LAKE WINNIPEG REGULATION REPORT 2015 LAKE WINNIPEG REGULATION REPORT 2015 ii iii iv Table of Contents Foreword . xi Executive Summary . xv Chapter One: Introduction . .1 1 .1 The Manitoba Clean Environment Commission . .1 1 .2 The Project . 1. 1 .3 The Proponent . .1 1 .4 Terms of Reference . .2 1 .5 The Hearings . .3 1 .6 Section 35 of Canada’s Constitution . .3 1 .7 The Report . .3 Chapter Two: The Lake Winnipeg-Nelson River Watershed . 5. 2 .1 Overview . .5 2 .2 The Lake Winnipeg Watershed at a Glance . .5 2 .3 Water Management in the Lake Winnipeg Watershed . .8 2 .3 .1 The Saskatchewan River . 8. 2 .3 .2 The Winnipeg River . .9 2 .3 .3 The Red and Assiniboine Rivers . 10 2 .3 .4 The Dauphin River . 11 2 .3 .5 Other Rivers . 11 2 .4 Nutrient Inputs to Lake Winnipeg . 11 2 .5 Drainage . 13 2 .6 Major Flood Controls . 14 2 .7 Basin Management Actions and Initiatives . 15 What We Heard: Watershed Issues . 17 Commission Comment: Watershed Issues . 19 v Chapter Three: Understanding Lake Winnipeg Regulation . 21 3 .1 A Brief History of Lake Winnipeg Regulation . 21 3 .1 .1 The Northern Flood Agreement . 23 3 .1 .2 Recent Studies and Agreements Involving LWR . 24 3 .2 Manitoba’s Hydroelectric System . 25 3 .3 What is Lake Winnipeg Regulation? . 29 3 .4 Operation of LWR . 31 Manitoba Hydro’s Information: Operation of LWR . 31 Commission Comment: Operation of LWR . 34 Chapter Four: Licence Process, Terms and Compliance . 37 4 .1 The Licensing Process . 37 4 .2 Terms of Licence . 38 4 .3 Licence Compliance . 39 4 .3 .1 Licence Condition: Playgreen and Kiskittogisu Lakes . 39 4 .3 .2 Licence Condition: Maximum Discharge . 40 4 .3 .3 Licence Condition: Minimum Outflow . 40 4 .3 .4 Licence Condition: Forecasting Levels and Flows . 40 4 .3 .5 Licence Condition: Outflow Rate of Change . 40 4 .3 .6 Licence Condition: Kiskitto Lake . 41 Chapter Five: The Public Hearing Process . 43 5 .1 Clean Environment Commission . 43 5 .2 Public Participation . 43 5 .2 .1 Community Hearings . 43 5 .2 .2 Participant Assistance Program . 44 5 .3 Presenters . 44 5 .4 Written Submissions . 44 5 .5 Access to Information . 44 Commission Comment: The Public Hearing Process . 44 Chapter Six: Reports of Clean Environment Commission Experts . 47 6 .1 Overview . 47 6 .2 Influence of Isostatic Rebound on Lake Winnipeg . 48 6 .3 Lake Winnipeg Erosion and Accretion Processes . 50 6 .4 Climate in the Lake Winnipeg Watershed and the Level of Lake Winnipeg . 54 6 .5 Water Level Regulation in the Lake Winnipeg Basin and its Effect on Nutrient Status of the Lake . 55 6 .6 Coastal Wetlands and Lake Winnipeg and the Netley-Libau Marsh . 56 6 .7 Review of Hydrologic and Operational Models Presented to Manitoba Clean Environment Commission . 59 vi Chapter Seven: Physical/Environmental Effects of Lake Winnipeg Regulation . 61 7 .1 Overview . 61 7 .2 Water Regime . 61 7 .2 .1 Water Regime – Lake Winnipeg . 61 Manitoba Hydro’s Information: Water Regime – Lake Winnipeg . 61 What We Heard: Water Regime – Lake Winnipeg . 64 Commission Comment: Water Regime – Lake Winnipeg . 66 7 .2 .2 Water Regime – Downstream . 67 Manitoba Hydro’s Information: Water Regime – Downstream . 67 What We Heard: Water Regime – Downstream . 71 Commission Comment: Water Regime – Downstream . 74 7 .3 Shoreline Erosion . 74 7 .3 .1 Shoreline Erosion – Lake Winnipeg . 74 Manitoba Hydro’s Information: Shoreline Erosion – Lake Winnipeg . 74 What We Heard: Shoreline Erosion – Lake Winnipeg . 75 Commission Comment: Shoreline Erosion – Lake Winnipeg . 76 7 .3 .2 Shoreline Erosion – Downstream . 79 Manitoba Hydro’s Information: Shoreline Erosion – Downstream . 79 What We Heard: Shoreline Erosion – Downstream . 80 Commission Comment: Shoreline Erosion – Downstream . 81 7 .4 Water Quality . 83 7 .4 .1 Water Quality – Lake Winnipeg . 83 Manitoba Hydro’s Information: Water Quality – Lake Winnipeg . 83 What We Heard: Water Quality – Lake Winnipeg . 84 Commission Comment: Water Quality – Lake Winnipeg . 84 7 .4 .2 Water Quality – Downstream . ..