Early in 2021, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) held public engagements on its proposed ecosystem objectives and potential phosphorus reduction targets to tackle the algae bloom problem on Lake of the Woods. The Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation organized a series of town-hall style webinars to provide opportunities for the public to…
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Located in International Falls, MN, Koochiching Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) strives to serve the public when it comes to natural resources education. It is, in fact, in our mission statement! “The mission of the Koochiching SWCD is to conserve and protect the soil and water resources by educating and assisting land users in…
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The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), Canada’s largest private land conservation organization, has been conserving important natural spaces since 1962. NCC’s conservation work is focused in Natural Areas and is guided by what are known as Natural Area Conservation Plans (NACP). The Rainy River to Lake of the Woods NACP was recently updated and will…
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Grand Council Treaty (GCT) #3 Women’s Council received support in May of 2019 by the Anishinaabe Nation of Treaty #3 for their continued work on NiBi (water) and the sacred Nibi Declaration. The concept of developing a Water Declaration is to ensure that Treaty #3 Anishinaabe Nibi Inaakonigewin (water law principles) are recorded and formally…
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In August of 2019, leadership from the Anishinaabe Nation of Treaty #3 and technical support staff met with International Joint Commission (IJC) Commissioners and staff at Prairie Firehouse in Brandon, MB, which is on Treaty #2 land. The meeting was attended by Canadian Commissioners Beland, Lickers and Phare and U.S. Commissioners Corwin, Sisson and Yohe….
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The Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board (IRLWWB or board) completed Phase I of a project to set the foundation for recommending water quality Objectives and Alerts for the basin. As stated in the report, Water Quality Objectives are internationally agreed upon standards, whereas Alert Levels are advisory level triggers that can be brought to the…
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The International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum took place March 10-11, 2021 and, for the very first time, was offered virtually. There were 180 people in attendance for the day and a half symposium and, as is always the case, the speakers did not disappoint. We were honored to have the Forum officially opened…
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The native species of cattails in Canada is Typha latifolia. Although the native species can form large monocultures, it is limited to depths of less than 25 cm. By comparison, the exotic, Typha angustifolia, or the hybrid, Typha glauca, can tolerate depths of up to 1.5 m. T. angustifolia spread from the eastern seaboard of…
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The water levels on Rainy Lake and the Namakan Chain of Lakes have been controlled by dams for more than 100 years and, since 1949, according to formal rules established jointly by Canada and the U.S. through the International Joint Commission (IJC). While the dam and the “rule curves” are very familiar to people in…
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For more than thirty years, Fisheries Managers and Biologists from Ontario and Minnesota have worked together to manage the fisheries within the shared waters along the International border, with the help of the joint Boundary Waters Fisheries Atlas. Working under the direction of the Ontario-Minnesota Fisheries Committee (representing the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and…
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