The Saskatchewan government has recognized the Lower Souris Watershed Committee for its efforts to protect water resources in the southeastern part of the province.
The group received the 2013 Council of the Federation-Excellence in Water Stewardship Award last week, which is presented to an organization in each province and territory.
The Lower Souris committee was recognized for strong leadership and innovation in implementing its source water protection plan. It was the first in the province to develop an agri-environmental group plan focused on source water protection.
Read Also
Volunteers help exotic animal farm rebuild
Exotic animal farm loses beloved camel and pony to huge hail storm that gripped the Brooks, Alta. area as a community member starts a fundraiser to help the family recover from the financial and emotional damage.
That work led to investments of $2.5 million in beneficial management practices within the watershed and served as a model for 27 additional group plans.
Watershed co-ordinator Sheldon Kyle estimated 70 percent of the agricultural producers in the watershed area have participated in the group plan.
The area includes the Pipestone Creek, Four Creeks and Antler Creek areas and the communities of Kipling, Moosomin, Redvers, Carnduff and Gainsborough.
Kyle said the group plan began after a green cover program proved successful. It decided to see if it could deliver environmental farm plans through a concentrated effort of producers.
“We did a scan of the area and of the producers and said, ‘what are the BMPs that we think will have the largest environmental impact,’ ” he said.
“It came up that anything related to ground water or surface water quality were the BMPs that people wanted to address as a group.”
Kyle said producers like the group aspect because they don’t have to go through individual farm plans. They can sit down with watershed staff, complete a self-assessment and then apply for funding for specific projects.
He said last week’s Growing Forward 2 programming announcement included changes to the BMPs that will be funded for the next five years.
GPS guidance systems, portable windbreaks and some cross fencing have been eliminated. Precision farming BMPs will also be eligible.
