There are new regulations in place in terms of farmers draining water from sloughs and wetlands, and producers need to be aware of the changes.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of misconceptions, a lot of false information floating around, suggested Jesse Neilsen, manager of the Assiniboine Watershed Stewardship Association (AWSA), during the organization鈥檚 annual general meeting Friday in Yorkton.
The new regulations are part of a longer range vision, said Neilsen.
The regulations are designed 鈥渢o fulfil commitments in the 25 Year Saskatchewan Water Security Plan, the Water Security Agency (WAS) is moving ahead with a new approach to drainage management. The new approach will move Saskatchewan toward responsible agricultural water management by streamlining the regulatory system, effectively addressing the risks associated with drainage in the approval process, and enabling development of sustainable drainage projects with more long-term certainty,鈥� detailed a page in AWSA鈥檚 Annual Report.
Neilsen said it is not a case of the regulations putting an end to farmland drainage, but it does create a set of rules.
鈥淒rainage is good, but inappropriate, unorganized drainage is bad,鈥� he said.
Drainage has been an integral part of the settlement of our province, making land available for the establishment of communities, road development, crop production and resource extraction, detailed the Annual Report. However, poorly designed projects and uncoordinated activities have the potential to cause negative impacts, including;
鈥� Local to large-scale downstream flooding and infrastructure damage;
鈥� Degraded water quality from erosion and increased contaminants;
鈥� Negative impacts on wetlands and beds and shores of other water bodies and watercourses.
鈥淢any of these problems can be avoided with carefully planned drainage and appropriate steps to reduce impacts. Consultation with the public, stakeholders, and agricultural producers has informed a new approach to drainage management in Saskatchewan that is intended to achieve the benefits of drainage while managing the risks,鈥� stated the Report.
鈥淭he goal is responsible drainage,鈥� said Neilsen.
In that regard 鈥渢here鈥檚 no more draining what you want,鈥� at least not without approval to do so, he said.
鈥淐entral to the new approach is the concept of responsible agricultural water management, where the drainage proponent takes responsibility to design, construct and operate the project properly and undertake necessary actions to minimize the negative impacts of drainage to an acceptable level,鈥� stated the Report. 鈥淩esponsible agricultural water management minimizes conflict and enables appropriate drainage to continue. A second key aspect of the system is the concept of an efficient, risk-based regulatory system.鈥�
Neilsen said farmers will now have to work with qualified personnel to create a drainage plan, which includes showing support from neighbours who might be affected by the drainage water.
鈥淎ll drainage has the potential to cause downstream impacts,鈥� he noted.
聽Once a plan is in place it must be approved before work can take place.
鈥淎ll drainage must be approved 鈥� It must either be approved through the new system, or closed,鈥� said Neilsen.
The main goals of the new approach are to achieve:
鈥� An appropriate balance achieving the benefits of drainage and reducing the potential for flooding, and negative impacts on water quality and habitat.
鈥� An effective and practical regulatory system to facilitate responsible drainage; an implementation of practical solutions to deal with excess water on agricultural lands.
It鈥檚 to minimize the negative impacts of drainage to an acceptable level,鈥� said Neilsen. 鈥� 鈥� It鈥檚 to minimize conflict and allow opportunity for drainage to continue.鈥�
