University of Manitoba - Watershed Systems Reserach Program - Innovative surface water and nutrient management initiatives on farm
Innovative surface water and nutrient management initiatives on farm

Background

Traditional flood management schemes in the Prairie region involve flooding land temporarily, and then releasing it later when the drainage network can handle the volume. However, on some soil types this results in an increase in the losses of phosphorus from flooded soils. In this study, the project team will investigate the potential options for using the stored water for agriculture so that neither water or nutrients are released downstream. A range of options will be tested through pilots on farms representing a range of ecozones, hydrology, habitat and agricultural uses across the Lake Winnipeg Basin.

 

The project will cover a number of priority areas in the Lake Winnipeg Basin including the management of peak flows, reducing nutrient loads from agriculture, and developing drought resilience on farm. The measures that will be examined  include structures and management systems in the existing drainage network to store water, the use of constructed wetlands and retention ponds to store water, and the options for using the water for agriculture such as for forage harvesting, bale grazing or for irrigation of crops.

 

Project objectives:

To identify the benefits to the Lake Winnipeg Basin of on-farm water retention and water re-use systems;

To establish the on-farm benefits of systems to store and use surface water;

To identify the design, installation and operating factors for on-farm water retention and water re-use systems;

To develop tools which support the development of on-farm water retention and re-use systems across the Lake Winnipeg Basin.

 

Project delivery:

Conservation Districts steered by Manitoba Conservation District Association (MCDA), have come together with the Watershed Systems Research Program at University of Manitoba and provincial and federal departments for this project. The Conservations Districts have a network of sites (Regional Site Network)across the province which will provide a range of information on retaining water. Conservation Districts will work with landowners, coordinate the design, permitting, construction, monitoring of water retention structures, and support communication. The federal and provincial departments will provide background data, and technical expertise, and staff from the University of Manitoba, Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship (MCWS) will coordinate the research activities (recruiting students, research assistants, scientific research, publication of results), communication and provide project management support to MCDA.

 

The research will be carried out by graduate students and research assistants working with researchers from University of Manitoba, University of Saskatchewan and University of Waterloo who will investigate some of the following a) the economic, risk management and climate resilience aspects - to help producers make decisions; b) the hydrology and water quality aspects – how successful the structures are at retaining water and reducing the run-off of phosphorus; and c) the crop use aspects – the re-use of run-off and the retention of phosphorus in crops, and the benefits for agriculture.

 

The project will be integrated with a number of initiatives led by the project partners across Manitoba.

 

Progress

This project started in September 2013 following a successful application to the Environment Canada Lake Winnipeg Basin Stewardship Fund. A number of water retention sites are constructed or will be shortly, some 'before construction' monitoring has been completed at new sites, and research will begin this summer.

 

Funding

This project is funded through the support of Environment Canada's Lake Winnipeg Basin Stewardship Fund and Growing Forward 2, and other sources. All of the partners are contributing staff time and the use of materials and equipment and access to research facilities.

 

There is a need for further funds for construction of new retention systems, to instrument research sites, and the project would like to support more student projects.