District Programs
Drain Crossing Application
Drain Crossing Application
Drain Crossing Application
Landowners can apply to Westlake Watershed District for a new crossing construction or a crossing upgrade for crossings through a Westlake Watershed District designated drain. The full cost of any new crossings or upgrades beyond basic maintenance or meeting drain capacity requirements are the responsibility of the applicant.
All applications are subject to approval and conditions set by the Westlake Watershed District Board.
Contact Westlake Watershed District Office for more information.
Abandoned Well Capping
Drain Crossing Application
Drain Crossing Application
Assistance to landowners in sealing wells that are no longer in use for water supply purposes.
Subject to available funding, the program will provide all materials required for the proper disinfecting, filling and sealing of approved abandoned wells in the WWD area.
Contact Westlake Watershed District Office for more information or check out the following link below: https://gov.mb.ca/sd/water/groundwater/wells_groundwater/index.html
Beaver Damage Mitigation
Drain Crossing Application
Beaver Damage Mitigation
Westlake Watershed District contributes to beaver mitigation, call your sub-district member for more information.
Beaver dam removal from order in council drains can be done through cost effective and efficient means.
Contact Westlake Watershed District Office for more information or check out the following links below:
- Coexisting with Beavers https://www.gov.mb.ca/nrnd/fish-wildlife/pubs/fish_wildlife/coexisting_beaver.pdf
- Manitoba Guide for Beaver Dam and Lodge Removal https://www.gov.mb.ca/nrnd/fish-wildlife/pubs/fish_wildlife/beaver_dam_removal_guide.pdf
GROW
Supporting Westlake Watershed District Means Supporting Your Community
Aimed at farming the best, conserving the rest, the GROWing Outcomes in Watersheds (GROW) supports farmers and ranchers with cost-share funding for projects that aid their operations and improve watershed health. GROW is funded by the Manitoba government and co-administered by Manitoba Habitat Conservancy (MHC) with Westlake Watershed District that delivers the program locally.
Producers with owned or rented lands with in watershed boundaries in the rural municipalities of Alonsa, Lakeshore, Mossey River (southeast area), Westlake-Gladstone (northeast area), and within community boundaries of Northern Affairs (Meadow Portage, Crane River, Waterhen, Rock Ridge, Spence Lake, Mallard, and Salt Point) are encouraged to participate in this program.
Priority Outcomes
- improved watershed resilience to climate change
- imiproved water quality
Co-Benefits
- improved on-farm water management
- enhanced sustainable agricultural production
- improved biodiversity and habitat
- carbon sequestration and storage
PLEASE CONTACT; growcoordinator@westlakewd.com for more information or give us a call at 204 -767-2101 and ask for our GROW Coordinator - Tatiana
GROW Programs
GROW Project implementation Funding
GROW Project implementation Funding
GROW Project implementation Funding
Westlake Watershed District has the opportunity to provide cost share funding to producers who would like to implement projects that provide improvements to watershed health.
Categories for Targeted Improvement to Watershed Health:
- Water Retention
- Wetland conservation, restoration or enhancement
- Riparian area conservation, restoration or enhancement (includes Livestock Exclusion Fencing Program, separate application available)
- Shelterbelt or Buffer establishment
- Upland area conservation, restoration or enhancement (includes Forage Seed Rebate Program, separate application available)
- Innovative approaches - other projects that provide innovative ideas to conserving or enhancing Ecological Goods and Services (EG&S) in Manitoba will also be considered.
GROW Forage Seed Rebate Program
GROW Project implementation Funding
GROW Project implementation Funding
The Forage Seed Rebate Program is designed to assist producers with perennial forage stand establishment costs. The program offers a rebate of up to $35/acre towards the cost of forage seed, for basic acreage of up to 50 acres, with the potential to increase rebate acreage to 100 acres if funds are available within the program year.
- Program Objectives:
- Conversion of annual cropland to perennial poly-crop forage
- Erosion control (wind and water)
- Enhance water holding capacity of soil
- Increase carbon sequestration
- Increase biodiversity
- Provide Enhanced Wildlife/Pollinator Habitat
GROW Polycrop Seed Rebate Program
GROW Project implementation Funding
GROW Livestock Exclusion Fencing Rebate Program
The Polycrop Seed Rebate Program is designed to assist producers with polycrop establishment costs. The program offers a rebate of up to $35/acre towards the cost of seed, for basic acreage of up to 50 acres, with the potential to increase rebate acreage to 100 acres if funds are available for the program year.
Program Objectives:
- Improve soil health and function
- Erosion control (wind and water)
- Enhance water holding capacity of soil
- Increase carbon sequestration
- Increase biodiversity
- Provide Enhanced Wildlife/Pollinator Habitat
GROW Livestock Exclusion Fencing Rebate Program
GROW Well Establishment and Offsite Watering System Program
GROW Livestock Exclusion Fencing Rebate Program
The Livestock Exclusion Fencing Reimbursement Program is designed to assist producers with installation of new fence that will exclude livestock from surface water bodies including lakes, streams, and wetlands. The program offers a reimbursement of up to $4500.00/mile towards the cost of exclusion fencing construction materials for the program year.
