Integrated Surface Water Management on farmland in Manitoba - March 27, 2012
Today, the Watershed System Research Program hosted an workshop in Carman, Manitoba to initiate a short-term feasibility study on the potential options for managing excess water on farmland in a way that benefits farming and the environment.
The question this project is trying to answer is: can we manage water in a way that helps us to reduce the impacts of flooding, reduces the losses of nutrients (that would end up in Lake Winnipeg), but still allows farmers to make a living from their land.
With 28 people in the room - researchers, provincial government staff, conservation district staff, farm producers, rural municipality councillors and others all keen to see something different happen sometime soon, the ideas were soon flowing in our 'brainstorm' sessions.
We captured general thoughts on how drainage should be managed, design factors to consider, maintenance factors, environmental benefits and more. We had plenty of landowners who volunteered their farms as study sites, and we collected some basic information on some of the examples of the way water is managed around the province, and projects underway elsewhere.
We talked about communication - who, how and when and the need to engage a wide range of people and to change mindsets. Farm producers need to know how practice changes could make or save them money; the 'public' need to know how any practice changes might save Lake Winnipeg.
The project is just getting started, with the International Institute for Sustainable Development doing the bulk of the work to work up options and case studies that could be taken forward in pilot studies. The project has support from Deerwood Soil and Water Management Association and the Watershed System Research Program. It is due to be completed this summer.
I think this will be a really interesting project and I'm already thinking about the next stages and future projects and potential funding sources. It links with many other projects in the province and my challenge will be to get out and about and learn about them all.
Selena Randall
Tuesday 27 March 2012
Saturday 24 March 2012
Biomass Workshop March 23 2012
Agriculture, Agri-food Canada, Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives co-hosted a workshop at the SmartPark Event Centre to bring interested parties together to discuss the potential for using biomass for energy production and managing water and nutrients in Manitoba. Hank Venema and David Lobb set the scene for discussions with background to current ideas and policy matters on this topic that are being researched and developed.
There is a lot of activity on this topic currently. Manitoba Government is implementing a bio-products strategy, which includes using bio-crops for a range of applications. Eric Liu told us there is particular interest in moving away from a reliance on coal for energy production, especially amongst Hutterite colonies and Jeremy Langner from Manitoba Hydro told us about a number of schemes to support the use of biomass for energy generation.
We heard about the Netley-Libau nutrient bioenergy project from Richard Grosshans,which is primarily focused on the use of cattails to remove nutrients from water and sediments around the entry point to Lake Winnipeg. This project sits alongside a range of projects at University of Manitoba, steered by Nazin Cicek, looking at the use of a range of biomass products for energy production - what form is the most efficient; generating new products such as bioplastics, and using bioenergy generation to manage wastes such as food waste and livestock manure and harvest gases as fuel. Through a federal tool BIMAT Lawrence Townley Smith told us that we have a good idea where crops are currently being grown.
Pascal Badiou brought the focus back to watersheds and the value of wetlands with a description of Ducks Unlimited work in Broughton's Creek.
Then our facilitator Sheldon McCleod got us all split into groups to identify the current strengths and gaps in knowledge about energy, nutrients and water. We broke for a fantastic lunch from Edna's Cafe and then considered current gaps in policy and programs, knowledge and Feasibility, economics and practicality and we tried to identify the appropriate actions and those responsible for taking things forward. When we reconvened to feedback to the whole group, it was clear that everyone had risen to the challenge and been thinking hard. I know on my table we became quite philosophical and tried to analyze why people act in the way they do - without a social scientist amongst us!
We certainly provided the organizing committee with plenty of food for thought and I am sure there will be lots more on this topic in the future.
Selena Randall
There is a lot of activity on this topic currently. Manitoba Government is implementing a bio-products strategy, which includes using bio-crops for a range of applications. Eric Liu told us there is particular interest in moving away from a reliance on coal for energy production, especially amongst Hutterite colonies and Jeremy Langner from Manitoba Hydro told us about a number of schemes to support the use of biomass for energy generation.
We heard about the Netley-Libau nutrient bioenergy project from Richard Grosshans,which is primarily focused on the use of cattails to remove nutrients from water and sediments around the entry point to Lake Winnipeg. This project sits alongside a range of projects at University of Manitoba, steered by Nazin Cicek, looking at the use of a range of biomass products for energy production - what form is the most efficient; generating new products such as bioplastics, and using bioenergy generation to manage wastes such as food waste and livestock manure and harvest gases as fuel. Through a federal tool BIMAT Lawrence Townley Smith told us that we have a good idea where crops are currently being grown.
Pascal Badiou brought the focus back to watersheds and the value of wetlands with a description of Ducks Unlimited work in Broughton's Creek.
Then our facilitator Sheldon McCleod got us all split into groups to identify the current strengths and gaps in knowledge about energy, nutrients and water. We broke for a fantastic lunch from Edna's Cafe and then considered current gaps in policy and programs, knowledge and Feasibility, economics and practicality and we tried to identify the appropriate actions and those responsible for taking things forward. When we reconvened to feedback to the whole group, it was clear that everyone had risen to the challenge and been thinking hard. I know on my table we became quite philosophical and tried to analyze why people act in the way they do - without a social scientist amongst us!
We certainly provided the organizing committee with plenty of food for thought and I am sure there will be lots more on this topic in the future.
