LESSER SLAVE INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN Note to Reader: This is the most recent draft of the Lesser Slave IWMP. Text in red indicates changes made to the Plan in response to feedback received from municipalities. APRIL 2018 Lesser Slave Integrated Watershed Management Plan ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Lesser Slave Watershed Council thanks all members of the IWMP Steering Committee and the Technical Advisory Committee for their contribution to the development of the Lesser Slave Integrated Watershed Management Plan. In addition, special acknowledgement is given to the contribution made by Ducks Unlimited Canada Boreal Conservation Partnerships & Services Branch for its assistance with the biodiversity tool and spatial data mapping. IWMP Steering Committee Arin MacFarlane‐Dyer, Alberta Environment & Parks Meghan Payne, LSWC, Executive Director Bob Popick, Oil and Gas Industry Peter Freeman, Driftpile First Nation Brad Pearson, MD of Lesser Slave River Robert Nygaard, Big Lakes County Claude Smith, Agriculture Roderick Willier, Sucker Creek First Nation Jamie Bruha, Alberta Environment & Parks Ron Matula Big Lakes County (Alternate) Joy McGregor, Town of Slave Lake Spencer Zelman, Oil and Gas Industry (Alternate) Jule Asterisk, Non‐Government Organization Tammy Kaleta, LSWC, Chair Linda Cox, Town of High Prairie Todd Bailey, Forest Industry Lisa Bergen, Alberta Environment & Parks Tony McWhannel, Member at Large Mark Missal, Town of Slave Lake (Alternate) IWMP Technical Advisory Committee Ahmad Asnaashari, Alberta Environment and Parks, Regional Hydrologist Bill Berzins, CAPP Water Working Group Chaudhry Ali, Alberta Environment and Parks, Water Operations & Infrastructure Darryl Bereziuk, Alberta Culture and Tourism, Archaeological Survey David Matheson, Ducks Unlimited Canada Jana Tondu, Alberta Environment and Parks, Limnologist Jim Castle, Alberta Environment and Parks, Wildlife Biologist Kerri O’Shaughnessy, Cows and Fish Kristy Wakeling, Alberta Environment and Parks, Fisheries Biologist Laura Johnson, Alberta Environment and Parks, Land Integration Specialist Paul Havenggard, Alberta Conservation Association Robyn Woywitka, Alberta Culture and Tourism, Archaeology Ron Zurawell, Water Quality, Alberta Environment and Parks Sulman Umar, Alberta Environment and Parks, Water Operations & Infrastructure Tom Churchill, Alberta Environment and Parks, Geographic Science Team Thank you to the many Government of Alberta advisors who participated in the thorough review of this plan. Special Thanks Alan Dolan, Alan Dolan & Associates Al Richard, Ducks Unlimited Canada Prepared and Compiled by Sandi Riemersma, Palliser Environmental Services Ltd. Cover Photo S. Riemersma Lesser Slave Watershed Council _DRAFT Page ii Lesser Slave Integrated Watershed Management Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1 2.0 PURPOSE, INTENT and AUTHORITY ................................................................................................. 2 3.0 PLANNING AREA ............................................................................................................................... 3 4.0 INFORMATION ASSEMBLED ............................................................................................................. 9 5.0 SUMMARY OF ISSUES ....................................................................................................................... 9 5.1 Water Quantity ............................................................................................................................. 9 5.2 Water Quality .............................................................................................................................. 10 5.3 Biodiversity.................................................................................................................................. 11 5.4 Riparian Areas and Wetlands ...................................................................................................... 12 5.5 Lake Management ...................................................................................................................... 12 5.6 Crown Land ................................................................................................................................. 13 6.0 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................ 13 7.0 INDICATORS, TARGETS AND THRESHOLDS .................................................................................... 15 8.0 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ....................................................................................................... 16 9.0 ENGAGEMENT PROCESS ................................................................................................................. 20 9.1 First Nations ................................................................................................................................ 21 10.0 RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................................ 22 10.1 General Plan Administration ...................................................................................................... 22 10.2 Water Quantity ........................................................................................................................... 22 10.2.1 Goals and Objectives (from Section 6.0) ............................................................................. 22 10.2.2 Targets and Thresholds ....................................................................................................... 22 10.2.3 Water Quantity Recommendations .................................................................................... 23 10.2.4 Implementation Table for Water Quantity ......................................................................... 28 10.3 Water Quality ............................................................................................................................. 30 10.3.1 Goals and Objectives (from Section 6.0) ............................................................................. 31 10.3.2 Targets and Thresholds ....................................................................................................... 31 10.3.3 Water Quality Recommendations....................................................................................... 35 10.3.4 Implementation Table for Water Quality ........................................................................... 42 10.4 Riparian Areas ............................................................................................................................ 47 10.4.1 Goals and Objectives (from Section 6.0) ............................................................................. 47 10.4.2 Targets and Thresholds ....................................................................................................... 47 10.4.3 Riparian Area Recommendations ....................................................................................... 48 Lesser Slave Watershed Council _DRAFT Page iii Lesser Slave Integrated Watershed Management Plan 10.4.4 Implementation Table for Riparian Areas ........................................................................... 53 10.5 Wetlands ..................................................................................................................................... 56 10.5.1 Goals and Objectives (from Section 6.0) ............................................................................. 56 10.5.2 Targets and Thresholds ....................................................................................................... 56 10.5.3 Wetland Recommendations ............................................................................................... 59 10.5.4 Implementation Table for Wetlands ................................................................................... 61 10.6 Biodiversity ................................................................................................................................. 62 10.6.1 Goals and Objectives (from Section 6.0) ............................................................................. 62 10.6.2 Targets and Thresholds ....................................................................................................... 62 10.6.3 Biodiversity Recommendations .......................................................................................... 64 10.6.4 Implementation Table for Biodiversity ............................................................................... 71 11.0 LITERATURE CITED .......................................................................................................................... 74 12.0 GLOSSARY ....................................................................................................................................... 80 13.0 APPENDIX ....................................................................................................................................... 82 APPENDIX A. Summary of Previous Planning Initiatives ......................................................................... 82 APPENDIX B. Relevant Legislation, Policies, Strategies and Guidelines .................................................. 85 B‐1. Federal ...................................................................................................................................