
across. Today, continued erosion from the flow of the Red River has enlarged this opening to
over 400 m wide, devastating the west side of the marsh.
At one time this was a half mile out from Big Netley Lake into the Red River. For some time, however, the Red River has been bridged and dammed, thus cutting off any direct effect the river might have on the plant growth in the channel. (David Hinks, 1936)
1923 2003
The Netley Cut in 1923 and in 2003. An opening was created in the bank of the Red River (circa 1913) to gain
access to the west side of Netley-‐Libau Marsh. This opening was 40 m in 1930, and 400 m wide in 2003 (source: left: Air photos of Red River from Lake Winnipeg to Winnipeg 1923, Archives of Manitoba; right: L.G.
Goldsborough 2003)
Regardless of past management, the potential to restore parts of Netley-‐Libau Marsh does
exist, and as such, the potential for Lake Winnipeg water quality improvement from the marsh
could be significant. Restored wetlands in other parts of the world, such as Florida’s Lake
Apopka Marsh Flow-‐Way restoration project and Hungary’s Kis-‐Balaton wetlands, have
substantially reduced downstream nutrient loadings by as much as 50 per cent.
The 1986 Management Plan for Netley-‐Libau Marsh
During the mid 1970s there was a growing awareness that the waterfowl habitat conditions of
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Netley-‐Libau Marsh were changing. In an attempt to evaluate the waterfowl potential of the
marsh, the provincial government, under Manitoba Natural Resources Wildlife Branch, led a
study to determine the benefits of improved habitat within a managed marsh system
(Verbiwski, 1986). The Netley-‐Libau Marshes Resource Development and Management
Proposal described in great detail the marsh’s potential habitat value, and resulted in a series
of recommendations for managing sections of Netley-‐Libau Marsh (Manitoba Natural
Resources, 1986). This extensive multi-‐year study produced the 1979 habitat map (used for
comparison above and in Grosshans, et al., 2004), developed an elaborate management plan
and produced extensive appendices on the cost-‐benefits of marsh management for waterfowl.
In conjunction with the
development and management
proposal, Manitoba Natural
Resources, Fisheries Branch
conducted a fish survey of the
marsh and described the
potential impacts of the
management plan, particularly
the proposed dyking and
isolation of sections of the
marsh. The Netley-‐Libau Marsh
Fish Resource Report concluded
that any impediment of fish
movement in the marsh would be detrimental to the Manitoba fishery (Janusz & O’Connor,
1985). Both of these studies did agree, however, that healthy diverse shallow marsh habitat
areas were important for both breeding and staging waterfowl, as well as for supporting a large
food base of rooted vegetation and phytoplankton important for spawning and feeding fish.
Unfortunately, there was no agreement about a management plan that could have
accommodated both fish and waterfowl. The 1986 management plan never got past the
proposal stage, and in the end, it was with a cost-‐benefit ratio that could not be justified.
The 1986 management plan for Netley-‐Libau Marsh (source: Verbiwski, 1986)
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In light of new advances in engineering, the emerging concepts of ecological goods and services
(EGS), and the need for nutrient abatement strategies within the Lake Winnipeg basin, parts of
this plan could hold some relevance.
Lake Winnipeg Water Quality: Prairie Sustainability Indicator
The economic importance of Lake Winnipeg tourism and its fisheries—and its major function as
a reservoir for hydroelectric power generation—define the lake’s key hydrologic role as the
recipient of water from across the Canadian Prairies and much of the Canadian Shield. The
social and environmental importance that Manitobans attach to Lake Winnipeg’s spirit, beauty,
biodiversity and history is clear. Manitobans care about Lake Winnipeg, and they expect its
declining water quality problem to be addressed.
Several organizations, such as the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board, have been formed to
address the critical issue of nutrient loading affecting the lake. Research has been initiated to
review the movement and sources of nutrients in Manitoba’s watersheds, but is still in its initial
stages. The most comprehensive collection of information collected to date is available at
www.lakewinnipeg.org
As noted by North/South
Consultants, understanding the
temporal and spatial variations
associated with Lake Winnipeg is
fundamental to the development of
a “scientifically defensible nutrient
management strategy,” and there
are major information gaps to fill
before appropriate and effective
nutrient loading criteria can be
developed. Determining appropriate
watershed and lake monitoring programs and protocols, defining “pristine” lake conditions and
East side of Lake Winnipeg (photo by Richard Grosshans, 2008)
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separating natural from anthropogenic nutrient sources are all key issues that need to be
considered (North/South Consultants, 2006, p. 152–154).
