IBA	Whitewater Lake Boissevain, Manitoba
Site Summary
MB015	Latitude Longitude	49.247° N 100.301° W	Elevation Size	457 - 460 m 139.75 km²

Habitats: sedge/grass meadows, freshwater lake, inland saline lake, other urban/industrial areas	Land Use: Nature conservation and research, Hunting, Rangeland/pastureland, Tourism/recreation, Water management	Potential or ongoing Threats: Drought, Interactions with native species/disease
IBA Criteria: Globally Significant: Congregatory Species, Waterfowl Concentrations, Shorebird Concentrations, Continentally Significant: Congregatory Species, Nationally Significant: Congregatory Species, Wading Bird Concentrations
Conservation status: IBA Conservation Plan written/being written, Provincial Wildlife Management Area

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Site Description The Whitewater Lake catchment basin is located in the southwestern corner of Manitoba, north of Turtle Mountain Provincial Park. It is an alkaline lake that may contain no water for two or three years at a time during dry cycles; during normal years it covers 6,070 hectares, but can be as high as 10,320 hectares (and two metres deep) during years with increased run-off. In 2013, the lake reached record high water levels and probably exceeded 14,000 hectares. Over the past 100 years there have been several decades, such as the 1930s and 1980s, in which the lake was dry most of the time. Several small creeks drain into Whitewater Lake, but there is no major natural outlet. The flat terrain surrounding the lake is used for agricultural production. A small rare herbaceous plant, seaside heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum) that thrives in salty soil is found here. In 1989, Ducks Unlimited (DU) constructed a number of dykes in the east end of Whitewater Lake, creating basins that attempted to stabilize water levels for nesting and migrating waterfowl; these were largely destroyed by the high water of 2011 and 2013 The observation mound remains, but vehicle access is not possible. The northwest portion of the IBA includes an area of agricultural land with potholes and ephemeral wetlands that temporarily flood in high water years.

Birds Whitewater Lake IBA is a key area for waterfowl and shorebirds during both spring and fall migrations, and an important breeding area for several species. Periodically, when the lake levels are low, the largest shorebird concentrations in southern Manitoba occur on this lake, with up to 23,068 shorebirds observed in the spring of 1987. Even higher numbers were observed in the early 2000’s. Collections of shorebirds dead from botulism in 1998 revealed that Pectoral Sandpipers and Lesser Yellowlegs were the most common species present. Significant concentrations of shorebirds counted here includes: White-rumped Sandpiper (10,000, spring 1988), Pectoral Sandpiper (2,500, August 2014); Short-billed Dowitcher (4,175, August 2016), Long-billed Dowitcher (2,196, August 2017); Buff-breasted Sandpiper (67, August 2015); American Avocet (3,279, August 2016); Stilt Sandpiper (985, August 2017); Least Sandpiper (1,250, August 2007) and; Semipalmated Sandpiper (1,800, June 1985). Various waterbirds nest here in significant numbers. Franklins Gulls nest here in globally significant numbers; an Environment and Climate Change Canada survey in 2007 estimated that over 184,000 Franklin’s Gulls were present in multiple colonies on the lake, more than 18% of the estimated global population. 2,739 Eared Grebes were nesting during the same survey. In August 2017, 4,098 Western Grebes were counted on a single day in August. Eighty-five pairs of Black-crowned Night Herons have been recorded here as do good concentrations of other long-legged wading birds, including White-faced Ibis, Great Egret, Cattle Egret and Snowy Egret. Over 80,000 swallows have been recorded in the IBA during fall migration. Up to a quarter of a million geese and ducks have been recorded at Whitewater Lake during fall migration. Many of these birds were Snow Geese, while many others were migrating ducks of several species. Also, up to 2,000 Tundra Swans have been recorded in November; this is about 1% of the North American population of the species. The lake is also used by several geese species, coots and ducks as a spring staging area. A total of 1,691 American White Pelicans were counted in August 2016.

