Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park Draft Management Plan
Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park Draft Management Plan Table of Contents 1. Introduction... 3 2. Background... 3 3. Planning context... 5 4. Working together... 6 5. Managing recreational activities... 7 6. Interpretation... 8 7. Managing resource activities... 9 8. Research to direct future management... 12 9. Implementation... 13 10. Bibliography... 14 Map 1. Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park... 4 Map 2. Conventional watershed of Little Limestone Lake... 11 Appendix 1... 15 Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship Parks and Natural Areas Branch Draft: Summer 2012
Draft Management Plan 3 Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park Little Limestone is a marl lake, best known for its characteristic trait of changing colour as its water warms in the summer. Much of the water flowing into Little Limestone Lake flows underground where it dissolves calcite which is one of the main components of limestone. When the water in the lake warms up the calcite comes out of solution and calcite crystals are suspended in the water. These crystals give the lake its robin s egg blue or milky white colour. When the water cools the calcite is again dissolved in the water making it clear. Because Little Limestone Lake is uniformly shallow, it warms evenly making the colour change more uniform and intense than in many other marl lakes. 1. Introduction The Provincial Parks Act (1993) requires that a management plan be prepared for each provincial park. Management plans establish long-term direction for parks and deal with issues pertaining to resource protection, use and development of the park. 2. Background Little Limestone Lake is located in the karst eology landscape north of Grand Rapids that features sinkholes, caves and other features that have been shaped by the dissolving action of water on the limestone bedrock. Little Limestone Lake is on the west side of Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 6 about 50 kilometres north of Grand Rapids. Mosakahiken Cree Nation has a reserve (Moose Lake 31J) along most of the eastern shore of the lake. It is occasionally used as a rest stop along the highway and an access point to the lake for sport fishing by local people. Some sport and subsistence hunting may occur in the park as well. Acknowledging their mutual interests to protect Little Limestone Lake, Manitoba and Mosakahiken Cree Nation worked co-operatively to establish Little Limestone Lake Park Reserve on July 19, 2007. It was renewed for a five year period on January 19, 2008.
4 Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park The area was designated a provincial park on June 7, 2011. A Memorandum of Understanding (Appendix 1, see page 15) between Manitoba and Mosakahiken Cree Nation confirmed their mutual interests in protecting the lake. The co-operation of the mining industry made protection of the entire lake possible by allowing for the re-alignment of existing mining claims that were under and adjacent to the lake. The park is 4,810 hectares. It includes the lake, a small adjoining pond to the southwest, the islands in the lake and a 100 metre wide strip of land along the shore, not including the Moose Lake Indian Reserve on the east shore (Map 1). Aboriginal and treaty rights continue, unaffected by the creation of the park. Map 1. Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park
Draft Management Plan 5 3. Planning context Little Limestone Lake is designated under The Provincial Parks Act as a Natural Park with a Backcountry Land Use Category. As a Natural Park, its purpose is to preserve landscapes within the mid boreal lowlands portion of the Manitoba Lowlands Natural Region of Manitoba. The Backcountry Land Use Category provides legal protection to the entire park, prohibiting commercial logging, mining or the development of oil, petroleum, natural gas or hydro-electric power. The Moose Lake Resource Management Board (RMB) was created through the Mosakahiken Comprehensive Forebay Agreement that was ratified February 28th, 2008. The board has responsibility for land use planning in the Resource Management Area, which includes Little Limestone Lake. This planning may involve: This management plan is considered a Land Use Plan in the context of the Resource Management Board. The designation of Little Limestone Lake as a Provincial Park provides the Resource Management Board with additional administrative and regulatory tools to use in managing the lake. Mosakahiken Cree Nation holds reserve lands at Little Limestone Lake as Moose Lake Indian Reserve 31J. This reserve of 568.1 hectares lies on the eastern side of Little Limestone Lake and encompasses all the land between the lake and PTH 6. It was selected under the Grand Rapids Forebay Agreement. (a) zoning lands (b) prescribing areas of land or bodies of water for purposes of regulating use and activities thereon (c) prescribing and regulating land uses (d) establishing administrative arrangements for the construction or occupation of cabins or shelters (e) recognizing and preserving areas of ecological, cultural or historical significance (f) resolving conflicting uses of land (g) proposing a role for the Moose Lake Resource Management Board in the implementation of a Land Use Plan This management plan acknowledges and respects the exercising of treaty and Aboriginal rights in the park.
