The Redboine Watershed District is officially off and running.

Jan. 1, 2020 marked a new era in a watershed based approach to watershed management in Manitoba.

“Our government recognizes the importance of local decision making around water and we want to build on the success of the conservation districts model to advance watershed management in our province,” comments Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pederson.

Formally the La Salle Redboine Conservation District, the new Redboine Watershed District (RBWD) has boundaries that include four sub-districts: the La Salle-Assiniboine, Boyne River, Morris-Norquay and the Tobacco-Shannon Creeks sub-districts.

The Redboine Watershed District will have 11 member municipalities, including:

· RM of Cartier

· RM of Dufferin

· RM of Grey

· RM of Lorne

· Municipality of Norfolk Treherne

· Municipality of Pembina

· RM of Ritchot

· RM of Stanley

· RM of Thompson

· RM of Victoria

· Town of Carman

The RBWD held its inaugural Annual General Meeting last month in Carman, where both sub-district and executive board elections were held. The executive board consists of board chair. Marshall Piper, Walter McTavish, Tobacco-Shannon Creeks sub-district, Reg Marginet, Boyne River sub-district, Bill Vanderveen, Morris-Norquay sub-district, Shane Pelletier, La Salle-Assiniboine sub-district and Mark Lowdon, provincial appointee.

“The new board is looking forward to getting to work with all of our partners, and to starting this new era of watershed management in Manitoba,” says district manager Justin Reid.

The mandate of the Redboine Watershed District is to protect, manage, and develop natural resources in a sustainable manner for the greater benefit of the present and future generations. The district office is located in Holland, Man., and can be reached at 204-526-2578 or redboinewd@gmail.com.