North Dakota’s approval of a permit for a massive dairy farming operation near the Red River is ringing alarm bells for environmental groups in Manitoba who say it poses a threat to an already-beleaguered Lake Winnipeg.

Their primary concern is manure runoff making its way into the Red River, which flows northward from North Dakota towards Winnipeg, before emptying into Lake Winnipeg. There, the phosphorus-rich waste product would contribute to further growth of the blue-green algae that’s already choking oxygen out of the lake — affecting fish stocks, water quality and Manitobans’ enjoyment of its beaches.

Herberg Dairy, which is set to house 25,000 cows, received approval from North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality on Sept. 24. That farm would be in addition to a second dairy

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