TERMS OF REFERENCE

FOR AN
INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN
OF THE
LA SALLE RIVER WATERSHED

“La Salle River Corridor – Near Community of Starbuck”

Proposal prepared by the La Salle Redboine Conservation District

Approved by Resolution #3/LSRWMP of the La Salle River WPA, May 15, 2006
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INTRODUCTION

In 2002, the La Salle Redboine Conservation District was formed in the South Central region of
Manitoba to address soil and water management issues in the La Salle River watershed. The
need for a strategic watershed management plan quickly became evident as a prerequisite to
success of limited funding for conservation programming on the landscape. Pursuant to the spirit
of the Water Protection Act, the La Salle Redboine Conservation District is spearheading the
formation of the La Salle River Watershed Planning Authority to oversee the creation and
implementation of an integrated watershed management plan for the La Salle River Watershed.

The 2,406 km2 watershed is mostly contained by the Rural Municipalities of Portage la Prairie,
Cartier, Grey, and Macdonald. Small portions of the watershed are also located in RM of South
Norfolk and RM of Ritchot. Some of the larger communities in the Watershed include Oakville, St.
Claude, Elie, Fannystelle, Starbuck, Elm Creek, Haywood, Oak Bluff, Sanford, La Salle, and St.
Norbert in the City of Winnipeg. The watershed is also serviced by several Planning Districts which
include the Portage la Prairie P.D., White Horse Plains P.D., MacDonald-Ritchot P.D., Grey-St.
Claude P.D., and South Central P.D.

With numerous resident organizations and separate planning bodies in the watershed, it is
imperative for proper watershed function that a uniform holistic plan be adopted to manage
resources and development in the La Salle River watershed.

MISSION STATEMENT

This statement outlines the mandate of the WPA. The statement answers “Why are we here?” and
“What do we want for our watershed?”

“Our integrated watershed management plan will promote responsible landscape management,
provide an opportunity for public dialogue and watershed education, and develop a long term
development strategy for watershed resources to achieve a healthy watershed community.”

ISSUE STATEMENT

In order to address the issues of the La Salle River Watershed the entire community must work
together to ensure long term success. This plan is intended to be the first step in identifying and
addressing the issues of the watershed. The ultimate goal of this plan is to support a healthy,
vibrant and successful watershed community. This can only be accomplished through the
protection of our environment, supporting the local economy and maintaining a strong social fabric.

Prepared for: La Salle River Water Planning Authority

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PURPOSE

The purpose of developing the La Salle River Watershed Integrated Watershed Management Plan
is:
• To establish the current state of the watershed in order to identify issues and target areas
for remediation work and conservation programming;
• To establish surface water management policies, including retention and drainage
requirements;
• To identify water quality standards for the watershed to be able to begin setting watershed
goals;
• To identify source protection zones to assist in protecting water, aquatic ecosystems or
drinking water sources;
• To empower the local WPA to protect their own water, aquatic ecosystems and drinking
water sources;
• To address, identify or establish:
o Water quality standards, objectives and guidelines;
o Water quality management zones and regulations;
o Studies required relating to water, land use, demographics, the environment, etc.;
o Encourage public input;
o Water management principles;
o Provincial land use policies, development plans, and zoning by-laws;
o Ways for a planning district or rural municipality to adopt the plan
o Implementation, monitoring and evaluation strategies
o Required watershed maps
o Plan review date
o Any other relevant information.
• To plan for drinking water source and aquatic ecosystem protection on a watershed
boundary; and
• To develop a cooperative funding effort between local watershed and provincial interests.

The purpose is not to:

• Commit the La Salle Redboine Conservation District nor any Planning District to
programming outside of their respective mandates
• Infringe on confidentiality nor target watershed residents

Specific issues to be addressed in the IWMP

The Water Protection Act outlines key considerations and contents of a watershed management
plan. As such, the IWMP will address the following issues.