Focusing specifically on nutrients, it has been recommended that:
a thorough accounting of internal and external sources and sinks of nutrients should be
derived and a nutrient balance constructed. This is typically the first step in a lake eutrophication study and the development of nutrient criteria. The particular value beyond the obvious (i.e., the quantification of sources of nutrients) is in the ability to compare all of
the relative sources and sinks, including internal cycling. This is especially important from a management perspective as this information is critical for identifying potential mitigation and management options. (North/South Consultants, 2006, p. 157)
Eutrophication is one of the major forms
of water pollution affecting lakes and
reservoirs around the world today.
Increased nutrient levels, regardless of
their source, lead to increased growth of
aquatic plants, algal mats, reduced
oxygen levels and unpleasant lake
aesthetics. As a result, lakes become
unattractive for bathing, boating and
other recreation. Fish production often
increases initially before species
composition deteriorates or populations crash. Since 1967 global scientific knowledge regarding
the causes, effects and management responses to address eutrophication has grown
dramatically, but the challenge remains:
This explosion of eutrophication-‐related research has made it unequivocally clear that a
comprehensive strategy to prevent excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus from entering our waterways is needed to protect our lakes, rivers, and coasts from water quality deterioration. However, despite these very significant advances, cultural eutrophication
remains one of the foremost problems for protecting our valuable surface water resources. (Smith et al, 2006, p. 351)
Cattails (Typha spp.) growing in nutrient-‐rich water (photo by Richard Grosshans, 2006)
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Reducing or reversing the eutrophication process can
be accomplished by limiting the cumulative effects of
nutrient loading from municipal and industrial
wastewaters, agricultural wastes and fertilizers, and
residential sources (Nakamura & Ahn, 2007; Paerl,
2006; Schindler, 2006; Pers, 2005).
Current climate change research predicts increased
seasonal variability in water flows across the Canadian Prairies, with significant associated
nutrient load increases in agricultural and other drainage systems, along with increased
eutrophication problems (Schindler & Donahue, 2006).
Stewardship Board Recommendations
Section 36 of the final report prepared by the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board (LWSB)
includes three recommendations focused on the concept of “Natural Wetlands as Nutrient
Abatement Options,” one of which is focused directly on the opportunities associated with
Netley-‐Libau Marsh.
The LWSB (2006, p. 70) recommended the following:
36.1 The Province of Manitoba should explore innovative options to preserve and protect wetlands from drainage. The Province should consider options to share the cost of preserving these wetlands more broadly throughout society as a whole.
36.2 The Province of Manitoba should undertake an in-‐depth review of the effectiveness of natural wetlands to reduce nutrient loading to Lake Winnipeg.
36.3 The Province of Manitoba should obtain a more complete understanding of the historic role of the Netley-‐Libau Marsh in reducing nutrient load from the Red River basin. Opportunities to recreate any natural historic nutrient reduction mechanisms within the Netley-‐Libau Marsh should be explored.
The use of natural and/or restored wetlands to reduce nutrient loads at any location within any
watershed within the Red River system is a logical component of integrated water resources
management (IWRM). IWRM has been internationally recognized as the only effective
framework for addressing complex water-‐related problems. The use of a coastal wetland at the
Aerial view of the east side of Netley-‐Libau Marsh at the Red River (photo by Richard Grosshans, 2008)
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interface between Lake Winnipeg’s major source of nutrient loads would appear to be an ideal
application of IWRM at a location where it is needed most.
The Netley-‐Libau Marsh Research Project: The Search for Answers
Research interests in Netley-‐Libau Marsh changed significantly as water quality issues in
Manitoba became a greater reality during the 2000s. Canadians became more aware of the
concept of wetlands for water purification, dramatically changing the public perspective on the
value of wetlands in our watershed. Work by IISD and its partner groups, such as Ducks
Unlimited Canada, the Delta Marsh Field Station and the University of Manitoba’s Department
of Biosystems engineering, has continued to emphasize the importance of Netley-‐Libau Marsh
within the Lake Winnipeg Basin.
The Netley-‐Libau Marsh Research Project is a collaborative
effort of the International Institute for Sustainable
Development (IISD), the University of Manitoba, Manitoba
Water Stewardship, Manitoba Conservation, Ducks Unlimited
Canada and Dr. Dennis Anderson.
