Artificial land drainage in Manitoba: history, administration, law

• Main Author: Elliott, William P.
• Other Authors: Not Available.
• Language: en_US
• Published: 1977
• Subjects: wetland preservation; slough drainage; drainage procedures Manitoba; land drainage; prairie farm rehabilitation administration; pfra; water drainage; drainage law; Manitoba watercourses; Manitoba wetlands
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/4405

A history of the development and organization of artificial land drainage in Manitoba and the involvement of statutory authorities in land drainage is reviewed. The Department of Mines, Resources and Environmental Management Water Resources Division, conservation districts and municipal governments divide jurisdiction and responsibility over watercourses in Manitoba. The Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration and the Manitoba Department of Agricultural Technical Services Branch provide conditional assistance to farmers contemplating slough drainage. The Agricultural and Rural Development Agreement and the Fund for Rural Economic Development Program contain comprehensive drainage programs in Manitoba. The common and statute law concerning drainage is reviewed. Legal drainage procedures for individuals, rural municipalities, conservation districts and the Province of Manitoba are outlined. In addition, procedures for obtaining drainage assistance from the Manitoba Department of Agriculture and the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration are also presented. Many statutory provisions concerning drainage in Manitoba are obscure and inconsistent. Clarification of these provisions is sorely needed before drainage law can be used as an effective tool in a wetland preservation effort.