FEFCHAK: Lake Winnipeg cannot be replaced

[Oscar]

Lake Winnipeg cannot be replaced

[ http://enterprisenews.ca/Enterprise_Vol ... e05_LR.pdf ]

Interlake Enterprise - January 31, 2018 P. 7

*** (See below: MAP 2 Concentration of Hog Operations in Manitoba - Source: Manitoba Pork Council in Clean Environment Commission (2007) - [ https://umanitoba.ca/institutes/natural ... 202009.pdf ]

To the Editor - Paul Samyn

Past scientific studies provide clues - - large source of phosphorous evident in the Red River area of Manitoba.

It’s a sad state of affairs when the studies of science are set aside because the facts are not in the government’s liking and water pollution concerns are abandoned.

The deceitful action of ignoring the grave situation of Lake Winnipeg by the Pallister government deserves recognition.

For, when in opposition, "all party members of the Manitoba Legislation" voted in favour of Bill 46, which became enacted as The Save Lake Winnipeg Act. ( 2011) This placed certain restrictions to producers, wanting to build hog barns.

Now, however, our newly-elected government has opened the flood gates to unrestricted hog barn building in all areas of Manitoba.

This will allow the Pork Industry to literally proceed, at will, with an increased forecast production of more than 450 thousand hogs. According to AG Minister Ralph Eichler, he wants 1500 more hogs to be processed per day…to meet demands.

It seems no one knows - or wants to know - how much Manitoba hogs contribute to the phosphorus overloads into Lake Winnipeg, although many already have a pretty good idea. And the only folks who don't seem to want to know are Manitoba Pork and the Pallister Conservatives. (Environment - "Hog Industry Clash" - 24 Oct. 2017) [ https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local ... 63353.html ]

With that in mind, I reviewed some of the previous studies that had been carried out on Lake Winnipeg during the past years, namely by Environment Canada, Manitoba Water Stewardship and Manitoba Conservation.

Although these studies are not recent, the findings that I arrived at reveal a situation that should not be ignored or taken lightly, for it discloses that Manitoba's Red River system, although six times smaller in area and length than the US portion of its Red River, contributes nearly six times more phosphorus per linear kilometer then the southern portion of the Red River area in the United States.

The phosphorus load from the Red River entering Manitoba calculated and averaged over a 14-year period (1994-2007 ) was 2,798 tonnes per year. The combined phosphorus load of the entire Red River system taken at the Forks at Winnipeg was calculated and averaged at 5,380 tonnes per year. (US phosphorus portions vary from one study to another, from a high of 60%, to a low of 43%... averaging at 52%).

It is discouraging that our present regime of government has chosen to put aside such studies. They cancelled the previous hog barn moratorium. Then disregarded the 2007 Clean Environment Commission report that cost taxpayers $730,000.00. Those recommendations were previously acted upon and initially placed the moratorium on the hog Industry within the Red River basin area. The studies reveal that this particular area accounts for 48% of the Red River phosphorus pollution to Lake Winnipeg.

Often referred to as hog alley, it is the core of hog production. It's little wonder that the contribution of phosphorus would be extremely high. The Clean Environment Commission map of 2007 displays the distribution and density of the factory hog barns. It was readily identified as a 'hot spot" area. (See MAP Reference below - Ed.)

As a former director of Manitoba HogWatch and one of the many advocates attempting to preserve our Manitoba water sources and restore Lake Winnipeg to a state of health and recovery, I submit that our government must re-evaluate their economic priorities of industry agriculture and initiate whatever action is necessary to resolve the phosphorus situation that has been pointed out in the scientific facts that have been provided.

The consequences are everlasting. There is no place for complacency when water needs protection. Lake Winnipeg cannot be replaced!

Rather than continually making references to the vast watershed that ultimately feeds and contributes pollution to Lake Winnipeg, the Province of Manitoba must set and show the example of doing "their part" to substantially reduce and eliminate phosphorus, within our borders, at the home front, which by itself, has been scientifically calculated at 35% for agriculture.

John Fefchak
Virden, MB
204 748 2521. 24 Jan. 2018.

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***See: "The Politics of Pork: Achieving Inclusive Decision Making Through Public Participation in Rural Manitoba" - by Lindsay Dawn Irwin - A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies of The University of Manitoba in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of MASTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, Natural Resources Institute University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2 March 2009 -
MAP 2 Concentration of Hog Operations in Manitoba - Source: Manitoba Pork Council in Clean Environment Commission (2007) - Page 114
[ https://umanitoba.ca/institutes/natural ... 202009.pdf ]