6 Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park 4. Working together Through the process of designating Little Limestone Lake as a provincial park, both Mosakahiken Cree Nation and Manitoba envisioned a joint management regime for the provincial park. Such co-operation is important in that the eastern shore of the lake is Moose Lake Indian Reserve land while the remainder of the lake is provincial park land. Joint management approaches are necessary to ensure the ecological integrity of the land and the effective management of activities there. Citizens of Grand Rapids and the public at large are common users of the lake. It will be important to ensure they are informed of management activities that might affect how they use the lake. The commonly used access to Little Limestone Lake is on two trails from PTH 6 across the Moose Lake Indian Reserve Land. These trails pre-date the designation of both the park and the Indian Reserve land. Objective: To ensure that Manitoba and Mosakahiken Cree Nation will work separately and jointly to manage Little Limestone Lake while respecting and maintaining their separate jurisdictions and their joint jurisdiction through the Resource Management Board (RMB). Key actions: 1. Consistent with the Mosakahiken Comprehensive Forebay Agreement, the Moose Lake Resource Management Board and Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship, through the Regional Park Superintendent, will co-operate on the implementation of this plan and other matters pertaining to the park. This may include protecting, conserving and enhancing resources in the park, prescribing and monitoring levels of park use and its resources, health and safety considerations, enforcement considerations, resolving conflicts relating to use of resources, and activities adjacent to the park which may have an effect on the park. They may also advise on conducting consultations in respect to any of the above topics, with special consideration to informing and involving users of Little Limestone Lake. Where items need to be referred to the Minister and to Chief and Council the process as outlined in Section 13.9 of the Comprehensive Forebay Agreement shall be used. 2. Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship will encourage Mosakahiken Cree Nation to continue to allow public access to Little Limestone Lake across Indian Reserve land. Mosakahiken Cree Nation may seek advice and support from the RMB on appropriate methods to manage and monitor this use.
Draft Management Plan 7 5. Managing recreational activities Little Limestone Lake has potential to be a well known tourism attraction. Mosakahiken Cree Nation recognized this early on when it selected lands for reserve status on the east side of the lake. Its long term intention is to develop appropriate recreational facilities on the Indian Reserve lands as an economic development opportunity for the Cree Nation. Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park can ideally serve as the backdrop to the development on the reserve land. Mosakahiken Cree Nation intends to ensure that all developments on its Reserve lands will be designed and operated in a low environmental impact, sustainable manner that respects the priority of maintaining the lake s ecological health. Currently, visitors to Little Limestone Lake access the lake across the Indian Reserve land and may camp there or on remote points on the lake s shoreline. No camping facilities exist at either location. Some of the sites used for access and camping have suffered from the accumulation of garbage and general deterioration of the sites.
