PEOPLE — — LANDSCAPE — — PLANNING — — ACTION ! Overview and Background ! Watershed Resource Inventory ! Needs and Options Assessment ! Watershed Management and Research Plan (January 2005 – December 2007) Water Strategy Blueprint December 2004 PROJECT PARTNERS Community Foundations/Funders Government/Research Meeting Support ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Tobacco Creek Model Watershed (TCMW) is an initiative based and dependent upon the partnership of many individuals and organizations. This details of this document, the work it represents, and the concepts it advances in terms of Prairie agricultural sustainability were developed due to the participation and dedication of the following people – for whose efforts we are deeply grateful. We sincerely hope we have included everyone. Writing, Design, Technical, and Communication Assistance Kurt Gottfried (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada), Gary Girard, Garth Bowman, Joanne Moyer, Irene Hanuta, Steven Shpiruk, and Les Kletke University of Manitoba David Lobb, Faculty of Agricultural & Food Sciences Rural Municipality of Thompson Don Cruikshank, Walter McTavish, Dianne Chatwin, and Michelle Cummer Rural Municipality of Roland Don Pfrimmer, Rae Park, Dianne Toews, and Sherry Peirson Rural Municipality of Morris Herm Martens, Ralph Groening, Grant MacAulay, Ernie Buhler, and Malissa Dreger Rural Municipality of Lorne Garry Verniest, Gilbert Vigier, and Val Turner Rural Municipality of Dufferin Bob Harrison, Don McCutcheon, Linda Baleja, Ruth Stege, Cori Saunders, Doug Sisson, and Fred Dunn Pembina Valley Conservation District Don Alexander, Murray Seymour, Geordie Jackson, Cliff Greenfield, and Kathi Furniss Manitoba Water Stewardship Duane Kelln, Dave Green, Barry Oswald, John Harris, Dave Buhler, Henry Buhler, Arnold Swedlo, Scott Herbert, and Richard Huggins Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization, Transportation and Government Services Paul Anderson and Heather Sorko Manitoba Conservation Joel Hunt and James Duncan Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Réjean Picard, Ingrid Kristjanson, Wendy Durand, Bryan Yusishen, Travis Parsons, Andrew Nadler, Loni Scott, Dan Caron, and Susan Becker Fisheries and Oceans Canada Ernie Watson and Bill Franzin Environment Canada Colin Angus, Karen Hardy, and Nancy Glozier Deerwood Soil and Water Management Association Les McEwan, Edgar Cummer, Bill Turner, and Bryan Oborne Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Kurt Gottfried, Charles Swain, Jim Yarotski, Dale Timmerman, and Brook Harker TABLE OF CONTENTS Overview ............................................................................................................................................... i Chapter One: Background ................................................................................................................. 1 The People ............................................................................................................................... 1 RM of Lorne ............................................................................................................... 1 RM of Morris .............................................................................................................. 1 RM of Dufferin ........................................................................................................... 2 RM of Roland and RM of Thompson .......................................................................... 3 Settlement of the Tobacco Creek Watershed................................................................ 3 The Challenge of Water Management ......................................................................... 4 Municipal Drainage Cooperation and New Challenges ................................................ 5 Today’s Tobacco Creek Watershed .............................................................................. 6 The Problems ........................................................................................................................... 7 A Legacy of Water Management Challenges ................................................................ 7 Today’s Rural Reality................................................................................................... 8 The Costs: Manitoba Crop Insurance Claims in the TCMW........................................ 9 The Costs: Manitoba Disaster Financial Assistance Claims in the TCMW .................... 9 The Costs: Municipal Infrastructure Damage and Maintenance ................................. 10 The Costs: Provincial Infrastructure Damage and Maintenance ................................. 10 The Progress .......................................................................................................................... 11 Deerwood Association: South Tobacco Creek Watershed .......................................... 11 A New Approach: the Deerwood Small Dam Network .............................................. 11 Small Dam Effectiveness Proven ................................................................................ 12 Agricultural Impacts Investigated .............................................................................. 14 Information Dissemination ........................................................................................ 15 Pembina Valley Conservation District: Coleman Watershed ....................................... 16 The Priorities ......................................................................................................................... 16 1. Water Management ...................................................................................... 16 2. Water Quality ............................................................................................... 17 3. Fisheries Habitat........................................................................................... 17 4. Farm Income ................................................................................................ 17 Public Policy Concerns ........................................................................................................... 18 Agricultural Policy Framework (APF): Environmental Farm Plans ............................. 18 The Reality of Fisheries Habitat................................................................................. 19 Achieving Kyoto Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets ................................................ 19 Walkerton: The Logic of Watershed-Based Solutions ................................................. 19 The Manitoba Water Strategy — Water Protection Act .............................................. 19 References .............................................................................................................................. 20 The People ................................................................................................................ 20 The Problems ............................................................................................................ 21 The Progress ............................................................................................................. 21 The Priorities ............................................................................................................ 21 Public Policy Trends .................................................................................................. 21 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Two: Watershed Resource Inventory .................................................................................. 22 The Landscape ....................................................................................................................... 22 Representative Prairie Environment ........................................................................... 22 Agricultural Capability: Soil Classification.................................................................. 23 Agricultural Capability: Soil Surface Texture.............................................................. 24 Agricultural Capability: Soil Salinity........................................................................... 24 Agricultural Capability: Soil Drainage ........................................................................ 25 Agricultural Capability: Irrigation Suitability ............................................................. 25 Agricultural Challenges: Potential Environmental Impact Under Irrigation ............... 26 Agricultural Challenges: Soil Erosion by Water .......................................................... 26 Agricultural Challenges: Water Flow and Flood Frequency ........................................ 27 Agricultural Challenges: Water Quality ...................................................................... 29 Agricultural Challenges: Fisheries Habitat and Riparian Areas ................................... 30 Agricultural Challenges: Land Cover and Biodiversity ............................................... 30 Natural Drainage Patterns ......................................................................................... 31 Chapter Three: Needs and Options Assessment ................................................................................. 33 The Need for Research and Results-Based Solutions .............................................................. 33 The Watershed as a Framework for Real Solutions and Community Development.................. 34 Harmonizing Public Policy Concerns and Community Priorities ............................................ 34 TCMW Needs and Options