Witchekan Lake Band #117 Source Water Protection Plan 2009 Donna Rae Paquette North Saskatchewan River Basin Council Table of Contents Page Saskatchewan First Nation Map 1 Saskatchewan’s 29 Watersheds Map 2 Churchill River Basin 3 Beaver River Watershed 4 History of Witchekan Lake Band 5 Witchekan Lake Land & Water Use 6 Background of the Source Water Protection Plan 7 Purpose of a Source Water Protection Plan 7 Planning a Water Protection Strategy 8 Water Conservation 9 Water Quality 11 Water Supply 13 Surface Water Quality 14 Ground Water Quality 16 Natural Habitat 18 Notes For Additional Key Actions 20 Source Water Protection Implementation Plan 21 List of Objectives 22 List of Key Actions 24 Table of Key Actions, Costs & Personnel 26 Table of Costs of Key Actions 32 Table of Costs to Meet Objectives 33 Notes for Additional Key Actions 34 Conclusion 35 References & Photo Credits 36 Saskatchewan First Nations The red dot signifies Witchekan Lake 1 Saskatchewan’s 29 watersheds 2 Churchill River Basin The Churchill River has historic ties to the opening of the west and the north. The river was a major exploration and fur trade route. Explorer and trader Alexander Mackenzie travelled the Churchill River in 1792 on his way to the Pacific Ocean. Stanley Mission Church, built on the north shore of the river in the 1850’s by Anglican missionaries, is Saskatchewan’s oldest building. The Cree call the Churchill River ‘missinipe’ or ‘great water.’ At 2,100 km long, it flows from Alberta west to Saskatchewan and Manitoba and finally empties into Hudson Bay. In Saskatchewan, the Churchill drainage basin takes in almost half of the province's northern boreal forest. In Saskatchewan, the river basin occupies 72,000 km2 and drains about one quarter of the province in the north. Eleven of Saskatchewan's fifteen largest lakes are part of the Churchill River system, including Reindeer Lake, Wollaston Lake, and Lac La Ronge, each of which are over 400 km2 in area. This region contains the largest number of species of breeding songbirds in North America. It is home to the woodland caribou and supports one of the largest inland populations of bald eagles in North America. Some of these eagles have been used to re- establish populations in Canada and the Unites States as far east as Pennsylvania. 3 Beaver River Watershed The Beaver River Watershed contains meandering streams and rivers which drain multiple lakes such as Chitek Lake, Cowan Lake, Cold Lake, Meadow Lake, Lac La Plonge, Waterhen Lake, Witchekan Lake, Lac des Iles, and Flotten Lake. Major towns found within the watershed include Spiritwood, Meadow Lake, Big River, Pierceland, Loon Lake and St. Walburg. It includes approximately nine First Nations Reserves in Saskatchewan, including: Big Island Lake Cree Nation, Island Lake First Nation, Onion Lake First Nation, Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, Flying Dust First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Pelican Lake First Nation, Witchekan Lake First Nation and Big River First Nation. This watershed system supports fish species that include northern pike, walleye, sauger and yellow perch. Other fish species that may be present are brook trout, lake trout, rainbow trout, lake whitefish, two varieties of suckers, and burbot. There is no commercial or recreational fishing on Witchekan Lake. Prior to the 1980s there used to be some recreational fishing for northern pike (jackfish) as well as suckers, who used to spawn in the lake. There also were settlements on the east and west sides of Witchekan Lake where the tributary creeks enter the lake. According to reserve residents there used to be good fishing on the east side of the lake. Low oxygen levels in the shallow lake are currently not sufficient for fish to survive. The town of Spiritwood used to dump sewage into the lake and in the spring of 2007 the reserve sewage lagoon flooded into the lake. The water is discolored and swimmer’s experience ‘swimmers’ itch’. It is suspected that chemicals utilized by surrounding intensive hog operations leach into the water. 4 History of Witchekan Lake Band Ancestors of the Witchekan Lake Band members date back to the 1830’s and possibly earlier, according to band history. The Elders tell of a man named “Kawkaykeesick” as one of four sons of a Saulteaux man named Osawahpisk (also known as ‘Old Brass’). This man and his family had travelled to the region from the East, likely from what is traditional Ojibwa territory along the shores of Lake Superior in Ontario. Kawkaykeesick settled in the region the people of Witchekan Lake Band now occupy. According to historic documents the area was a natural camping ground and resources were abundant. It was a stopping place to camp and visit as well as celebrate cultural events. Over time this stopping place grew into a more permanent settlement. Hudson Bay Company records list Kawkaykeesick’s name, as well as some of his family members, as trading at the Shell River Post between the years 