Wheatland County is helping its residents protect one of the area’s most precious resources; its water.
Through the Water Protection Funding Initiative, landowners can obtain up to $3,500 to implement practices that increase the health of riparian areas, and protect surface and groundwater sources.
“It’s a program to protect our sources of water in the county,” said Glenn Koester, Reeve of Wheatland County. “There are quite a few different programs that can be helped by the program.”
Landowners considering off-site watering systems, portable livestock shelters, riparian fencing, decomissioning abandoned water wells, or any project that benefits the health of water systems in Wheatland are encouraged to apply.
The money for the Water Protection Funding Initiative is provided by both Wheatland County and the Government of Alberta.
This is the second year the initiative has been provided.
“A few years ago there was a push for environmental farm plans and for farmers to get some of the same projects done. Since that has been gone, we, as a county, wanted to keep some money available to our ratepayers,” said Koester.
For more information regarding the Water Protection Funding Initiative, residents are encouraged to contact Sarah Schumacher, agricultural conservation coordinator for Wheatland County, at 403-361-2027 or Sarah.Schumacher@wheatlandcounty.ca.