The provincial government will distribute $1 million to 10 agricultural groups for projects designed to find better and more effective ways for farmers and ranchers to manage water on their lands.
The 10 stakeholder groups will work on 11 agricultural water management demonstration projects, which should help strengthen the operations of farmers, producers and ranchers in the future and help protect communities, infrastructure and the environment with drainage issues, a news release explained.
The ag and environmental communities will test compelling solutions and discover best practices to help producers manage water on their land and mitigate water quality and quantity effects downstream. Each organization is expected to bring a different perspective on water management and should contribute expertise in agronomic, environmental, infrastructure and economic areas, the news release added.
The province announced the initiative during an online news conference on July 20. The Water Security Agency (WSA) is spearheading this initiative — it will start this year — since it is responsible for drainage.
MLA Greg Ottenbreit, minster responsible for the WSA, explained this is a unique program that would strengthen the agricultural industry while protecting the environment. It would also ensure that the province listens to and learns from producers and hears their concerns after the WSA implemented a new drainage strategy a few years ago.
“The issues in Western Canada are different from the East,” he said. “That holds true with our province as well … . One size doesn’t fit all, so that’s why we needed to evolve our strategy.”
Some of the demonstration projects will test how farmers and ranchers can irrigate with water drained from fields. Other projects will strategically retain wetlands to reduce the downstream effects of flooding on infrastructure, water quality and habitat. Still, other projects will look at applying fertilizer in different ways to minimize nutrient runoff.
Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm near Langham will conduct a two-year study to assess the economic and environmental effects in draining agricultural land and figure out how to maximize agricultural productivity and reduce nutrient export in runoff water, Blake Weiseth, applied research lead at the Discovery Farm, explained during the news conference.
The organization will start the project this fall by constructing drainage works on 40 acres at the 640-acre (256-hectare) farm site west of Saskatoon. The construction will consolidate several small wetlands into a larger and more permanent wetland. The goal will be to optimize land productivity and design a drainage plan that meets regulatory requirements.
“This is a unique opportunity to collect background soil chemical and physical characteristics prior to construction so we can truly evaluate the impact of drainage and management practices on wetland soils,” he said, adding this demonstration will help producers reclaim marginally productive low-lying areas.
After construction, a field study will commence in spring 2021 to evaluate several management practices to reduce nutrient runoff, Weiseth continued. The two-year study will give producers the chance to see what it takes to receive regulatory approval for a drainage works, what obstacles might get in the way, and how their management practices could improve the economics and environmental conditions of soils prone to flooding.
Another outcome from these 11 projects is the province could develop a wetlands policy that is similar to Alberta and Manitoba, said former Saskatchewan ag minister Lyle Stewart. The province would like to establish a policy that is science-based and backed up with evidence.
Other bits of information from the news conference included:
• The water management demonstrations could shed light on issues that affect the Quill Lakes and how the province could address that problem
• The funding will help groups monitor the water situations, allow them to acquire essential data and even leverage other agricultural funding for further studies
• Glacier Farm expects to draw conclusions about drainage issues in spring 2024
• In evaluating the projects, the WSA will look at the effects of flooding and water quality on areas, while it will also study how endangered birds are affected
For more information about the agricultural water management strategy, visit www.wsask.ca.