The primary emphasis of this ongoing research project is to
continue to increase our understanding of the importance of
this marsh to the health of Lake Winnipeg, and how this large
freshwater coastal wetland influences, and can reduce,
nutrient loading to Lake Winnipeg from the Red River—the
single largest source of excess nutrient loads into Lake
Winnipeg.
The marsh is a key component at the interface of the Red
River and Lake Winnipeg ecosystem. Its health is an integral part of reducing Lake Winnipeg’s
nutrient levels. A healthy, diverse and functioning marsh ecosystem can trap and store nitrogen
Collecting research samples in the Netley-‐Libau Marsh research site (photo by Richard Grosshans, 2009)
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(N) and phosphorus (P), nutrients that continue to threaten the lake. Various wetland plant
species, such as cattails (Typha spp.), reed grass (Phragmites spp.) and other large sedges
(Carex spp.) are particularly effective in absorbing and utilizing these nutrients. These plants
assimilate N and P into their organic matter and accumulated biomass, and can remove and
store significant amounts of nutrients.
Current research on Netley-‐Libau Marsh has examined the growth and productivity of wetland
plants within the marsh, with a focus on research related to biomass accumulation, and plant
uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus to understand nutrient storage within this marsh system.
Research has explored the concept of harvesting cattail plant biomass to further remove stored
nutrients from the marsh. Plants’ ability to absorb nutrients from sediment and water makes
them valuable tools in removing excess nutrients from these aquatic systems (Grosshans 2008).
Research by IISD and the University of Manitoba since 2006 reveals harvesting cattail biomass
can remove 20 to 60 kg of phosphorous from litter and sediment per hectare per year
(Grosshans, 2011). Once harvested, nutrients locked in plant tissue are prevented from being
released into the environment via natural decomposition. Additionally, cattail carbon
sequestration research demonstrates cattails can annually sequester significant metric tonnes
of carbon per hectare. A further benefit can be gained from using harvested cattail biomass for
bioenergy feedstock to displace fossil fuels used
for heating or electricity. Consequently, the
periodic harvest of cattails could be part of a
nutrient management and greenhouse gas
mitigation plan for managed wetlands, storm
water wetlands, vegetated ditches and treatment
wetland cells.
Harvested cattail also provides a valuable
renewable biomass source for bioenergy
production. With continued concern over climate
change and greenhouse gas emissions, processes that can generate energy with minimal
Bale of cattails (Typha spp.) harvested from the Netley-‐Libau Marsh research site (photo by Richard Grosshans, 2007)
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emissions are of great importance. Cattail biomass can be compressed into pellets and cubes
for use in a variety of biomass burners, with a calorific heat value of 16 to 20 MJ/kg,
comparable to commercial wood pellets at 17 MJ/Kg (Grosshans et al., 2011). Densification of
wetland plant biomass produces an economically viable standardized feedstock easily
integrated into North American and European markets.
This project is attempting to understand a coastal marsh system about which we currently
know very little, and yet it is a key component to the Red River and Lake Winnipeg watershed.
It has been clearly recognized as an essential component of managing the nutrient enrichment
concerns of Lake Winnipeg, and a critical component of a larger nutrient management strategy
required to reduce nutrient loading within the Lake Winnipeg Basin.
An Expanded Research Program
With financial support from the Government of
Manitoba, and essential partnerships with
institutions such as the University of Manitoba,
Ducks Unlimited Canada, Environment Canada,
Manitoba Water Stewardship, Manitoba
Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives, and the
Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute, IISD is
embarking on a new long-‐term research
initiative for Netley-‐Libau Marsh. To explore the
opportunities for habitat enhancement, cattail
management and harvesting, phosphorous
capture and recovery, cap and trade, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, bioenergy and
alternative energy production, and carbon credits. Ultimately, the goal is to reduce nutrient
loading in Lake Winnipeg while exploring the economic opportunities for Manitobans within the
Manitoba bioeconomy.
Cattail harvesting in the Netley-‐Libau Marsh research site (photo by Richard Grosshans, 2006)
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Reference List Carter, S. (1989). Manitoba Historical Society: St. Peter’s and the interpretation of the
agriculture of Manitoba’s Aboriginal People. Retrieved from: http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/18/manitobaaboriginalagriculture.shtml
Cicek, N., Lambert, S., Venema, H.D., Snelgrove, K.R., Bibeau, E.L. & Grosshans, R. (2006).
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