“Keeping Water on the Land” Assiniboine Hills Conservation District Works Towards “Keeping Water on the Land” Presentation by: Neil Zalluski Manager Assiniboine Hills Conservation District www.assiniboinehillscd.ca

Topics Covered: Where is the Assiniboine Hills Conservation District (AHCD) Programs that the AHCD offers to “Keep Water on the Land” Success stories from within AHCD Other projects that Conservation Districts have done in SW MB. Challenges faced with “Keeping Water of the Land”

The Assiniboine Hills Conservation District Encompasses: The RMs of Argyle, Strathcona, Riverside, Whitewater, Glenwood, Oakland, South Cypress, Cornwallis The Town of Souris The Villages of Glenboro, Wawanesa The City of Brandon - As part of our funding we offer a grant to upstream CDs; Upper Assiniboine, Little Saskatchewan River, Lake of The Prairies, West Souris River. With that said the Assiniboine Hills can also spend the money if we have an appropriate project that would help the Quality of Water within the Assiniboine River. - This is the second year we are offering such a grant and small dams are the types of projects that have a reduction in nutrients and sediments. To date we have helped fund 1 small dam with others being proposed this upcoming field season.

Programs Offered to Keep Water on the Land Small Dams Low Level Crossings Machinery Crossings The AHCD offers a small dam program where we help producers with constructing water retention areas. Low Level crossings is a program that the CD uses to help entice landowners to put in, water retention sites by offering a crossing as an incentive. Machinery Crossings similar to low level crossings but on a larger scale is another option that the AHCD can design to help with water storage.

Projects AHCD Completed 2012 1 Small Dam 2 Low Level Crossings This Photo is of a dam that was constructed by AHCD in 2012 field season. Dam – water retention site on the Elgin Creek South of Elgin, MB this site has the potential to hold back 100 acre feet. Spinoff for the project was a off site watering system and riparian fencing to keep the cattle out of the creek. The reliable water supply from the dam allowed the landowners to fence the creek off and place a watering system which helped reduce nutrient loading within the Elgin Creek and Elgin Reservoir. Low Level Crossing – One of our low level crossings hold back about 10 acre feet of water on a small tributary south-west of Souris, MB. This site is constructed on a small ravine that flows into the Souris River and allows the landowner a crossing to get from one side of his pasture to the other during spring and after rain events. The other Low Level Crossing this water retention site will hold back 20 acre feet of water and provide access for cattle to the other half of the pasture without having to walk in the water. These projects allow the CD to work with Landowners to better manage their operations and also help us meet our goals by reducing flood impacts and nutrient loading.

Highlights from the SW corner of the province from CD`s West Souris River – Small Dam West Souris River Conservation District – This project is on a gentle water run can hold 23 acre feet. The run empties into the Assiniboine River Approximately 3 miles from this site. Project benefits flood and nutrient reduction in the Assiniboine River.

Turtle Mountain Conservation District – Back Flood Project Weidenhamer Backflood Project Consulting with the company GENIVAR on a Water Needs Assessment and Surface Water Management Assessment study for the East Souris River Watershed identified the Weidenhamer Backflood project as a potential water storage area.    The study was partially funded by AESB, formerly known as PFRA at the time through the Canada-Manitoba Water Supply Expansion Program.  Through this program, assistance in support of agriculture needs is provided to strategic projects or studies that enhance the understanding and development of water resources in Manitoba’s rural areas. The backflood is located south of the Town of Deloraine on the Medora Creek.  The backflood’s main purpose is to provide a large temporary storage volume for flood protection for the Town of Deloraine and other downstream areas. Completed in the Fall of 2010. The Landowner decided to get involved in the project because he had seen the effects of the 2005 flood and that the water coming into Deloraine off the Turtle Mountains needed to be slowed down.  He says “The biggest problem is that all the natural upland water retention is gone.” The backflood has the capacity to temporarily store 300 acre-feet water.  The landowner has mentioned that the pasture came back after the flood and on a normal year he can see benefits to utilize the water for irrigation.  The town of Deloraine saw the benefits of the backflood during the 2011 flood.  TMCD does an average of 10-15 water storage projects including repairs each year. 

Challenges Faced By AHCD Prices of Cultivated Land Increased Drainage Challenges Faced by AHCD when trying to promote keeping water on the land, no real secrets others have the same obstacles. Prices of cultivated land, prices of crops. Increase in drainage into creeks and ravines that have projects completed which results in blow outs due to the structures not being constructed to handle more flows.

Questions