A Strategic Vision for Enhancing Naturalized Water Retention in Manitoba

The report argues that while water retention is a key climate adaptation tool in Manitoba, its effectiveness depends on strategic site selection, naturalized design, and long-term monitoring. It details the multi-dimensional benefits of water retention—including flood and drought risk reduction, water quality improvement, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity enhancement—and provides a three-step integrated framework for the province to assess storage needs, develop optimized solutions, and implement informed decision-making processes.

• Water retention infrastructure in Manitoba has demonstrated significant capacity to reduce peak flows; for example, the Steppler Dam reduced annual peak flows from snowmelt by 72% and from summer rainfall by 48% on average between 1999 and 2007.
• Eutrophic agricultural impoundments may act as significant sites for carbon sequestration due to high rates of organic carbon burial, potentially aiding in climate change mitigation, although greenhouse gas emissions from these systems require further study.
• On-farm water retention projects provide economic co-benefits to agricultural producers, with one study in the Seine, Rat, and Roseau watersheds finding a return of CAD 3.16 in water quality and extended grazing benefits for every CAD 1 invested.
• The report identifies a critical distinction between water retention (permanent storage) and water detention (temporary storage), noting that longer retention times are essential for maximizing nutrient removal and waterfowl habitat.
• The authors recommend an integrated framework for Manitoba consisting of three steps: assessing cumulative water storage needs and nutrient hotspots, prioritizing naturalized solutions through spatial targeting and long-term monitoring, and investing in technical support to ensure decisions are fit for regional vulnerabilities.

APA

Simoes, J., Puzyreva, M., Roy, D., & Grosshans, R. (2023). A Strategic Vision for Enhancing Naturalized Water Retention in Manitoba. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-11/enhancing-naturalized-water-retention-manitoba-strategic-vision.pdf

Chicago

Simoes, Joey, Marina Puzyreva, Dimple Roy, and Richard Grosshans. A Strategic Vision for Enhancing Naturalized Water Retention in Manitoba. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2023. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-11/enhancing-naturalized-water-retention-manitoba-strategic-vision.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Simoes |first1=Joey |last2=Puzyreva |first2=Marina |last3=Roy |first3=Dimple |last4=Grosshans |first4=Richard |title=A Strategic Vision for Enhancing Naturalized Water Retention in Manitoba |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=November 2023 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-11/enhancing-naturalized-water-retention-manitoba-strategic-vision.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{simoes2023strategic, author = {Simoes, Joey and Puzyreva, Marina and Roy, Dimple and Grosshans, Richard}, title = {{A Strategic Vision for Enhancing Naturalized Water Retention in Manitoba}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-11/enhancing-naturalized-water-retention-manitoba-strategic-vision.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }