Manitoba Hydro Mega Projects of the 1960's and 1970's, carried out with the approval of government, proved to be devastating to the northern Cree in Manitoba. The Mega Projects were imposed without the consent of the northern Cree, and environmental laws and regulations were either nonexistent or in their infancy (as they were throughout most of North America). Processes that would be followed today were not then in place.

The Mega Projects involved two major engineering works, designed to enhance the water flows down the lower Nelson River where generating stations would be developed. One was Lake Winnipeg Regulation and the other, Churchill River Diversion.

A map of northern Manitoba shows the works discussed below.


Lake Winnipeg Regulation

The waters in southern Manitoba flow north into Lake Winnipeg and from the north end of Lake Winnipeg north along the Nelson River, eventually into Hudson Bay. The idea behind Lake Winnipeg Regulation was to place a control structure, Jenpeg at the north end of Lake Winnipeg and use Lake Winnipeg as a reservoir, controlling flows from Lake Winnipeg into the Nelson River. Flows were not allowed to exit the lake as they did in nature, and sufficient water was held back through the summer and into the fall, so that there would be waters that could be released into the lower Nelson River, further north, during winter months when electricity demand is high.

Click here for a technical summary of Lake Winnipeg Regulation by Manitoba Hydro (opens a new browser window).


Churchill River Diversion

Another part of Manitoba Hydro's Mega Projects was a plan to divert waters of the Churchill River which flowed from western provinces in an easterly direction through northern Manitoba into Hudson Bay. A control structure was placed at Missi blocking as much as approximately 85% of the Churchill River flow, and diverting that flow of the river (approximately 30,000 cubic feet per second) into South Indian Lake, which would act as a reservoir (significantly raising levels), and then, through a man-made channel, diverting the Churchill River waters for the first time in a southerly direction into a different river system. A control structure at Notigi would control the flow of these waters which, at the desired time, would be released and flow through the Burntwood River system into the Nelson River. The Churchill River diverted waters, and the Lake Winnipeg regulated waters, meet at Split Lake.

Split Lake Cree (Tataskweyak) saw waters on Split Lake rise as waters from both Lake Winnipeg Regulation and Churchill River Diversion entered Split Lake. Water flows increased by a factor of 8 to 10 times normal flows. Split Lake Cree (Tataskweyak) suffered shoreline erosion and turbid water at Split Lake.

Both Lake Winnipeg Regulation and Churchill River Diversion were operational by 1976 after several years of construction. Five First Nations (tribes), namely Split Lake Cree (Tataskweyak), Cross Lake Cree (Pimicikamak), Nelson House Cree (Nisichawaysihk), Norway House Cree Nation (Kinasaso Sipi) and York Factory First Nation (Kitche-Waskahigan) all suffered damage. All saw changes to their waterways, turbidity and debris in their water, loss of wildlife and fish, changes in wildlife patterns, changes in flows and behavior of water, loss of fishing and trapping, and disruption to travel routes and patterns throughout their territories. All five First Nations collectively negotiated with the Governments of Canada, Manitoba and with Manitoba Hydro to enter into the Northern Flood Agreement, in order to address the adverse effects of the Mega Projects, known and unknown, seen and unforeseen, as well as other matters related to the Mega Projects. The Northern Flood Agreement was signed in 1977.

Click here for a technical summary of the Churchill River Diversion by Manitoba Hydro (opens a new browser window).

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