Project Objectives:
- To develop and enhancement a Geographic Information System (GIS) database which included relevant hydrology information.
- To collect existing drainage infrastructure data for use and analysis within GIS;
- To compile a resource inventory for a portion of one sub-watershed within the
district;
- To implement a water flow model; and
- To identify effective watershed management projects through the use of the GIS
Project Description:
Activities carried out included :
-acquisition of all existing GIS data towards a resource inventory;
-management of GIS data within custom geo-databases organized based on quality/resolution/theme/scale of the data;
-formal and custom training in GIS;
-formation of effective partnerships and technical knowledge transfer;
-set-up culvert and crossing dictionary for drainage infrastructure data collection;
-GPS field surveys and GIS data entry of drainage infrastructure within portion of Manning Canal sub-watershed;
-discussions with partner municipalities regarding long-term benefits and utilization of GIS towards resource management;
-analysis of elevation data (digital elevation models, and GPS), land-use, residences and livestock operations, soils, drainage areas, and community involvement, towards identification of suitable water retention sites;
-involvement of SRRCD members and project partners; and the
-creation of maps for planning and prioritizing projects within the district
Observations & Conclusions:
The SRRCD has already used GIS to create custom maps used during sub-district committee meetings on project planning, and at other meetings and events.
The SRRCD has full intentions of continuing with collecting elevation data and performing topographic surveys at certain areas where it is found to be essential and beneficial, but will only collect the information after a thorough site investigation and confirmation to proceed from all associated landowners and government departments.
b) The results of the project will benefit the agricultural industry by assisting with improvements to soil and water management.
The short-term actual benefits include more local involvement and watershed-based cooperation, and the new ability of the SRRCD to display information within the GIS in a map form.
In the long-term, the local knowledge and GIS data that the SRRCD collects will be shared with partner organizations and used towards improving the way the soil and water resources within southeast Manitoba are managed.
The results of the project will be used by the Manning Canal sub-watershed committee members as a starting point towards identifying project sites that will result in landscape improvements within their sub-watershed.
Within the next two years, the SRRCD plans to have an Integrated Watershed Management Plan completed for the entire Seine River watershed.
The present data set that the SRRCD has, specifically the drainage infrastructure data, will be immediately used to provide important information to the local municipality regarding drain maintenance responsibilities, and will be further analyzed by the SRRCD staff and subwatershed members to determine scenarios where changes to the drainage profiles or the crossings could improve local water situations.
The SRRCD plans to make good use of the Trimble GPS unit to mark planned and completed project sites, collect and update drainage infrastructure, residence, livestock, and other data in the field, and as a mobile GIS with the ability to have GIS data at-hand while out in the field. With the addition of new municipal partners, and the City of Steinbach, the SRRCD boundaries have increased substantially, making it very apparent of the need for the SRRCD to continue to expand upon and utilize GIS as an effective watershed management planning tool.
