BRANDON, Man. – Manitoba’s farm lobby group wants conservation districts to take the lead in managing drainage and water use in the province.
Les Felsch, with Keystone Agricultural Producers, said the group believes there should be “a co-operative approach” to the often thorny issue of drainage.
The districts should be re-named as watershed management districts and should create 20-year plans for the area, said Felsch.
The district board, public and provincial government should review the plan every four years.
The board would approve and license drainage projects from farmers, municipalities, railways and groups like Ducks Unlimited.
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With a strong plan, local involvement and a broadly structured board, enforcing draining rules shouldn’t be difficult, said KAP.
But the group also recommends an appeal process for board decisions through the natural resources department.
Five conservation districts already have drainage in their mandate. But others seem reluctant to take on the responsibility and several farmers aren’t in favor of the proposal, said Felsch.
“Those are people who are only concerned with what’s happening on their farm, not their impact on others,” he said.
