Applying Manitoba's Water Policies - Government of Manitoba

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Applying the PoliciesUse & AllocationPOLICY 3.2Water management priorities shall be determined through a basin planning process that takesinto account the protection of potable water supplies, environmental integrity, existingcommitments, and economic requirements.BackgroundA river basin is a large unit of land which encompassesthe entire surface drainage area of a major riveror lake at its outlet. The river basin includes thedrainage areas of all of the smaller tributary rivers andstreams that flow into the major river or lake. Most ofManitoba’s basins are shared with neighbouringprovinces, states, or territories. The most familiarriver basins are the Red River Basin, the AssiniboineRiver Basin, the Lake Manitoba Basin, the LakeWinnipeg Basin, and the Saskatchewan River Basin.A watershed is a smaller unit of land whichencompasses the surface drainage area of one or moreof the smaller tributaries of the larger river basin. Anaquifer is a groundwater reservoir of varying size.Aquifers obtain their water from precipitation and surfacewater that seeps into the ground.Any activity that changes the water regime in anypart of a river basin or watershed will affect the waterregime and related resources along lower reaches ofthe river basin or watershed and in underlyingaquifers. Accordingly, water use and allocation decisionsshould ideally be made within the framework ofintegrated basin, watershed, and aquifer plans. Suchplans would consider a number of factors within thebasin or watershed, for example: existing and futureuses of water; the soils, topographic, geologic, andother physiographic characteristics; the elements ofwater supply, quality, and flow; the linkages betweensurface water and groundwater; land use; pollutionhazard areas and other environmental sensitivities;and other resource opportunities and impacts, includingenvironmental impacts.level being local planning. Basin planning wouldestablish broad water and other resource managementpolicies, objectives, and guidelines within the largeriver basin. Watershed and aquifer planning wouldestablish more specific policies, objectives, and guidelinesbased on more localized characteristics, land andwater activities, and on economic and environmentalfactors affecting the watersheds and aquifers. Localplans would be developed for implementation by localjurisdictions and would be in accordance with thepolicies, objectives, and guidelines established in thebasin, watershed, and aquifer plans. Watershed andaquifer plans would be of greatest relevance to wateruse and allocation decisions. By its nature, the basinplanning process normally spans a period of manyyears.All three levels of planning require public participation,with the greatest public involvement being inthe development of local plans. The river basin planningprocess with public involvement is seen as a veryimportant tool for allocating the water resource rationallywhile promoting environmentally and economicallysound land and water management.IntentTo ensure that water management priorities aredetermined on a watershed-wide basis rather thanonly through site-specific or single purpose planning.The river basin planning process, in its entirety,would encompass three levels of planning, with thebroadest level being basin planning, the second levelbeing watershed and aquifer planning, and the third32
Applying the PoliciesUse & AllocationApplication1. The Government of Manitoba will:• use the river basin, watershed, and aquifer planningprocesses to guide the practical application of thewater use and allocation priorities established in theWater Rights Act.• establish and maintain effective programs and proceduresto monitor water quality, water availabilityand use, and other environmental indicators.• undertake appropriate incentives, promotion andenforcement to support the guidelines and prioritiesestablished through the river basin and watershedplanning processes.2. Local authorities can:• participate with the provincial government in developingbasin, watershed, and aquifer plans.• incorporate the objectives and guidelines of thebasin, watershed, and aquifer plans into local plansand activities.3. Landowners, industry, and the local public can:• participate with the provincial government and localauthorities in the basin, watershed, aquifer, andlocal planning processes.• ensure that their land and water management activitiessupport the priorities and guidelines establishedin the basin, watershed, aquifer, and local planningprocesses.33
Page 2 and 3: CONTENTSINTRODUCTION ..............
Page 5: 5. FloodingTo alleviate human suffe
Page 9 and 10: Applying the PoliciesWater QualityO
Page 11 and 12: Applying the PoliciesWater Quality
Page 13 and 14: Applying the PoliciesWater Quality2
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Page 19 and 20: Applying the PoliciesWater QualityA
Page 21 and 22: Applying the PoliciesConservationOv
Page 23 and 24: Applying the PoliciesConservation
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Page 53 and 54: Applying the PoliciesFloodingOvervi
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Page 67 and 68: Applying the PoliciesDrainagePOLICY
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THE MANITOBA WATER POLICIES1. Water
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Applying Manitoba's Water Policies - Government of Manitoba

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