Criteria Version: Current Original (circa 2000) Date Range: All Pre-2000 Post-2000 Last 10 Years Display: Summary Details IBA Criteria Species↓ T | A | I Number Year Month Day Season A4i/ii B4i/ii/iii A1 B1 C1 Reference American White Pelican 1,553 2016 8 7 FA 1,800 1,800 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol American White Pelican 1,691 2016 8 7 FA 1,800 1,800 eBird Canada Buff-breasted Sandpiper 67 2015 8 20 FA 560 300 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Franklin's Gull 40,000 2003 6 7 SU 9,800 9,800 eBird Canada Franklin's Gull 80,000 2006 6 5 SU 9,800 9,800 eBird Canada Franklin's Gull 10,000 2010 6 3 SU 9,800 9,800 eBird Canada Franklin's Gull 7,500 2017 5 21 SP 9,800 9,800 eBird Canada Franklin's Gull 9,061 2017 5 21 SP 9,800 9,800 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Loggerhead Shrike 2 2002 5 18 SP 42,000 37,000 1 eBird Canada Loggerhead Shrike 2 2004 5 23 SP 42,000 37,000 1 eBird Canada Loggerhead Shrike 1 2005 6 23 SU 42,000 37,000 1 eBird Canada Loggerhead Shrike 1 2006 6 5 SU 42,000 37,000 1 eBird Canada Loggerhead Shrike 1 2006 6 10 SU 42,000 37,000 1 eBird Canada Loggerhead Shrike 1 2006 6 17 SU 42,000 37,000 1 eBird Canada Loggerhead Shrike 1 2006 8 4 FA 42,000 37,000 1 eBird Canada Loggerhead Shrike 1 2007 5 24 SP 42,000 37,000 1 eBird Canada Loggerhead Shrike 1 2008 8 3 FA 42,000 37,000 1 eBird Canada Loggerhead Shrike 1 2010 6 1 SU 42,000 37,000 1 eBird Canada Loggerhead Shrike 1 2019 7 21 SU 42,000 37,000 1 eBird Canada Loggerhead Shrike 2 2020 9 12 FA 42,000 37,000 1 eBird Canada Long-billed Dowitcher 10,000 1999 9 20 FA 1,600 1,600 eBird Canada Long-billed Dowitcher 2,500 2000 8 18 FA 1,600 1,600 eBird Canada Long-billed Dowitcher 5,000 2000 10 11 FA 1,600 1,600 eBird Canada Long-billed Dowitcher 2,000 2000 10 12 FA 1,600 1,600 eBird Canada Long-billed Dowitcher 2,500 2008 8 3 FA 1,600 1,600 eBird Canada Long-billed Dowitcher 1,500 2009 8 10 FA 1,600 1,600 eBird Canada Long-billed Dowitcher 2,061 2017 8 27 FA 1,600 1,600 eBird Canada Long-billed Dowitcher 2,196 2017 8 27 FA 1,600 1,600 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Long-billed Dowitcher 1,440 2018 7 29 SU 1,600 1,600 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Long-billed Dowitcher 2,300 2018 9 17 FA 1,600 1,600 eBird Canada Long-billed Dowitcher 5,000 2018 10 11 FA 1,600 1,600 eBird Canada Pectoral Sandpiper 500 2000 10 11 FA 625 625 eBird Canada Pectoral Sandpiper 750 2000 10 12 FA 625 625 eBird Canada Pectoral Sandpiper 2,500 2014 8 16 FA 625 625 eBird Canada Pectoral Sandpiper 1,500 2014 8 20 FA 625 625 eBird Canada Pectoral Sandpiper 500 2015 5 3 SP 625 625 eBird Canada Pectoral Sandpiper 800 2015 5 3 SP 625 625 eBird Canada Pectoral Sandpiper 930 2016 8 2 FA 625 625 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Pectoral Sandpiper 604 2016 8 7 FA 625 625 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Pectoral Sandpiper 629 2016 8 7 FA 625 625 eBird Canada Pectoral Sandpiper 500 2018 9 17 FA 625 625 eBird Canada Pectoral Sandpiper 594 2019 7 28 SU 625 625 eBird Canada Rusty Blackbird 185 2018 10 10 FA 11,000 11,000 30 30 7,552 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Sandhill Crane 120,000 2003 9 10 FA 5,300 5,300 eBird Canada Short-billed Dowitcher 2,461 2015 8 2 FA 1,500 1,500 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Short-billed Dowitcher 1,500 2015 9 2 FA 1,500 1,500 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Short-billed Dowitcher 4,175 2016 8 2 FA 1,500 1,500 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Short-billed Dowitcher 1,400 2016 8 7 FA 1,500 1,500 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Short-billed Dowitcher 1,594 2016 8 7 FA 1,500 1,500 eBird Canada Short-billed Dowitcher 4,416 2017 8 6 FA 1,500 1,500 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Short-billed Dowitcher 1,200 2020 7 13 SU 1,500 1,500 eBird Canada Snow Goose 59,214 1974 10 8 FA 75,600 75,600 Beacham & Brace 1975 Snow Goose 200,000 1982 12 9 WI 75,600 75,600 Sexton 1983 Snow Goose 250,000 2001 10 20 FA 75,600 75,600 eBird Canada Snow Goose 200,000 2010 10 17 FA 75,600 75,600 eBird Canada Sprague's Pipit 30 2008 8 3 FA 9,000 9,000 30 30 7,500 eBird Canada Tundra Swan 2,000 1982 11 5 FA 3,000 1,900 Sexton 1983 Tundra Swan 2,000 2001 10 20 FA 3,000 1,900 eBird Canada Tundra Swan 7,500 2002 10 7 FA 3,000 1,900 eBird Canada Tundra Swan 6,000 2002 10 9 FA 3,000 1,900 eBird Canada Tundra Swan 1,640 2016 11 14 FA 3,000 1,900 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Waterbirds 30,000 1949 OT 20,000 Sexton 1983 Waterbirds 250,000 1995 FA 20,000 Waterbirds 116,540 1996 OT 20,000 Sexton 1983 Western Grebe 1,935 2016 8 7 FA 1,300 1,200 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Western Grebe 2,080 2016 8 7 FA 1,300 1,200 eBird Canada Western Grebe 1,004 2017 5 21 SP 1,300 1,200 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Western Grebe 1,000 2017 8 5 FA 1,300 1,200 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Western Grebe 1,878 2017 8 6 FA 1,300 1,200 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol Western Grebe 1,900 2017 8 6 FA 1,300 1,200 eBird Canada Western Grebe 1,675 2017 8 27 FA 1,300 1,200 eBird Canada Western Grebe 2,050 2017 8 27 FA 1,300 1,200 eBird Canada:IBA Protocol White-rumped Sandpiper 10,000 1988 SP 11,200 11,200 Morrison et al. 1995 Note: species shown in bold indicate that the maximum number exceeds at least one of the IBA thresholds (sub-regional, regional or global). The site may still not qualify for that level of IBA if the maximum number reflects an exceptional or historical occurrence.

