The Roseau River Watershed District is a diverse watershed that straddles the US and Canada border. It has origins in both Manitoba and Minnesota. The main stem begins in Minnesota and travels North across the border then Northwest across Manitoba, meeting the Red River 100km South of Winnipeg. It drains an area of 5820 square kilometers over 340km from source to mouth. Channelization and blockages on both sides of the border have impacted it’s natural flow.

The Canadian portion includes 7000 residents, supports recreation, tourism, agriculture and forestry. Two tributaries begin in MB, the Pine and Sprague creeks. The watershed also contains several permanent wetlands that hold onto water, capturing runoff and recharging groundwater, creating vital habitat for wildlife, water foul, and aquatic species.

Land use is quite diverse with 44% of the area is made up of forest, 23% cropland, and 10% water and wetland. The agricultural land is mainly in the West, within the Red River Valley. There are also several Wildlife management areas within the region including the Manitoba Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.

 

The Roseau River Integrated Watershed Management Plan outlines 4 watershed priorities for the region. These include surface water management, groundwater quality and quantity, surface water quality, and ecosystem health and natural areas.

Surface Water Management includes managing runoff in a holistic way, creating drainage and storage sites that benefit upstream residents and don’t harm ones downstream. One method of this is building water retentions, which the area provides many suitable locations for. They provide a catchment site and slow release of runoff, reducing peak flows, flooding, and erosion. In addition, they help reduce impact of drought, enhance biodiversity and recharge aquifers. 

Groundwater Quality and Quantity focuses on maintaining clean water sources, with enough water to supply residents. This can be done by sealing abandoned wells, keeping wells clean, and promoting nutrient management practices to prevent groundwater contamination.
Surface Water Quality aims to reduce nutrient runoff into our waterways. This includes protecting and re-establishing riparian buffer zones, enforcing proper manure management practices, and maintaining existing wetlands.

Ecosystem Health and Natural Areas aims to protect the vast biodiversity already present in the watershed. This can be done by identifying and protecting sensitive areas, encouraging proper private woodlot management, and maintaining riparian areas.

Live in the Roseau watershed? Check out the full document to see how you can help improve the area!