Food Farms at the Conservation Learning Center
One of the most important factors in maintaining a healthy watershed is education. At the NSRBC, we believe in the importance of engaging with youth to help them understand the importance of this natural resource and how they can help to preserve fresh water for generations to come. This summer, Kyla Kennedy and Eric Durell set up a booth at the Food Farms event based at the Conservation Learning Center, just South of Prince Albert. This two-day event teaches youth where their food and water comes from and how each one of them plays a role in keeping healthy ecosystems and watersheds. They had a surface water model set up, which is always a favorite with kids, and is a great visual learning tool of how different components of a watershed are connected. Close to 200 kids attended from various schools in and around Prince Albert and overall it was a great time.
Emma Lake Action and Understanding Project The NSRBC is currently working on a project entitled “Emma Lake Action and Understanding”. This project is funded by the Government of Canada’s EcoAction Community Funding Program. The projects aim is to help mitigate the impacts negatively affecting water quality at Emma Lake, primarily nutrient loading. The NSRBC is partnering with Saskatchewan Polytechnic and the District of Lakeland on the project, which has been underway since April 2019 and will continue until March 2021. The project is focused on nutrient and sediment inputs and the impacts of boating activity and shoreline erosion on water quality and lake transparency. The other piece of the project will involve nine shoreline restoration projects and an education campaign to engage Emma Lake users on how they can reduce their impact on the lake. With this funding as of this spring, this project will enhance the water quality monitoring and promote and undertake shoreline restoration and educational projects.
Funding Awarded for Phosphorous Baseline Studies in the Saskatchewan River Basin - Lake Winnipeg Basin Program
The NSRBC is one of 4 watersheds partnering to implement baseline phosphorous monitoring. A collaborative proposal was submitted to the Lake Winnipeg Basin Program (Environment and Climate Change Canada) in partnership with the Carrot River, South Saskatchewan, and Swift Current Creek watersheds. The NSRBC will be engaging citizens scientists to support the phosphorous and general chemistry sampling in Jackfish Creek, Jackfish River, Lehman's Creek, the North Saskatchewan River and Battle River. The Ministry of Agriculture is providing in kind transportation of the samples and covering costs for general chemistry from those sample sites as well. Thanks to funding from the Lake Winnipeg Basin Program, we will be collecting baseline data at a total of 18 sites in the Saskatchewan River basin over the next 2 years. This will allow us to monitor phosphorus inputs and will support long term monitoring. It is understood that phosphorous is a key nutrient affecting eutrophication (algal blooms).
Global Water Futures Water quality, water quantity, runoff, drought, drainage and similar terms have been just some of the coined topics over the course of the summer regarding producers’ concerns for both themselves and the industry. Students from partnering universities across Canada, including the University of Saskatchewan (U of S), are combining their resources, knowledge and technology to try and come up with some answers to the many questions and concerns around how we use our fresh water under a changing climate. On June 14th, NSRBC staff attended the Global Water Futures conference at the U of S. Presentations were given on key research topics from various professors, students and staff. It was great to see the various projects on display that students are working on, all related to water. There were over two dozen stations showcasing the research done by students and they provided some key interaction between researchers, producers, and professionals who work in water related careers. The event was a big success having well over 200 people in attendance.
Event was hosted by:
Global Water Futures Nutrient App One of the many things created under Global Water Futures is the new Nutrient App. The project that created the Nutrient App aims to support the reduction of nutrients that are exported to all our rivers and lakes, by engaging citizens, farmers, and water quality managers in real-time monitoring of dissolved nutrients (Nitrates and Phosphates) in our freshwaters. The NSRBC is hoping to use the app during Lake Planning on Jackfish Lake and during Phosphorous sampling on tributaries entering the North Saskatchewan River. This application allows users to obtain instantaneous nutrient measurements and can be used to monitor streams, wetlands, lakes and wells. Each measurement is georeferenced and can be uploaded to a server managed by Global Water Futures. By doing this, all the results can be visualized on a map for further analysis.
To check it out, follow this link
or check out this video on how the app works: https://youtu.be/IrSRGjIJ6eo
Treaty Day
The NSRBC team has continued to work with Muskeg Lake Cree Nation (MLCN) throughout the summer. Our staff attended the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation Treaty Day on June 28th. The NSRBC booth offered door prizes, photos, colouring, freezies, and a watershed model demonstration. The many options ensured there was a little something for everyone to enjoy at the booth. The event had a great turnout with live music, lots of food, and many other booths set up promoting healthy living. We informed community members about water quality, watersheds, and the projects we are currently working on with MLCN including, the renewal of the community’s Source Water Protection Plan (SWPP), and “Muskeg Lake Cree Nation: A Story of Community and Climate” funded by Indigenous Services Canada’s Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program.
Muskeg Lake Cree Nation: A Story of Community and Climate
The “Muskeg Lake Cree Nation: A Story of Community and Climate” project is funded by Indigenous Services Canada’s Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program. The project is well underway. In June we completed infrastructure mapping which included mapping abandoned wells, culverts, utilities, public buildings, residences, main well heads, and waste and recycling bins. This information will be used in the project and additionally in the SWPP renewal and the Emergency Response Plan for Muskeg Lake. At Muskeg Lake’s 3rd Annual Family Literacy Camp on August 15th we presented information on watersheds, surface water, and ground water. Our edible aquifers, demonstrate how contamination (food colouring) can leach down, in a delicious way, into the aquifer below. When school is back in session we will be working with youth to develop the children’s storybook and begin our videography. We are also looking forward to the installation of a remote climate station in the fall of this year.