Conservation Issues Whitewater Lake is susceptible to botulism outbreaks, such as in 1996 when an outbreak killed about 116,000 waterfowl and other waterbirds; Ducks Unlimited and other agencies have attempted to solve this problem. Ducks Unlimited also constructed a number of dykes to create enclosed cells and, because of this, the lake was less susceptible to drought. The droughts of past years that occurred may have been the reason behind the numbers of nesting birds in the surrounding ponds. However, the exceptionally high-water levels experienced more recently resulted in the DU dykes bursting in many places and the system of cells are no longer functioning. The lake itself is designated a Wildlife Management Area under provincial regulations, so it is afforded a measure of protection. Beyond the lake, the grazing of geese in agricultural fields is of some concern to local farmers. Some farmers would like to have an outlet for the lake established and following the record high water levels between 2013 and 2016, the pressure to establish this has increased. Stabilisation of water levels has been responsible for loss of emergent vegetation in other major Manitoban wetlands and therefore such a development might have major implications for the significant congregations of migrating and breeding birds at Whitewater Lake. DU, Manitoba Sustainable Development and the Turtle Mountain Conservation District previously developed several viewing sites around the lake but these were washed away following record high water levels. There are a number of locations where the birds of Whitewater Lake can be viewed, primarily along road allowances.

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The IBA Program is an international conservation initiative coordinated by BirdLife International. The Canadian co-partners for the IBA Program are Birds Canada and Nature Canada.