8 Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park There is one recreational cabin on an island in the lake. Two derelict cabins exist on the lake shore, one of which has a valid permit. Another cabin on the Indian Reserve land on the east shore may be used in conjunction with the commercial fishery on the lake. Objective: To manage recreational activities and developments to help ensure that no harm is done to the ecological integrity and hydrogeological integrity of the lake; that visitors to the lake have an enjoyable and meaningful recreational experience; and that Mosakahiken Cree Nation is able to realize economic opportunities from recreational use of the lake. Key Actions: 1. No recreational facilities will be developed in the park. The development of remote campsites may be considered in the future should Mosakahiken Cree Nation develop a recreational facility on the Indian Reserve land which may provide a management presence for such campsites. 2. Camping in the park may be allowed through special park permits. 3. Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship will work with Mosakahiken Cree Nation and others (ex: Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation, and Manitoba Hydro) to minimize impacts on the natural aesthetic values of the lake, its viewshed and adjacent lands. 5. No new cabins will be permitted in the park. The existing recreational cabin will continue to be permitted but no re-assignment of the cabin will be permitted. Manitoba will negotiate the purchase of the cabin should the current permittee no longer require the cabin. The cabin would subsequently be removed. 6. Interpretation Little Limestone Lake exhibits outstanding features that will be of interest to visitors to the lake, local citizens and the public at large. By helping people become more aware of and understand the special qualities of the lake, visitors will be able to better enjoy the lake and avoid inadvertently impacting its sensitive features. Objective: To inform park visitors, local citizens, and the general public of the unique qualities of Little Limestone Lake with the intent of assisting people to have a better understanding of the lake, to enhance their visits to the lake, and to encourage their thoughtful and respectful use of the lake. 4. Should Mosakahiken Cree Nation consider developing a recreational facility on the Indian Reserve lands, Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship, and Manitoba Culture Heritage and Tourism shall assist Mosakahiken Cree Nation by providing guidance and advice on the planning, design, operation and maintenance of such a facility, as well as any associated interpretive programming.
Draft Management Plan 9 Key Actions: 1. Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship will develop interpretive support material to inform people of the special qualities of the lake and the need to protect the lake. This information will be available primarily online. Special attention will be given to developing products which can be used in schools. On-site interpretive products may be developed for installation at a recreational site that might be developed by Mosakahiken Cree Nation on the Indian Reserve land. 2. Mosakahiken Cree Nation will consider Little Limestone Lake as a location for selected events in its youth programs, to help youth develop an understanding of the special qualities of the lake and a greater knowledge of the Cree Nation s traditional territory. 7. Managing resource activities Managing the lake s surface watershed and its groundwater watershed will be important to maintain the ecological integrity of the lake. The watersheds of Little Limestone Lake, particularly in relation to groundwater, are not well understood and it is possible that certain activities distant from the lake may have potential to impact the waters of the lake. There are a number of developments and resource activities at or near Little Limestone Lake, some of which may have the potential to affect the lake s natural features. Little Limestone Lake overlies the Thompson Nickel Belt, which is an area of rich mineralization. Mining companies have been exploring for minerals in the area near Little Limestone Lake for many years. Some of the exploration has shown potentially rich deposits although the extent of the deposits is uncertain. Little Limestone Lake lies entirely within Tolko s Forest Management License. Moose Lake Loggers do some harvesting in the area. Logging is not permitted within 100 metres of waterbodies such as Little Limestone Lake and is not permitted within the provincial park.
10 Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park PTH 6 runs parallel to the eastern shore of the lake. Some ditching along the highway could potentially direct water from the highway into Little Limestone Lake. A large inflow of water through ditches, or water contaminated with materials accidently spilled on the highway, could impact the water quality of the lake. There is a commercial fishery on the lake. A harvesting quota of 9,100 kg of walleye and whitefish has been regularly utilized since 1997. The commercial fishing operation is typically based at a cabin or access point on the Indian Reserve land. Debris from commercial fishing operations, such as abandoned nets, has the potential to negatively impact aesthetic and recreational values of Little Limestone Lake. There is one registered trapline that covers all of Little Limestone Lake. There are no cabins associated with this trapline within the park. Objective: To manage industrial and resource activities in and near the park in a way that will help maintain the ecological integrity and hydrogeological integrity of Little Limestone Lake. Key Actions: 1. Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship and the RMB will ensure that impacts on karst features are avoided or minimized. Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship s Forest Management Guidelines for Terrestrial Buffers will be applied to all industrial activities within the conventional watershed of the lake as shown on Map 2. Additional conditions may be considered where appropriate. 2. Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship will work with Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation to ensure that any road upgrading or drainage works on PTH 6 will not result in increased drainage, runoff or potential contaminants from the highway being directed to Little Limestone Lake. 3. Commercial fishing will continue in the park in accordance with licences and quotas as may be established by Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship. Commercial fishing operations on the lake will be monitored to ensure the natural and aesthetic values of the lake are not adversely impacted. 4. Trapping will be allowed to continue in the park in accordance with the Manitoba Fur Policy. Should there be requests for constructing trapper s cabins in the area, those requests will be directed to sites outside the park.