Program Objectives:
- Riparian area conservation
- Reduce nutrient loading in surface water bodies
- Erosion control
- Increase riparian biodiversity
- Provide enhanced wildlife and aquatic habitat
GROW Well Establishment and Offsite Watering System Program
GROW Well Establishment and Offsite Watering System Program
GROW Well Establishment and Offsite Watering System Program
Projects that involve the establishment of wells, as well as portable or permanent offsite watering systems for livestock use are supported by this rebate program. The goal is to protect riparian habitats and surface waters from nutrient loading and disturbance. Rebate is offered towards 50% of the contractor cost for well establishment by a licensed well driller. Rebate is also offered towards 85% of the material cost for installing an offsite watering system.
GROW Shelterbelt Establishment Program
GROW Well Establishment and Offsite Watering System Program
GROW Well Establishment and Offsite Watering System Program
Landowners are encouraged to establish shelterbelts that serve as ecological buffers to protect fields from erosion and to enhance biodiversity. This program offers a rebate of 100% of the cost for seedling trees and shrubs for shelterbelt establishment. Producers in- kind contribution is valued as the cost for ground preparation mulching , equipment's use, labour, and shelterbelt maintenance..
GROW Demo Plot Establishment Program
GROW Demo Plot Establishment Program
GROW Demo Plot Establishment Program
This program supports innovative projects that feature GROW-eligible activities such as exclusion fencing, offsite watering, shelterbelt establishment, in conjunction with other beneficial management practices that benefit their operations and contribute to watershed management. The ultimate goal is to showcase the project for demonstration and education of other producers who may be interested in similar activities. A rebate of 50% is offered towards the cost of demo plot establishment, including materials, labour, and equipment use.
GROW Wetland Incentive Program
GROW Demo Plot Establishment Program
GROW Demo Plot Establishment Program
Class 1 wetlands hold water for a few days after heavy rain or up to 1-3 weeks after snowmelt in early spring from April through early May. Class 2 wetlands also hold water in the spring but a little longer, generally 2-6 weeks after snow melt from April through mid-June. These temporary wetlands at high risk of loss and have become vulnerable to drainage. To conserve these temporary wetlands, GROW incentivizes their retention up to a maximum of $75/acre per year for 10 years. If you have these temporary wetlands in your filds and are interested in this program, please reach out to us to have these welands assessed and delineated for incentive.
Our Partners for the GROW Program
PWCP
Prairie Watersheds Climate Program
The Prairie Watersheds Climate Program supports producers for implementing into their operations any of the following beneficial management practices (BMP's): rotational grazing, cover cropping, and nitrogen management. PWCP targets the following outcomes and environmental benefits: increased carbon storage, reduced greenhouse gases, improved soil health, and enhanced biodiversity.
PWCP is funded by the Agricultural Climate Solutions - On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) of the agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and led y the Manitoba Association of Watersheds (MAW), working with Westlake Watershed District that locally implements the Alonsa, Lakeshore, Mossey River (southeast area), Westlake-Gladstone (northeast area), and within community boundaries of Northern Affairs (Meadow Portage, Crane River, Waterhen, Rock Ridge, Spence Lake, Mallard, and Salt Point) are encouraged to participate in this program.
To qualify, an activity must be a new practice or an expansion of an existing practice onto new acres. Each activity must also be recommended by a professional agrologist or a licensed advisor. The program offers, a rebate of up to 85% of implementation costs up to $75,000 for eligible activities in any of the three BMP's Note that in consideration of the applications received, Westlake Watershed District may lower this funding cap for any activity at any time as necessary.
Producers with owned or rented lands within watershed boundaries in the rural municipalities of Alonsa, Lakeshore, Mossey River (southeast area), Westlake-Gladstone (northeast area), and within community boundaries of Northern Affairs (Meadow Portage, Crane River, Waterhen, Rock Ridge, Spence Lake, Mallard, and Salt Point) may apply for funding from PWCP.
PLEASE CONTACT; growcoordinator@westlakewd.com for more information or give us a call at 204 -767-2101 and ask for our GROW Coordinator - Tatiana
PWCP Programs
PWCP: COVER CROPPING | INTERCROPPING | POLYCROPPING
PWCP: COVER CROPPING | INTERCROPPING | POLYCROPPING
PWCP: COVER CROPPING | INTERCROPPING | POLYCROPPING
ELIGIBLE PRACTICES: COVER CROPPING
- Fall and spring cover crops
- Full-season annual and/or perennial cover crops
- Planning and technical assessments
PWCP: 8 DIFFERENT NITROGEN MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS
PWCP: COVER CROPPING | INTERCROPPING | POLYCROPPING
PWCP: COVER CROPPING | INTERCROPPING | POLYCROPPING
ELIGIBLE PRACTICES: NITROGEN MANAGEMENT
- Use of Polymer Coated Urea (PCU) Fertilizer
- Use of Combined Nitrification and Urease Inhibitors or use of dual inhibitors
- Agronomic Support for Nitrogen Management Plans
- Soil Testing
- Soil Mapping
- Adding Legumes to crop rotation
- Upgrading seeder equipment to allow for banding, side dressing or injection of fertilizer
- Split Application of Fertilizer to improve Nitrogen use
- Upgrading manure injection and incorporation equipment
- Offsetting higher cost of synthetic fertilizer substitutes (manure, compost, digestates)
PWCP: ROTATIONAL GRAZING
PWCP: COVER CROPPING | INTERCROPPING | POLYCROPPING
PWCP: ROTATIONAL GRAZING
ELIGIBLE PRACTICES: ROTATIONAL GRAZING
- Fencing to support the rotational grazing plan
- Watering Systems to support the rotational grazing plan
- Improved pasture compositions by seeding legumes such as alfalfa or sainfoin
- Creation of a rotational grazing management plan
Our Partner for PWCP