OTTAWA, ON and WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ – To proceed bettering water high quality in the Red River basin, together with downstream in Lake Winnipeg, the governments of Canada and the United States accredited 4 further water high quality aims to be monitored by the International Red River Watershed Board (IRRWB) following a advice by the International Joint Commission (IJC). These further, non-regulatory water high quality aims are for the key nutrients phosphorus and nitrogen.
Excessive nutrients reminiscent of phosphorus and nitrogen improve the frequency and severity of algal blooms, one of the largest water high quality challenges dealing with the Red River watershed and Lake Winnipeg.
The Red River travels north from its headwaters in Minnesota and South Dakota, throughout the worldwide boundary and flows downstream into Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba.
Establishing aims and targets for phosphorus and nitrogen ranges and masses in the Red River, together with the different water high quality aims, permits the IRRWB to determine adjustments in water high quality traits over time; important data to enhance water high quality and reduce the prevalence of harmful algal blooms in the basin.
Following work by federal, state and provincial companies, vital collaboration via the IRRWB and a quantity of IJC-funded research which instructed a good portion of these nutrients coming into Lake Winnipeg come from the Red River, the IJC made (in May 2020) the advice to governments that they approve these further nutrients aims and targets.
Individuals in the IRRWB’s work ought to go to their web site for extra data: ijc.org/en/rrb
Quotes
“I want to thank both governments for approving the IJC-recommended objectives for the Red River basin. The monitoring of phosphorus and nitrogen is key to limiting excess nutrients in the basin.”
Pierre Béland, Commissioner and Canadian Chair
“This is excellent news that will enable the International Red River Watershed Board to work with all our partners to improve water quality in the Red River basin. I welcome this decision and thank the Board for their continued commitment to ecosystem health in the basin.”
Rob Sisson, Commissioner and Acting United States Chair
Quick Facts
- The Red River basin occupies substantial parts of North Dakota, northwestern Minnesota, southern Manitoba and a really small portion of northeastern South Dakota. It covers 116,500 sq. kilometers or 45,000 sq. miles, excluding the Assiniboine River basin, which joins the Red River at Winnipeg.
- The concentrations, or particular ranges of whole phosphorus and nitrogen in the water, would finest be restricted to 0.15 milligrams per liter (0.15 components per million) and 1.15 mg/l (1.15 ppm), respectively. The loading targets (i.e. quantity of nutrients in the river passing by the worldwide boundary) are 1,400 tons/yr for phosphorus and 9,525 tons/yr for nitrogen.
- In addition to monitoring phosphorus and nitrogen ranges, 5 different water high quality aims have been beforehand established for the Red River and are monitored by the IRRWB. They are: Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Chloride (Cl), Sulphate (SO4), and E. coli.
- The IRRWB’s obligations are outlined in the Directive to the International Red River Watershed Board.
- The IJC is an unbiased physique established by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 to help the governments of Canada and the United States stop and resolve disputes over use of the waters shared by the two international locations. It formally designated the IRRWB as a global watershed board in August 2021.
Associated Links
SOURCE International Joint Commission
