Groundwater Protection

Floodway Construction and Groundwater Action Response Plan

The Manitoba Floodway Authority (MFA) has established a Groundwater Action Response Plan, which includes a toll-free telephone line to respond to any well water impacts that may be experienced by property owners in the vicinity of construction. If you experience problems with your water supply that may be the result of the construction,
the number to call toll-free is:

1-866-356-6355

This toll-free number, part of MFA’s Groundwater Action Response Plan, will ensure that MFA is able to respond to any unforeseen and temporary groundwater impacts due to construction. The MFA does not anticipate any permanent groundwater impacts for water in your well over the course of the project.

During the development of the project and as the MFA included input from the project’s public consultation process, MFA decided to widen rather than deepen the floodway channel to protect groundwater supplies. As a result of this decision, bridges that cross the floodway were required to be raised and lengthened.

As part of its commitment to groundwater protection, the MFA developed a comprehensive groundwater management program to mitigate any related impacts to surrounding wells. This program was reviewed and approved by the provincial regulators. Permits under the Manitoba Water Rights Act were also issued to authorizes work to proceed.

Groundwater protection has been a top priority for the MFA. The Groundwater Action Response Plan is an important component of our commitment to groundwater and environmental protection. The Groundwater Action Response Plan and the toll-free telephone line will help us to respond to residents on this important issue.

a) Groundwater Response Plan Summary (Powerpoint presentation - 1.5mb)

b) Groundwater Action Response Plan (Adobe PDF - 95kb)

Groundwater Protection Measures

The Manitoba Floodway Authority (MFA) is committed to the long-term sustainability and protection of groundwater resources. As a result, MFA has established a five point Groundwater Protection Strategy, consisting of enhanced groundwater monitoring and public involvement, associated with the Red River Floodway Expansion Project.  A key principle of the plan is MFA's commitment to achieve zero tolerance for any adverse groundwater impacts related to floodway expansion.

• No deepening of the floodway channel - As a result of the public consultation program, MFA has dramatically scaled back plans to deepen the floodway channel from initial estimates of up to two metres (six feet) to no deepening. The redesigned floodway will maintain the same design capacity increase from 1,700 cubic metres (60,000 cubic feet) of water per second to 4,000 cubic metres (140,000 cubic feet) per second.

• Low Flow Channel Protection - To protect against erosion and potential leakage within the low flow channel, MFA will invest in measures to strengthen, armour and fill in erosion spots to re-establish the grade of the low flow channel and better protect fish.

• Environmental Mitigation Fund - An $11 million fund has been established by MFA to mitigate any unanticipated, isolated environmental effects associated with the floodway expansion project including groundwater protection.

• Ongoing Monitoring - In partnership with Manitoba Water Stewardship and local authorities, MFA will adopt a monitoring and adaptive management approach to identify and respond to any unpredictable adverse effects regarding groundwater. The key principles of the program will be:
  
  1. A focus on sensitive spring areas;
     
  2. A focus on the bedrock aquifer but also includes the sand and gravel aquifer;
     
  3. Consisting of multiple wells into bedrock or other granular zones;
     
  4. Establishment of secure wells for on-going monitoring;
     
  5. Facilitate both monitoring and pumping of impacted groundwater if required.
     
     
• Community Liaison: MFA will establish a Community Liaison Committee to provide local residents with updates on the project as well as provide a venue to raise issues related to the expansion project. Additional information on the composition and structure of the committee will be outlined in the near future. In addition, MFA will also establish a toll-free telephone line for rural residents to report groundwater concerns.

Announcement

• May 5, 2010 – 2009 Groundwater Monitoring Activity Report (3.1 MB)

• May 5, 2010 – 2009 Construction Surface Water Monitoring (5.2 MB)

• April 1, 2009 – 2008 Groundwater Monitoring Activity Report (6.7 MB)

• April 1, 2009 – 2008 Construction Surface Water Monitoring (4.7 MB)

• July 15, 2008: Draft Report – Human Health Risk Assessment (7.4MB)

• 2007 Groundwater Monitoring Activity Report (3.3MB)

• 2007 Construction Surface Water Monitoring (3.5MB)

• 2006 Groundwater Monitoring Activity Report (3.3MB)

• 2006 Construction Surface Water Monitoring (3.8MB)

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