Manitoba Hydrometric Program

Surface water (hydrometric) monitoring is the measuring of water levels on lakes and water levels and flow rates on rivers. In Manitoba, hydrometric monitoring is carried out by Manitoba Infrastructure, Manitoba Hydro, and Water Survey of Canada.

Manitoba Infrastructure runs its own Hydrometric Program for water monitoring. Manitoba Infrastructure also cost shares the Manitoba portion of the National Hydrometric Program with Manitoba Hydro and Water Survey of Canada.

Surface water monitoring data collected by these programs is available to the public and is used by a wide variety stakeholders. Applications of surface water monitoring data include:

  • Flood forecasting
  • Drought monitoring
  • Power generation
  • Agriculture
  • Water control structure operation
  • Environmental and climate change monitoring
  • Infrastructure design
  • Flood hazard assessment and mitigation
  • Economic development
  • Watershed Planning
  • Regional hydrology
  • Statutory obligations and agreements
  • Regulatory requirements
  • Recreation

Manitoba Infrastructure Hydrometric Network

Manitoba Infrastructure owns, operates and maintains a network of approximately 150 water level monitoring stations across the province. Approximately 70 of these stations are maintained and operated to the standards of the National Hydrometric Program and the data from these stations is published to the National Water Data Archive (HYDAT). Data from the approximately 80 remaining stations is available upon request from Manitoba Infrastructure (mb.hydrometric@gov.mb.ca)

National Hydrometric Network

The Manitoba portion of the National Hydrometric Program consists of 230 water monitoring stations. The stations are managed under the Canada-Manitoba Agreement on Hydrometric Monitoring and are cost shared between Manitoba Infrastructure, the Water Survey of Canada, and Manitoba Hydro. Manitoba Infrastructure pays a share of the cost for managing approximately 140 of the 230 stations.

The Agreement on Hydrometric Monitoring provides the framework for the following:

  • A cooperative approach to water resource assessment
  • Consistent national standards
  • Accessible data across the country
  • Extensive consultations on the need for and use of data from each station
  • Costs shared according to need
  • Exchanges of information and expertise

Cost share ratios for water monitoring stations are based on jurisdictional responsibilities related to those stations.Water monitoring data collected under the National Hydrometric Program is publically available in the National Water Data Archive (HYDAT) and on the Government of Canada Water Office website.

Cost share agreements for hydrometric monitoring are in place for every province and territory in Canada with the exception of Prince Edward Island. For more information on the Federal-Provincial/Territorial cost share agreements, please visit their website.

Map of Active Hydrometric Stations (PDF, 500 KB)

List of Active Hydrometric Stations (PDF, 80 KB)