The South Saskatchewan River Watershed Stewards are hoping that there is enough producer interest in developing an Agri-Environmental Group Plan (AEGP) in the west portion of the South Saskatchewan River Watershed.
The AEGPs are producer driven, awareness based groups which provide local producers the ability to access funding for implementing specific Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) under the Canada-Saskatchewan Farm Stewardship Program, without completing an individual Environmental Farm Plan.
AEGPs have a positive cumulative effect on water quality in the watershed, through educating and assisting a significant number of producers in a localized area.
In an effort to determine if there is interest in creating a AEGP, the SSRWS joined forces with the Provincial Council of ADD Boards and the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority to host a field day at Mendham at the beginning of October.
The Water Well Decommissioning Demonstration and Livestock Watering Systems Field Day discussed some of the practices eligible under the CSFSP program with huge benefits to the watershed, individual’s operations and endangered species.
When most agricultural producers look at their “to-do” list, items often get bumped down to the bottom due to “not enough time” or “not enough money”. If finances are a limitation to making changes on your operation, the South Saskatchewan River Watershed Stewards (SSRWS) may have a solution. The SSRWS are a community driven, non-profit organization.
Producers saw first hand as an old well at Doug Smith’s farm was decommissioned.
“In 1973, a 30 inch well on our farm was drilled with a galvanized casing and the water that came from the well was somewhat rusty. In 2006 the well that was 100 feet deep caved in and rusted out and ended up only being 75 feet deep and the water became much rusted. In 2006 we drilled a new well. So after four years we decide to decommission the old well so we would not contaminate the new well.”