Canadian Agriculture Partnership Workshop Promotion
The North Saskatchewan River Basin Council staff alongside Ministry of Agriculture staff have been hard at work planning events to promote the Canadian Agricultural Partnership funding as well as provide helpful information to producers, and Rural Municipalities.
This summer we have had two invasive weed workshops in which people gathered to learn about invasive plants in their areas, threats that these plants impose on the communities, and methods of control available for the invasive plants.
Some upcoming events in the plans are:
a Verified Beef Production information workshop planned for October,
Forages in Rotation and Direct Marketing workshop planned for January,
Intercropping/cover crop workshop planed for December,
Corn grazing workshop planned for December,
Be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook page to watch out for any upcoming events in your area. You can find us on Facebook at North Saskatchewan River Basin Council, NSRBC.
Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Monitoring
Invasive mussels are currently the greatest threat to our lakes. Monitoring programs are critical for early detection of invasive mussels. Early detection can prevent invasive mussels from spreading to other water bodies and since they spread very quickly prevention is key. The NSRBC including five other watershed stewardship groups met in June for a training session in invasive mussel veliger sampling led by Ron Hlasny with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment. This is the first year the NSRBC is undertaking invasive mussel veliger monitoring. This year the NSRBC is veliger sampling at the following lakes: Anglin, Christopher, Emma, Jackfish, Mcphee, Meeting, and Murray. Veligers are the larval life stage of a mussel. They drift in the water and are so small they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Veligers may be discovered in a lake before adult mussels, so it is important to monitor for both veliger and adult life stages.
Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Info Days
The NSRBC continues to promote the prevention of aquatic invasive species (AIS). Three AIS Info Day events will take place on August 10th, 13th, and 15th at Meeting Lake, Emma Lake, and Jackfish Lake respectively. The purpose of these events is to share AIS information and to ensure proper AIS prevention is continued. The events include a Clean, Drain, Dry boat demonstration and NSRBC staff will be at the events to share AIS information.
Aquatic Habitat Protection Permit
Aquatic Habitat Protection Permits (AHPP) are permits distributed by the Water Security Agency. The permits are used to prevent disturbance to natural waterways or bodies of water. A permit is needed if there is any work being done to the bed, bank, or boundary of a body of water. If there is this type of work being done, an AHPP needs to be obtained before starting work. Some examples that may need an AHPP are road developments, shoreline stabilization, recreational developments, riparian and aquatic vegetation removal, water conveyance projects, and water use infrastructure.
Submitting an application should be done well in advance of your proposed start date, as this application may take up to 12 weeks to review. Be sure when sending in applications to attach maps of areas being worked on, pictures of the area before work has been done, any plans you have made up, and any sketches or diagrams of proposed work. All applications once completed can be sent in to the Water Security Agency.
Tanya Johnston, Supervisor, Aquatic Habitat Protection with the Water Security Agency (WSA) sat down with us, to answer some questions on Aquatic Habitat Protection Permits (AHPPs) and the permitting process. Find below the second of four Q&A sessions.
Q. Some recreational works seem minor compared to the other works you described. What risks do they pose to aquatic habitat at the lake?
A. Whether large or small, poorly designed, constructed or timed development projects and associated construction practices can result in aquatic habitat degradation including erosion and sedimentation, loss of aquatic and riparian vegetation and shoreline or substrate alteration. Shoreline alteration is altering the shape of the natural shoreline. When done incorrectly, damage can occur from ice and wave erosion, and land erodes into the lake. Substrate alteration is removing the submerged rocks or adding sand to the lake bottom. These activities can remove cover and shelter for many small species of fish, insects and other invertebrates. Some projects and the associated building materials can reduce natural habitat diversity by replacing natural shorelines and substrates with less diverse man-made structures.
Similarly, development projects can affect water quality through the addition of chemicals, oil, gasoline or other hazardous substances. Some building materials used in project construction, such as certain types of chemically treated wood, may be directly harmful or toxic to aquatic organisms.
A lake benefits – or suffers- from the cumulative works and actions of all the users on the lake. The combined effect of many small harmful alterations can degrade or destroy large areas of aquatic habitat resulting in the gradual decline of aquatic ecosystem health and the populations of aquatic organisms. For example, not all the land along a lake has a naturally occurring sandy shoreline. If sand does not naturally occur on the nearshore area of your waterfront property, then adding sand near the water’s edge causes problems, as the sand will be redeposited by ice and wave action to another part of the lake. This sand can smother and kill fish eggs, kill aquatic insects that are a food source for fish, cover the aquatic plants that act as nurseries for fish, which over time could reduce the fish population in the lake. Sand may even deposit in shallow areas creating sandbars, which could cause problems with navigation.
Q. So what’s the process to get an AHPP?
A. Our application form is found on the WSA website: www.wsask.ca/Water-Programs/Aquatic-Habitat-Protection/. Submit it with the necessary supporting information by email, fax, mail or in person to the specialist assigned to the area where the work is located. There is a map on the website with the areas and specific points of contact outlined.
When the applicant fills out the application form, they should make sure they have described the work with enough detail to allow the specialist, upon review of the application, to visualize what the work is, and how the work will be done. The specialist can then determine whether impacts on aquatic habitat are likely to occur and what types of permit conditions can minimize those impacts.
To help us understand the project, we request that the applicant submit a plan or sketch of the proposed work and a minimum of four pictures of the work site and the surrounding area preferably during ice/snow- free conditions.
This map shows the administration boundaries in the North Saskatchewan River Watershed.
