The Mountain View County agricultural service board has approved a number of riparian enhancement projects across the municipality.
The approvals of the county's and Alberta Conservation Association projects came during the board recent regularly scheduled meeting.
Agriculture services department staff reviewed the projects using a project rating form, with funding allocated based on the rating.
The department's riparian enhancement projects funding procedure defines riparian areas as “the green zones around lakes and wetlands, also known as a floodplain, shoreline, bottom lands or stream banks, whether groundwater or surface water influenced.”
Enhancement projects help protect and promote those areas.
The Mountain View County funded projects approved are as follows:
• Three creek crossings on a tributary of the Community Creek at NE-36-31-06-W5 in the Little Red Deer watershed. Amount allocated: $1,322.
• Creek crossing of a tributary of the Rosebud River at SE-16-32-02-W5 in the Rosebud River watershed. Amount allocated: $1,329.
The Alberta Conservation Association funded projects approved on July 14 are as follows:
• Fencing on the Eagle Creek at NE-30-32-04-W5 in the Little Red Deer River watershed. Amount allocated: $1,965.
• Fencing on a tributary of the Red Deer River at SW-10-34-05-W5 on the James River watershed. Amount allocated: $582.
• Watering system on a tributary of the Red Deer River at SW-10-34-05-W5 in the James River watershed. Amount allocated: $1,318.
• Fencing on a tributary of the Little Red Deer River at SW-05-30-05-W5 in the Little Red Deer River watershed. Amount allocated: $4,500.
• Fencing on the Carstairs Creek at NW-07-30-1-W5 in the Rosebud River watershed. Amount allocated: $2,610.
• Fencing on a tributary of Dogpound Creek at NW-29-31-01-W5 in the Little Red Deer River watershed. Amount allocated: $1,281.
• Watering system on a tributary of Dogpound Creek at NW-29-31-01-W5 in the Little Red Deer River watershed. Amount allocated: $545.
Under the funding program, only the cost of materials is eligible for funding. Mandatory improvements as a condition of subdivision approval may also apply for funding under this program.
The deadline for submitting funding applications for Mountain View County riparian area management improvement projects is Aug. 15.
The agricultural service board is made up of county councillors and members at-large appointed by the county. Its function includes examining agriculture issues in the municipality and making recommendations to county council.