Selena Randall
Tuesday 20 March 2012
Agriculture Faculty - Women's Development Day
I took a day off watery work today, to facilitate a workshop coordinated by the Canadian Chair for Women in Science and Engineering (CWSE-Prairies) for women in the Agriculture Faculty at University of Manitoba keen to learn new life skills to help them in their career/life planning. Today's women came from a range of departments within the faculty and included graduate students and staff in different roles, whose ages ranged from 20's to 50's.
A spirit of openness, respect and confidentiality encouraged fantastic participation and made my role easy as I steered the participants through tasks such as understanding their individual values and why this was important, a discussion on the pre-conceived ideas we had about our abilities or what others thought, SWOT analysis on ourselves, how to form desired outcomes in a development plan and all before a fantastic lunch.
Manitoba Institute of Agrologists joined us for a discussion about networking and how valuable it can be, and this led to a discussion about mentors and peer support. With all this in mind we then drafted our own personal development plans and set ourselves a number of actions to do as a result of the workshop - some were to address values we felt were not fully met, and others to help develop strengths or build skills to address weaknesses (of growth points as we decided to call them).
The mood was positive and everyone seemed tired from all that personal analysis and reflective thought but yet energized by an action plan and new ideas. I look forward to hearing how everyone is getting on in their quest for self improvement.
A fantastic day - thanks to everyone who participated!
Selena Randall
A spirit of openness, respect and confidentiality encouraged fantastic participation and made my role easy as I steered the participants through tasks such as understanding their individual values and why this was important, a discussion on the pre-conceived ideas we had about our abilities or what others thought, SWOT analysis on ourselves, how to form desired outcomes in a development plan and all before a fantastic lunch.
Manitoba Institute of Agrologists joined us for a discussion about networking and how valuable it can be, and this led to a discussion about mentors and peer support. With all this in mind we then drafted our own personal development plans and set ourselves a number of actions to do as a result of the workshop - some were to address values we felt were not fully met, and others to help develop strengths or build skills to address weaknesses (of growth points as we decided to call them).
The mood was positive and everyone seemed tired from all that personal analysis and reflective thought but yet energized by an action plan and new ideas. I look forward to hearing how everyone is getting on in their quest for self improvement.
A fantastic day - thanks to everyone who participated!
Selena Randall
Monday 19 March 2012
Killarney Lake Science Workshop
The Watershed System Research Program hosted a workshop on Friday March 16, 2012 at University of Manitoba to discuss the water quality problems in Killarney Lake, Manitoba.
Co-chairs, Selena Randall and Diane Orihel kept the invited attendees on their toes through a series of presentations and a period of discussion. Speakers included:
Jay Struth and Rick Korman of the Killarney Lake Action Committee, who gave us background to the problems in the lake and actions that have been tried already.
Diane Orihel of Univeristy of Alberta gave us background to the water quality and limnological features of the lake
David Lobb of University of Manitoba gave us an explanation of the external inputs of nutrients to the lake and put it in the context of the wider watershed.
Diane Orihel explained the internal nutrient cycling processes.
Gordon Goldsborough of University of Manitoba outlined some paleolimnological studies on the sediments of the lake done in the 1990's.
Elaine Paige of Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship went through the provinical monitoring that was done on the lane in 2010
Dave Callaghan of Freshwater Institute went through some phosphorus release studies done in Killarney Lake.
After much needed resfreshments, the group got down to discussing knowledge gaps, research needs and the potential for future work and collaborations facilitated by Selena Randall. The major challenge was to get some willing volunteers to take some work forward - few wanted to commit, but most of the researchers present agreed they were interested and would like to participate in future work.
I can see the Watershed System Research Program continuing to be involved in this story - watch this space...
Dr Jon Gerrard, Manitoba Liberal Party Leader and MLA for River Heights then closed the meeting. Jon has supported the Killarney Lake Action Committee for many years and we were very pleased he was able to join our workshop.
Co-chairs, Selena Randall and Diane Orihel kept the invited attendees on their toes through a series of presentations and a period of discussion. Speakers included:
Jay Struth and Rick Korman of the Killarney Lake Action Committee, who gave us background to the problems in the lake and actions that have been tried already.
Diane Orihel of Univeristy of Alberta gave us background to the water quality and limnological features of the lake
David Lobb of University of Manitoba gave us an explanation of the external inputs of nutrients to the lake and put it in the context of the wider watershed.
Diane Orihel explained the internal nutrient cycling processes.
Gordon Goldsborough of University of Manitoba outlined some paleolimnological studies on the sediments of the lake done in the 1990's.
Elaine Paige of Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship went through the provinical monitoring that was done on the lane in 2010
Dave Callaghan of Freshwater Institute went through some phosphorus release studies done in Killarney Lake.
After much needed resfreshments, the group got down to discussing knowledge gaps, research needs and the potential for future work and collaborations facilitated by Selena Randall. The major challenge was to get some willing volunteers to take some work forward - few wanted to commit, but most of the researchers present agreed they were interested and would like to participate in future work.
I can see the Watershed System Research Program continuing to be involved in this story - watch this space...
Dr Jon Gerrard, Manitoba Liberal Party Leader and MLA for River Heights then closed the meeting. Jon has supported the Killarney Lake Action Committee for many years and we were very pleased he was able to join our workshop.
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