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Monitoring our waterways

The Lake Winnipeg Community-Based Monitoring Network (LWCBMN), coordinated by LWF, mobilizes citizen volunteers and conservation professionals to collect water samples across Manitoba in order to measure phosphorus concentration. Phosphorus is the nutrient responsible for the blue-green algae blooms on Lake Winnipeg and other water bodies.

This growing, long-term monitoring program has been actively sampling since 2016. A new report highlights insights gained by analyzing citizen-generated phosphorus data from the 2017 and 2018 field seasons. Among them:

  • Phosphorus hotspots exist and water...

The May long weekend marks the unofficial beginning of cottage season in Manitoba. As lake-lovers prepare to head out to the lake, the Lake Winnipeg Foundation (LWF), The Gordon Foundation and RBC Foundation are embarking on a new partnership to drive evidence-based water stewardship across the Lake Winnipeg watershed.

This collaborative, three-year project has been made possible with a $600,000 gift from RBC Foundation.

Leveraging LWF’s localized knowledge and community connections, and The Gordon Foundation’s technical expertise and innovation, the project aims to generate credible water...

Participants and supporters of the Lake Winnipeg Community-Based Monitoring Network (LWCBMN) met at the University of Manitoba in February to learn more about recent LWCBMN activities, how water-quality data are being used and other CBM initiatives.

Coordinated by LWF, LWCBMN mobilizes citizens to collect water samples across Manitoba. With the help of conservation partners and the guidance of LWF science advisors, the network is identifying phosphorus hotspots – localized areas that contribute higher amounts of algae-causing phosphorus to local waterways than other areas.

Highlights from the...

Update: Congratulations to the Cycling for Solutions 2018 riders for completing their journey - and a heartfelt thank you to the many supporters who donated to support citizen science! So far, the cyclists have raised over $13,600! If you'd like to add your support, the donation link will remain live until Monday, Sept. 17, 2018.

A group of amateur cyclists is once again attempting an ambitious, three-day, 500 km self-supported road trip from Winnipeg, Man. to IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) research facility in northwest Ontario.

Dubbed Cycling for Solutions, the ride began in...

(l-r): Dan Vandal, MP for Saint Boniface-Saint Vital; Alexis Kanu, Executive Director of the Lake Winnipeg Foundation; Al Kristofferson, Managing Director of the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium; Catherine McKenna, Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change; Terry Duguid, MP for Winnipeg South; Tim Sopuck, CEO of Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation; Elder Mary Maytwayashing; Photo: Marlo Campbell

The Lake Winnipeg Foundation will receive $260,000 in federal funding over four years for the Lake Winnipeg Community-Based Monitoring Network (LWCBMN), a growing network of citizens...

March 22 is World Water Day and we're celebrating with the release of new water-quality data generated by the Lake Winnipeg Community-Based Monitoring Network (LWCBMN).

LWCBMN is a growing network of citizens, scientists and conservation professionals. Since 2016, LWCBM volunteers and staff have been collecting water samples across southern Manitoba using scientifically vetted protocols. Samples are then analyzed in a lab to measure phosphorus concentration and determine the amount of phosphorus being exported off our landscapes.

Excess phosphorus is the primary cause of potentially harmful...

As the 2017 open-water season draws to a close, participants and supporters of the Lake Winnipeg Community-Based Monitoring Network (LWCBMN) met in Winnipeg to discuss progress, share lessons learned and plan next steps.

Co-ordinated by the Lake Winnipeg Foundation (LWF) and supported by LWF’s Science Advisory Council, the LWCBMN is engaging citizen volunteers in the collection of water samples. These samples are then analyzed in a lab to measure phosphorus concentration and calculate the amount of phosphorus being exported off our landscapes.

Citizen-generated data can be used to pinpoint...

Lake Minnewanka, in Banff National Park. Its Nakoda name means "water of the spirits." Photo: Kirsten Earl McCorrister

LWF has been hard at work coordinating a new community-based monitoring (CBM) program here in Manitoba, having recently completed a CBM pilot project to test for phosphorus in the tributaries that feed into Lake Winnipeg. We are not alone in our efforts to understand and improve the health of our waters. Across Canada, water groups are collaborating with citizens and governments to understand the threats to clean water and work for solutions. LWF has had the opportunity to...

Community-based monitoring (CBM) engages citizen volunteers in collecting, analyzing, interpreting and using data about their environment. LWF has previously supported individual CBM efforts through our grants program. In October 2015, we brought together 32 participants representing 15 organizations to discuss additional opportunities in the area of community-based water monitoring.

Since then, we have been co-ordinating an emerging CBM network in Manitoba, supported by LWF’s Science Advisory Council (SAC), which is comprised of nationally recognized freshwater experts.

Volunteer SAC members...

Gathering on the banks of the Assiniboine River with Lake Winnipeg Foundation (LWF) staff, science advisors and partners on a sunny morning in September, Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox participated in a new citizen science project supported by Manitoba’s government.

LWF’s community-based monitoring (CBM) network is currently focused on monitoring phosphorus levels in water samples. Excess phosphorus is a primary cause of harmful algae blooms which have been increasing in size and frequency on Lake Winnipeg’s waters.

CBM provides valuable information that can be used to enrich long...

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