Year in Review
Assiniboine Hills Conservation District Year in Review 2009-10
Public Education
Sponsored the Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre to provide environmental education presentations at the district schools.
Partnered with Turtle Mountain and West Souris River Conservation Districts and delivered the 6th Annaul Southwest Manitoba Water Festival. This event hosts over 300 grade 5 and 6 students, from the 3 districts, who learn about water by circling through over a dozen educational stations. The most enjoyed station is always Critter Dipping, where students use nets to catch aquatic invertebrates.
Tree Transplant Day
Wildlife/Fisheries
Installation of six beaver pond levelers.
Soil Conservation
29 producers utilized the Molehill Levelling program
Provided forage seed assistance to 16 landowners
Supported applications for 30 soil tests, 11 variable rate, 4 cover crop and 6 extended grazing.
Continued to manage and add to the Belmont Community Forest
Another externally funded project was, Discovering a Cocktail Cover Crop for Sandy Soils, funded by the Agricultural Sustainability Initiative. The purpose of this project was to identify a forage, cereal, and legume mixture that would establish well in our sandy soils and provide beneficial soil conditions for future forage establishment. These beneficial soil conditions include; added nutrients through nitrogen fixation, the breakdown of hardpan, and increased soil organics from residue and root decomposition. Eight plots of 5 acres of cocktail seeds with 5 acres of an oat comparison were sowed on different quarters throughout the district. For comparisons each plot was either baled or given equal grazing days to the oats. Soil and plant tissues were tested throughout the project although more soil testing is needed in future years to identify the benefits. Without complete results it is difficult to select an appropriate cocktail blend although a diverse mix of species with different roots systems should provide the most production and future benefits. An example would be selecting from species such as radish or turnips, faba beans or peas, corn or millet, mustard or canola, sweet clover or alfalfa, barley or oats, with an annual rye grass.
Water Management
Installed two low level crossings
Partnered with three municipalities on erosion control projects
Sealed 26 abandoned wells
Shock Chlorinated 19 wells
Inventoried and sampled wells in partnership with Water Stewardship, collecting information on the ground water quality in the district.
Assisted with 12 new wells
Shoreline Stabilization - The largest project was the stabilization of a riverbank on the Souris River, located below a dam within the Village of Wawanesa. This project was funded by the Wawanesa Game & Fish, the Lower Souris Sub District, and the Fisheries Enhancement Fund. The project included the reshaping of the eroded bank, installation of a geotextile blanket, and placement of rock over the entire stretch of slope. A one foot high by six feet wide berm was also created along the top of the bank to prevent runoff from flowing down the slope. The berm was seeded to a shoreline stabilizing grass mix and a straw blanket was installed last to prevent erosion. Plans are to install removable metal steps to provide safe access to the river without damaging the new slope. Posts with a white chain link guard are also planned to prevent vehicles from driving on the berm and to direct foot traffic to the steps. A sign, park bench, and garbage container are also planned.
Through partnerships with the Lake Winnipeg Basin Stewardship Fund and the Water Stewardship Fund, Nutrient Management through Livestock Management, projects were completed. Reducing phosphorous contamination of our streams from livestock manure was a main priority for our partners. Project details varied by site but generally included the installation of an off site watering system to provide clean drinking water for livestock away from their existing drinking source (creek, river, or lake). For one project over two miles of fencing was used to prevent livestock from drinking from a lake.