Section 15 of the Act states that a WPA must consider the following:

1. water quality standards, objectives and guidelines that apply to the watershed;
2. whether a water quality zone is included within any part of the watershed, and if so, any
regulations made under section 4 respecting the zone;
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3. studies that the authority considers relevant relating to water, land use, demographics, the
capacity of the environment to accommodate development, and any other matter related to
present or future physical, social or economic factors;
4. comments received through public consultation or public meetings held under section 17;
5. prescribed water management principles;
6. relevant provincial land use policies, development plans, and zoning by-laws;
7. any other information that the authority considers relevant.

Section 16 of the Act states that a water management plan:

1. Must deal with the protection, conservation or restoration of water, aquatic ecosystems
and drinking water sources in the watershed:
2. Must contain objectives, policies and recommendations regarding some or all of the
following:
a) protection, conservation and restoration of water, aquatic ecosystems and drinking
water sources,
b) the prevention, control and abatement of water pollution, including wastewater and
other point-source discharges, and non-point sources of pollution,
c) land drainage and flood control, including the maintenance of land drainage and flood
control infrastructure,
d) activities in water quality management zones, riparian areas, flood areas, flood plains
and reservoir areas,
e) water demand management, water use practices and priorities, the conservation of
water supplies, and the reduction of water use and consumption during drought and
other periods of water shortage,
f) the supply, distribution, storage and retention of water,
g) emergency preparedness to address spills, accidents and other emergencies that may
affect water, aquatic ecosystems or a drinking water source

3. Must specify linkages between water management and land use planning so as to facilitate
the adoption, in a development plan or other planning instrument, of some or all of the
provisions of the watershed plan.

4. Must identify ways in which the plan can be implemented, monitored and evaluated.

Desired outcome of the IWMP

The IWMP will provide the watershed residents with a watershed report card which will outline the
current health of the watershed, a source water protection plan, a water management plan, a
business plan, and a monitoring plan. Once implemented, these components combined will
provide the first barrier in a multi-barrier approach to aquatic ecosystem and drinking water source
protection.

Prepared for: La Salle River Water Planning Authority

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Persons involved

PROVINCE OF MANITOBA
The Province of Manitoba will:

1. Be responsible for approving the La Salle River watershed plan as outlined by the Water
Protection Act (14)(a) and (14)(b); and
2. Provide a planning grant of $25,000 to the WPA upon completion of a satisfactory terms of
reference for the IWMP
3. Act as the IWMP co-coordinators.
4. Provide watershed information through expert testimony and analysis of watershed issues
by Manitoba Government staff and access to the latest technical data available.
5. Provide plan layout and design support to the project management team in a printer ready
format.

WATER PLANNING AUTHORITY

The WPA will:

1. Follow this terms of reference for the preparation of the IWMP and any other terms or
conditions necessary that the Lieutenant Governor in Council considers necessary.
2. Consist of 1 chairman plus 2 members from each of the four Represented Sub Districts of
the LSRBCD including, Central La Salle #21, Upper La Salle #24, Assiniboine #100A and
Lower La Salle #22.
3. Ensure that all provisions for preparing the IWMP, contents of the IWMP, consultation and
public meetings, and plan review, revision and approval process are completed in
accordance with the Water Protection Act (Sections 15,16,17,18,19,20,21 & 22).
4. Ensure that provincial water and land guidelines, policies and legislation are considered
and adhered to.
5. Ensure watershed residents are actively engaged in the plan process.
6. Ensure that IWMP reflects the provincial priority interest of drinking water source protection
in addition to local interests.
7. Ensure that the following watershed planning steps are completed:
a. Pre plan
b. Background/history/scope
c. Characterize the watershed (State of the Watershed)
d. Challenges/opportunities
e. Identification/prioritization
f. Watershed vision and mission
g. Action plan (goals and objectives)
h. Plan approval, publication and distribution
i. Implementation
j. Monitoring, evaluation and public reporting
k. Plan update
8. Complete the IWMP for the La Salle River Watershed by January 2008 (2 year duration).
9. Fully review the IWMP by January, 2018. (10 years later)

Prepared for: La Salle River Water Planning Authority

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM
The Project Management Team will:

1. Be formed by the WPA to oversee the project and as such, act as project managers. The
committee will be comprised of the Chair of the WPA, a Watershed Planning Board
designate, La Salle Redboine Conservation District Manager, and Water Stewardship
designate;
2. act as a steering committee throughout the planning process;
3. report plan progress to the WPA;
4. ensure that the Water Protection Act and the Conservation Districts Act and their
associated regulations are recognized and adhered to in the plan’s preparation;
5. be responsible for data collection, interpretation, and compilation from all information
sources. This responsibility will include meeting organization and facilitation at all steps in
the IWMP process as well as document preparation;
6. prepare public consultation information;
7. engage participation from the public; and
8. complete tasks as outlined in the Deliverables and Task Schedule below.

WATER PLANNING ADVISORY TEAM

The WPAT will be:

1. Formed and the team will be comprised of key watershed resident groups and technical
support staff. The mandate of this group would be to: a) help the WPA collect key
information throughout the process; b) design appropriate public consultation methods; c)
voice opinions about La Salle River Watershed management issues and d) help engage
participation from area residents.
2. Technical support staff will be responsible to provide comment on all available watershed
technical information about their respective fields to the WPAT. Comments should include:
a. Identification of areas or criteria of concern. (e.g. soil erosion risk, or development
within floodplains etc.)
b. Extent of current impacts, historical review of impacts and potential of future
impacts based on available data.
c. Recommendations on shortcomings or data gaps in available information
d. Recommendations on follow up studies or reports required for clarification
e. Recommendations on best management practices, risk management or watershed
management policies that will assist in alleviating concern and appropriate
locations for each practice within the watershed.
Note: Only formal agencies, organizations, citizens groups or other associations that represent the
views of many individuals will be considered for members of the WPAT. Individuals are able and
encouraged to express their views at the public consultation events held throughout the watershed
at various stages of the planning process.

Prepared for: La Salle River Water Planning Authority

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POTENTIAL WPAT MEMBERS

• Province of Manitoba –
• Water Stewardship - Fisheries, Groundwater, Hydrology, Licensing, Surface Water
Quality, Manitoba Water Services Board, Office of Drinking Water, Infrastructure &
Operations
• Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives – Environmental Branch, Agro-woodlot
Program
• Health – Regional Health Authority
• Transportation and Government Services
• Intergovernmental Affairs – Community Planning Services
• Conservation – Environmental Assessment and Licensing, Wildlife Branch
• Others
• Rural Municipalities – MacDonald, Cartier, Grey, Portage la Prairie, South Norfolk, Ritchot,
• Towns / Villages - St. Norbert, La Salle, Sanford, Elie, Starbuck, Elm Creek, St. Claude,
Oakville, St. Eustache, Fannystelle, Springstein
• Planning Districts - Portage la Prairie P.D., White Horse Plains P.D., MacDonald-Ritchot P.D.,
Grey-St. Claude P.D., and South Central P.D.
• Federal Agencies – Fisheries and Oceans, Environment Canada, Agriculture and Agri-food
Canada, Health Canada
• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) – Keystone Agricultural Producers, Manitoba Pork
Council, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Manitoba Cattle Producers Association, Nature
Conservancy of Canada, Red Rivers West, MHHC, Canadian Wildlife Services
• Local agricultural, environmental and conservation groups
• Landowner Resident Groups/Citizen Groups
• Local Schools
• Business Representatives/Industry
• Academic institutions – ACC, BU, U of M (NRI), U of Winnipeg, RRCC
• Other

Note: If and when identified, other WPAT members will be invited.

CONSULTANT
Building Up – Wendy Bulloch will:
• be responsible for facilitating and engaging public consultation process for comments
during the initial community consult and on the draft management plan;
• Prepare report of public feedback for WPA and Project Management Team;
• Report to the Project Management Team.

IWMP Deliverables and Time Frames

Outlines when the process will begin and end and when the written document will be started and
completed. Document any significant milestones, and whether or not the time frame is negotiable
and under what conditions.
Prepared for: La Salle River Water Planning Authority
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The IWMP document will take approximately 24 months to complete. The IWMP planning process
will begin on March, 2006 and its implementation will begin on March, 2008.

