Clear Lake Cabin Association

Riding Mountain National Park AID Update
Hello CLCA members, please see the latest update from Tom Sheldon Superintendent, Riding Mountain Field Unit – Parks Canada on AIS monitoring in Clear Lake and throughout Riding Mountain National Park. It also provides an overview of next steps toward a decision on watercraft use for 2026.

Terry Botterill
President Clear Lake Cabin Association

From Tom:
I am reaching out to share an update on aquatic invasive species (AIS) monitoring in Riding Mountain National Park and outline the next steps toward a decision on watercraft management for 2026.

This year, we detected the first veliger (zebra mussel larvae) in Clear Lake, along with two adult zebra mussels and approximately 15 juveniles.

Elsewhere in Riding Mountain National Park, there has been no detection of zebra mussels or any other AIS in outlying lakes in the park, such as Lake Katherine, Grayling Lake, Moon Lake, Lake Audy, Whirlpool Lake, Bob Hill Lake, or Deep Lake. This is a testament to the efforts of many, including the public.

Additional details, including a map and table of zebra mussel monitoring results for 2025, are available on our website:

https://parks.canada.ca/faq-ais

We continue to work closely with Manitoba’s AIS team to prevent zebra mussels from spreading beyond the park, and internally to prevent the spread to outlying lakes. This includes boat inspections, decontamination, and monitoring of Wasamin Creek. This year alone, our team inspected 7,561 non-motorized watercraft and decontaminated over 800 before they entered the water.

When considering decisions about potential watercraft use on Clear Lake and other lakes in Riding Mountain National Park for the 2026 season, among other items, we will consider:

Monitoring results from this and previous years
A third-party review of the impacts of motorized watercraft on inland lakes
Feedback from phase 1 of the Riding Mountain National Park management planning process
Consultation with Section 35 rights holders and input from stakeholders

Parks Canada is targeting February 2026 for a decision.

WASAGAMING, MB, September 23, 2025 – Construction work to repair and upgrade the Boreal Trail in Riding Mountain National Park is now complete. The work was undertaken to address damage caused by severe weather events in the spring and summer of 2022. Trail upgrades enhance this iconic visitor offer, making it safer, more reliable, and more accessible for a wide range of park guests. The Boreal Trail is now open and ready to welcome visitors this fall.

Key improvements include:

A new trailhead and interpretive signage, developed in collaboration with Anishinaabe Elders, offering cultural insights to enrich the visitor experience
Removal of damaged infrastructure
Rebuilding of the trail tread
Installation of new boardwalks and bridges
Improved drainage systems
Landscaping to support accessibility and long-term sustainability

Parks Canada thanks visitors and community members for their patience during construction and celebrates the completion of this important project.

Business Licence Listing for Distribution – August 29, 2025

And here’s the latest news on the AIS situation…

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WASAGAMING, MB, September 9, 2024 – The containment curtain installed in Clear Lake at Riding Mountain National Park in early August will be removed. The curtain isolated an area of the lake where living zebra mussels were found in November 2023 and July 2024. The curtain was damaged and is no longer an effective means of containment and cannot be repaired or replaced this fall. The private contractor that provided and installed the curtain will be responsible for its removal.

For the remainder of the 2024 open water season, Parks Canada will continue intensive monitoring for environmental DNA (eDNA), veligers, and evidence of live zebra mussels in Clear Lake. This monitoring will continue until ice forms and will help determine whether plans for a potential eradication or control treatment are feasible. Potash is a molluscicide approved for use by Health Canada.

The temporary watercraft management measures for Clear Lake remain in place and Boat Cove remains closed to public access.

Parks Canada is a recognized leader in conservation and takes actions to protect national parks and national marine conservation areas while contributing to the prevention and mitigation of the spread of aquatic invasive species. ParksCanada will continue to work with partners, stakeholders, and other jurisdictions to ensure that decisions surrounding the next steps are made using the best possible evidence.

Parks Canada thanks the community and local First Nations for their ongoing support for the aquatic invasive species program in Riding Mountain National Park and thanks everybody for the commitment to working together to attempt to further identify and mitigate the impacts of zebra mussels in Clear Lake.

The Information Bulletin can be found online here: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/mb/riding/securite-safety/bulletins/2d0a7f45-528c-4532-83b1-29b48ea23231

Business Licence Listing for Distribution – May 31, 2024 Active List