2019 Saskatchewan Branch Workshop on Drainage and Drought on the Prairies

Posted

February 1, 2019

Travelodge Hotel and Conference Centre

Regina, SK

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In 2015 the Minister responsible for the Water Security Agency announced new drainage regulations in Saskatchewan. The new regulations were the first phase of an agricultural water management strategy that recognized the benefits of drainage and the importance of mitigating negative impacts of drainage. The new regulations were designed to streamline the approval process and to help producers become compliant while mitigating downstream
damage due to drainage. The new regulations formed part of a risk-based agricultural water management strategy with the goal of improving the overall process from application approval to complaint investigation in order to lessen future issues.

During the recent “wet decade” drainage has been an important water management tool for producers and watershed managers. Many lessons have been learned since the implementation of the Agricultural Water Management Strategy.

In 2017 an extreme “wet to drought’ event was experienced in the Prairies which raised some concern of a pending “drought cycle” in some sectors. Although drought is not unfamiliar to the prairies, the most susceptible region in Canada, a major event has not occurred since 2002.

It is expected that climate change impacts on future drought frequency, duration, and severity will have significant economic and environmental implications. Some work on corporate institutional resiliency has continued and it’s important to bring together this knowledge and provide guidance to water governance in Saskatchewan.

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW
This one-day workshop, hosted by the Saskatchewan Branch of the Canadian Water Resources Association (CWRA), aims to bring together the two important topics of drainage and drought. An overview of the new agricultural water management strategy will be presented in the morning along with some different perspectives about drainage. The morning session will end with a discussion on the benefits and challenges of drainage.
The afternoon will focus on drought strategies, policies and impacts. This will be an opportunity to discuss amongst peers what is working, what is not and what considerations need to be applied in the future.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
A special room rate of $134 has been negotiated with the Travelodge Hotel. This special rate includes complimentary hot breakfast and will be available until January 11, 2019. Please quote group code “CGWRSR” when making your reservation either by calling: 1.844.586.3443 or 306.586.3443 or emailing: groupreservations@travelodgeregina.com

WORKSHOP COST
CWRA Members: $120
Non-Members: $150
CWRA Student Members: $50
Student Non-Members: $75*
*includes a 1 yr student membership