Claire Herbert

Coordinator of the Canadian Watershed Information Network (formerly Lake Winnipeg Basin Information Network) The Canadian Watershed Information Network (CANWIN) is a web based open access data and information network created by Environment Canada as part of the Lake Winnipeg Basin Initiative under Canada’s Action Plan on clean water. It was created in order to help address key water quality issues within the lake and its contributing watersheds. In 2012 management of the network transferred to the University of Manitoba under CEOS. My research focus is on water quality in the other Manitoba Great Lakes; Lakes Manitoba, Winnipegosis and Waterhen. I am studying nutrient forcing of algal biomass and associated algal toxins. Chlorophyll, suspended solids and dissolved organic carbon data will be used for local calibration of coefficients in an algorithm currently used to map chlorophyll concentration in surface water on Lake Winnipeg. These methods can be used for early detection of algal blooms and identify potential sites where algal toxins may occur.