DELIVERABLES AND TASK SCHEDULE

PERSON(S)
RESPONSIBLE DATE
DELIVERABLE/TASK DATE STARTED
FOR COMPLETED
COMPLETION
Province of
Establish La Salle River WPA March 2006 April 2006
Manitoba
Develop Plan Terms of Reference WPA and Province
March 2006 June 2006
of Manitoba
Gather Tech Information, Complete Plan Coordinators
June 2006 October 2006
State of Watershed Report and WPAT
WPA review of technical
Plan Coordinators October 2006 January 2007
information
Public Consult –Comment On & Consultant/ Plan
January 2007 February 2007
Identify Watershed Issues Coordinators
WPA Assemble Draft Plan
including:
• Table of contents
• Introduction
• Vision
• Goals
• Objectives
• State of the watershed
• Watershed health
report card
• Source water September
Plan Coordinators March 2007
protection plan 2007
• Public consultation
• Summary of issues
• Prioritization of issues
• Watershed action plan
• Business plan
• Watershed
management plan
review
• Monitoring the plan
• Evaluation of actions
Public Consult – Comment on Draft Consultant/Plan November
September 2007
Plan Coordinators 2007
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WPA Assemble Final Plan Plan Coordinators November 2007 January 2008
Provincial Approval of Final Plan Province of
January 2008 February 2008
Manitoba
Public Consult/ - inform Final Plan Consultant/Plan
February 2008 March 2008
Coordinators
WPA Implement and Monitor Plan WPA April 2008 April 2013

Resources

IWMP BUDGET
Note: The budget assumes a 24 month schedule.

Cash
Community Consultant = $7,500
Technical Writer / Report Designer = $6,500
Printing (1st draft) = $2,500
Printing (Final report) = $3,500
Communication, Advertising, hall rentals, meeting supplies, mapping, postage = $8,000

Total $28,000

In-Kind
WPA (CD Board and SD members) remuneration and mileage for 2 years = $37,500
Manager = 200 days @ $250 / day = $50,000
GIS Technician = 30days @ $200 / day = $6,000
Administrator = 20 days @ $150 / day = $3,000
Water Stewardship staff = 200 days @ $250 / day = $50,000
WPAT (approx. 15 members?)= 10 days each @ $250 / day = $37,500
Total = $184,000

Overall total $212,000

FUNDING SOURCES

WPA Contribution………………………………………… $ 96,500 in kind

Province of Manitoba Contribution……………………….. $ 25,000 cash
Province of Manitoba Contribution……………………….. $ 87,500 in kind
Other Partners Contribution……………………………….. $0
External Funding…………………………………………… $ 3,000 cash
Total $ 212,000

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Reporting guidelines

List of people/organizations that should be made aware of interim happenings and /or decisions
made by the team and/or consultant, and how will this be communicated?

• Written status reports including plan progress and next steps will be submitted by the
coordinator on a quarterly basis to the Province of Manitoba (i.e. Department of Water
Stewardship) and the WPA’s Project Management Team.
• Any significant happenings are to be submitted in writing to the Province of Manitoba (i.e.
Department of Water Stewardship) and the WPA’s Project Management Team on an as-
needed basis.
• Any deviations from these terms of reference should be made knowledge of the Director of
Planning and Coordination Branch – Manitoba Water Stewardship.
• The main Board of the La Salle Redboine Conservation District will also be made aware
with progress reports at each regular meeting.

IWMP Covers

The front and back covers of the La Salle River WPA integrated watershed management plan will
use the graphic and text elements detailed in appendix 1. This consideration will provide a
common recognition factor to all of Manitoba IWMPs.

Endorsement

The La Salle River Watershed Management Plan will be endorsed by a majority vote of the La
Salle Redboine Conservation District upon the review of the final Watershed Plan as presented by
the La Salle River Watershed Planning Authority. The plan will then be forwarded to the Minister of
Water Stewardship for endorsement

Terms of Reference Endorsement

The La Salle River Water Planning Authority and Manitoba Water Stewardship agree to these
terms of reference for the preparation of an IWMP for the La Salle River Watershed.

_______________________________ __________________
Manitoba Water Stewardship Date
Manager, Water Planning Section

_______________________________ __________________
Chair, La Salle Redboine CD Date

Prepared for: La Salle River Water Planning Authority