Boyne River Equivalent Agri-Environmental Plan

The Stephenfield Lake Watershed Management Group, together with the La Salle Redboine and Pembina Valley Conservation Districts, has come to an agreement with Manitoba Agriculture, Food, and Rural Initiative and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, to provide substantial funding for producers in the Boyne River Watershed. This funding went toward projects improving the quality of surface water and drinking water for the benefit of all Boyne River Watershed residents.

Every producer in the Boyne River watershed was automatically eligible to access a maximum of $50000 per producer. Attendance at one information workshop would initiate the process. Money was provided for on-farm upgrades to improve water quality selected by local producers from a list of Beneficial Management Practices. Information meetings were held in Altamont, Notre Dame, Rathwell, Carman, Roseisle, and Treherne between January 23 and February 8/07.

The Boyne River provides safe domestic water for an estimated 10000 residents of the south central plains area of Manitoba. Due to increasing water demands and diminishing supply, efforts are being made to maintain a high quality of surface water as an important component of continued sustainable growth in the area. The goals of this initiative are the protection and maintenance of safe domestic water and the resulting environmental benefits to soil, air, plants, and wildlife.