1890 to 1896. In these early years the Witchekan Lake Band and the Saulteaux Band at Jackfish Lake were tied socially and culturally, and became a mix of Cree and Saulteaux. In 1949 a Department of Indian Affairs official described them as descendants of Big Bear’s band who scattered to avoid arrest and imprisonment following the defeat of Louis Riel’s supporter’s in 1885. Big Bear was of Cree and Ojibwa descent, and he is known to have spent time in the Jackfish Lake area among the Saulteaux Band members. In 1912 Chief Kawkaykeesick began the process of requesting a reserve to protect the people and their traditional land from incoming settlers. Surveys were carried out and land set aside, but the area originally assigned to the band was reduced following outcry by settlers. Witchekan Lake Band remained an autonomous, self-sufficient and independent band until 1950, when they signed an adhesion to Treaty Six. 5 Witchekan Lake Land & Water Use The Witchekan Lake First Nation is 4,757 hectares in size and is located 90 km northeast of North Battleford in the R.M. of Spiritwood. It has a total population of 460, with half of total population residing on-reserve. It encompasses roughly 8,485 hectares (20,960 acres, 84.8 km2) of Reserve and Treaty Land Entitlement (TLE) lands. Witchekan Lake First Nation is part of the Beaver River Watershed within the Churchill River Basin. The Churchill River Basin is approximately 187,995 km2 making it the largest basin in Saskatchewan. This basin encompasses three watersheds: the Beaver River, Churchill River and Reindeer River/Wollaston Lake Watersheds. The Beaver River begins at Beaver Lake, northeast of Edmonton, Alberta, drains from the west side of Alberta, across northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and empties into the Hudson Bay. Th community is situated on the border of the North Saskatchewan and Beaver River watersheds. There are two lakes on the main Reserve of Witchekan Lake First Nation – Witchekan Lake and Sylvander Lake. Natural drainage of the area is down towards the lower-lying sloughs to Witchekan Lake and creeks that empty into the lake. Overall drainage from the reserve goes north to the Big River. In dry years the Witchekan Lake water level goes down allowing Band members to make hay on the dried-up shoreline. In wet years, pasture and hay land along the shores of the lake may flood. In the past, there had been discussions of putting lake level control structures on the outlet of the lake, but due to downstream opposition this idea was terminated. All of Witchekan Lake’s agricultural land is farmed by non-Band members (neighboring farmers). Crops seeded on the Reserve include barley, canola, field peas, wheat and oats. Agricultural chemicals (pesticides) may be applied to cropland to prevent, control and/or destroy unwanted plant or animal life, such as bacteria, fungus, insects, nematodes, weeds and rodents. Insecticides are rarely used on Reserve land; fungicides are occasionally used in wet years. There has been some concern about chemicals and fertilizers applied to cropland, and the impacts that they may have on the environment and the health of the people. The most common fertilizers applied to agriculture crops include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur to improve crop production. The community’s potable water source is groundwater which feeds individual wells and the community well on the Witchekan Lake First Nation. Approximately 14 wells are in active use, and 19 are abandoned. 6 Background of the Source Water Protection Plan In 2004, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) identified water quantity and quality as major concerns on First Nations in Canada. From this the department developed the “Plan of Action for Safe Drinking Water in First Nations Communities” in 2006 and set in motion the delivery of the plan. In 2000 INAC contracted Environment Canada (EC), who contracted the First Nations Agricultural Council of Saskatchewan (FNACS). Contract agreements were signed in March 2007 between FNACS and EC and between FNACS and the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority (SWA). The SWA provided funding for FNACS to develop source water protection plans on three First Nations in Saskatchewan – Muskeg Lake, Witchekan Lake and Sweetgrass. These communities were chosen because of their proximity to major tributaries and feeder streams into the North Saskatchewan River. If the projects are successful, EC and INAC will consider extending the project into other reserves in Saskatchewan. Purpose of a Source Water Protection Plan There are many concerns about water quality on First Nations in Saskatchewan. Water is a very important aspect of First Nations tradition. It is considered the lifeblood of the Earth. With changes in the lifestyles and culture of First Nations individuals since the introduction and incorporation of Western European culture, views and treatment of water have subsequently been affected.