Draft Management Plan 11 Map 2. Conventional watershed of Little Limestone Lake William Lake Little Limestone Lake B Norway House RTS Moose Lake RTS 6 Grand Rapids RTS Legend Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park 4,810 hectares Classification: Natural Park Land Use Category (LUC): Backcountry ( ) B PTH 6 Roads Mosakahiken Cree Nation Reserve Parcel 31J Registered Trapline Sections (RTS) ± Conventional Watershed Boundary 0 0.5 1 2 3 Prepared by Manitoba Conservation Parks and Natural Areas Branch, May 2011 km (Adapted from Ford, 2010)
12 Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park 8. Research to direct future management There is much that is unknown about Little Limestone Lake and its unique marl phenomenon. More and better information about the lake can assist in making management decisions that will help to maintain its unique characteristics, avoid impacts and inform managers and the public. Research can also serve to inform future work on possible expansion of park boundaries to help maintain the ecological integrity of the lake. There are several agencies such as universities and government departments that could be potential partners for this research. Much of the research that could be conducted at Little Limestone Lake may be very technical in nature and may be particularly well suited for university researchers. Little Limestone Lake is globally unique in being the largest known marl lake in the world. It also has potentially the highest density of suspended particulates and greatest opacity of any marl lake in the world. These are the characteristics that give the lake its exceptional colours. These qualities suggest that Little Limestone Lake may be worthy of international recognition. Objective: To obtain information that will assist Manitoba, Mosakahiken Cree Nation and the RMB in managing the park, reserve lands, and adjacent lands to help maintain the ecological integrity and hydrogeological integrity of the lake. Key Actions: 1. Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship will work with Manitoba Innovation, Energy and Mines as well as local industry representatives to explore opportunities for expanding the boundaries of Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park, which include areas deemed critical to the ecological function of the lake and its watersheds. The process will utilize best available information for determining the state and extent of the lake s ecological function, including the findings as presented in the Final Report upon Field Studies and Review at Little Limestone Lake Park Reserve, September 2010 by Dr. Derek Ford. 2. Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship and the RMB will work with universities and others to research the water quality, groundwater watershed, marl phenomenon and other topics related to the lake with the intent to inform future management decisions. 3. Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship, in co-operation with Mosakahiken Cree Nation, will investigate the potential for designation of Little Limestone Lake as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Draft Management Plan 13 9. Implementation Implementation of this management plan will be a joint responsibility of Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship, Mosakahiken Cree Nation and the Moose Lake Resource Management Board. Regular communication amongst the three parties will be essential to ensure that Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park is managed effectively and in a way that responds to issues and to the needs of local people and park visitors. This management plan is to guide the work of Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship, Mosakahiken Cree Nation and the RMB on Little Limestone Lake over the next 10 to 15 years. In this context, the plan will be utilized and examined on an ongoing basis. A formal review of this plan should be undertaken every five years. Where an update or new direction on any matters described in this management plan may be needed, a process for publicly reviewing and updating the plan should be undertaken. To support this communication, Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship, through the RMB, should report annually to Chief and Council of Mosakahiken Cree Nation and to the Minister on management activities at Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park. In addition, the RMB should report to community members at least annually through RMB community meetings.
14 Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park 10. Bibliography Ford, Derek. Report upon Field Studies and Review at Little Limestone Lake Park Reserve, September 2010. Manitoba Conservation Parks and Natural Areas Branch and Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Manitoba Chapter. 2010. Manitoba Conservation. Forest Management Guidelines for Terrestrial Buffers. 2010
Draft Management Plan 15 Appendix 1