Industry and Agriculture
Much of the natural lands in the Lake Winnipeg watershed were once bogs, marshes, meadows and land that frequently flooded.
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People have altered many wetlands to allow for further land development. These alterations are usually in the form of ditches, dikes, and diversion channels. Draining wetlands has reduced our ability to store water, has altered natural systems, and has destroyed bird nesting and fish spawning grounds.
Using a lot of water
We use large amounts of water to make many of our goods, including:
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around 300 litres of water to produce 1 kilogram of paper
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about 1,000 litres of water to grow 1 kilogram of potatoes
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Good land-use planning is vital for new urban, agricultural, or industrial development. ​If not managed correctly, industries in the Lake Winnipeg watershed can use vast amounts of water and contribute to polluted runoff.
Ecosystems provide us with benefits such as: ​
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Filtering water
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Controlling erosion
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Easing flooding
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Wildlife habitats
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Absorbing carbon
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Reducing nutrients
We lose these benefits that ecosystems give us as people change natural landscapes. We must protect nature and begin to see its value.
Humans benefit from nature
Economic Impacts on Water
