Planning for the Future

Manitobans are experiencing warmer temperatures, severe wildfires, changing precipitation patterns, and more frequent floods and droughts. Without adaptation planning, watershed residents face greater risk to their property, livelihoods, and mental and physical health.

Watershed districts must consider how to incorporate climate adaptation in their management plans and programs to maintain the health of the watershed and the delivery of ecological, economic, and social benefits that residents enjoy and rely upon, all while facing an uncertain future.

In Manitoba there are 27 integrated watershed management planning areas, all responsible for water-related issues, water management programs, and finding a balance between ecosystem, community, and economic health. Each produces an integrated watershed management plan (IWMP) to act as a guiding document, which are periodically reviewed and updated. With the renewals, there is a great opportunity to incorporate more climate adaptation planning entry points in the process.

The guidebook is structured to incorporate climate adaptation planning into the existing IWMP processes by identifying entry points at different stages of the IWMP process.

This guidebook includes

• ways to help assess how anticipated impacts of climate change will affect the watershed and identify actions that will reduce the risk and severity of these impacts;
• ways to increase knowledge about climate change risks within watersheds and suggest how to build capacity to manage these risks;
• suggestions on how to ensure that investments in watersheds are appropriate to the changing climate in the long term;
• an easy-to-follow guide for using the Climate Atlas of Canada for accessing and interpreting climate data;
• five worksheets to help with adaptation planning; and
• an extensive list of helpful resources.