Water Security Agency workshops help producers plan water management projects

The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency (WSA) is offering free workshops called AgH2Onward to help introduce Sask. farmers and ranchers to the province’s Agricultural Water Management Strategy.

The AgH2Onward workshops take half a day to explore the process and benefits of obtaining drainage approvals and using modern techniques to manage the water on their land.

“Everybody who’s taken AgH2Onward, the response is always extremely positive,” said Julie Mackenzie, the WSA’s AgH2Onward co-ordinator. “We’ve spread the workshops out throughout the year, and we’re getting good turnout online and we think they’re just going to keep gaining in popularity.”

This will be the second consecutive year the WSA is hosting the workshops. The course covers various types of water management practices such as surface ditches, tile drainage and wetland consolidation, completing a network project with neighbouring landowners, and how to find a qualified expert who can assist landowners through the processes.

“There’s a sweet spot for AgH2Onward where, yes, we have productivity increases, and we’re buffering against some of the extreme weathers we have, but we’re also making sure participants know the legislation and know the (Agricultural Water Management Strategy),” Mackenzie explained.

“The workshop encompasses all of that, and ties it all together, because it’s really important to have the right policies and strategies out there to support productivity and also to support good water stewardship.”

The Agricultural Water Management Strategy is a made-in-Saskatchewan approach that supports economic growth, community wellbeing, and resilient watersheds. It was implemented in 2015 to provide opportunities and support for farmers and ranchers who need to effectively manage excess water and safeguard against flooding and impacts to water quality and the environment.

Agricultural producers can learn more and sign up for workshops at agh2onward.ca.

The WSA also hosts in-person or online workshops for organizations, groups, and communities upon request.

“Lots of producers ask questions like, ‘Does everybody need a drainage approval?’ or ‘How do I work with my neighbours?’ that’s a very frequent question. We get lots of questions from folks looking to work in the creek, or in the creek channel,” Mackenzie said.

“It’s about balancing all these things, you know, we want good water quality, we want to put the right nutrients on crops and not have them washing downstream, we need the right water quantity, and we don’t want flooding. And we want to make sure we’re still balancing all of that with habitat protection.”

Mackenzie said after taking the course, producers feel more confident about how to get started with their projects. The WSA also helps producers find answers for any questions not answered by AgH2Onward.

For more information, contact Julie Mackenzie at 306-264-7747 or agh2onward@gmail.com.