Completed Projects
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On August 19/22 the Inter-Mountain Watershed District Board and Staff were pleased to showcase our new memorial park and honour our first two inductees, Ernie Bayduza and Wes Bernat.
IMWD’s new Memorial Park is located at our office and yardsite near Ethelbert, MB. The Memorial Park has been established to honour those volunteers that have been instrumental in the founding and building of our District to where we are today. Tremendous growth has been accomplished during Wes and Ernie’s time with IMWD, and their work constitutes important building blocks for the next generation who will be working and volunteering in conservation. 
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Inductees
Ernie Bayduza was a long-term councillor, reeve and farmer in the RM of Dauphin. Ernie’s conservation ethic led him to become a subdistrict member with the Turtle River Watershed Conservation District 1986, and was integral in the formation of Intermountain Conservation District in 1997. With the new district, Ernie became chair of the Wilson River subdistrict, and served as Chair of Intermountain between 1999 and 2004. Ernie remained an active member of our main Board of Directors until he stepped down in 2011. He continued on as Chair of the Wilson River subdistrict until his passing in 2019. During his time on the Board, Ernie also served as Chairman of the Manitoba Conservation District Association’s Board from 2001-2003; he received the Conservation Builder Award in 2004; and Ernie and his wife Alvina were District’s Conservation Award Winner in 2008. Ernie also played an important role with the Dauphin Lake Advisory Board and Dauphin Lake Integrated Watershed Management Plan. We would like to acknowledge Ernie’s many years of commitment to the district (1997-2019) by recognizing him today as a Founder and Builder of IMWD.
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Wes Bernat grew up and farmed in the RM of Dauphin and also had a long-time career with the City of Dauphin. Wes was first employed by the City as the Engineering Clerk and went on to become Personnel Director, and later was also elected as City Councillor. Wes was a member of the Intermountain Conservation District since its establishment in 1997, when he was appointed as the City’s representative on the Vermillion River sub-district. Wes was appointed Chairman of the Vermillion River sub district in 2013 and remained an active member of our main Board of Directors until his passing in 2016. Wes participated in many district events such as the annual water festival, Conservation District conferences and meetings. He was instrumental in the creation of the District’s water retention strategy, and the implementation and expansion of conservation programming. Wes was Chair of the Personnel Committee and was instrumental in developing the district’s human resource policies and procedures. We would like to acknowledge Wes and his wife Stephanie’s many years of commitment to the district (1997-2016), by recognizing him today as a Builder of IMWD.
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The Unveiling
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Conservation Projects
The Mitchell Retention Structure
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The Mitchell Retention Structure is the third structure built by Intermountain Conservation District (IMCD). It was constructed in the fall of 2018 with the co-operation of landowner Mervin Mitchell, as part of IMCD’s long-term strategy to reduce flooding, erosion and infrastructure damages in the district.
The Mitchell Structure is designed as dry dam, so as to not hold water permanently. Rather, it has an undersized culvert pipe installed through it so it restricts water flow during spring runoff and large storms. It holds water back for a few days instead of a few hours, reducing the energy of the water and decreasing downstream flood damages. Then the dam reservoir will empty itself, ready and waiting for the next storm event. |
Structure Details:
Height of dam 2.5m (8ft) Retention Capacity 15ac/ft Drainage area 7800ac (12.2sq.mi) Culvert diameter 900mm (3ft) Culvert length 40m (130ft) Earth used in dam 3500cu.m. Rock in spillway 175cu.m. Cost $50,000 |
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Streambank Stabilization
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Streambank Stabilization with the RM of Dauphin
Location: SW-7-24-19w The main purpose of the project is to protect the road from falling into the creek but we were also able to work in a small rock dam to slow down water flows into the Vermillion River. 
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Grassed Waterway
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Seeded Grassed Waterway
Year: 2020 Location: SW 13-24-24w Seeded a water run to a grassed waterway, using a seed broadcaster on the quad. We then pulled the harrows behind the quad to cover the seed. When fully established, the grass will prevent water from eroding the waterway. |
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Abandoned Well
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Abandoned Well Sealing
Year: 2021 Location: NW 3-31-22w This landowner had applied for his abandoned well to be sealed. We then filled the well with clay and bentonite. |
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Streambank Stabilization
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Streambank Stabilization Project
Year: 2021 Location: SW 25-29-19 This large streambank stabilization project has recently been finished. The rocks are being used to protect the streambank from falling into the river any further. Before repairs, this riverbank was straight up and down with fully exposed soil. Many tons of soil have washed down the river on towards Lake Winnipegosis from this site, but will no more! |
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Kergwenan Crossing
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Culvert Crossing
Year: 2019 Location: NE of NE-36-22-15w The crossing was previously an old wooden bridge on a municipal roadway that was in rough condition and unsafe to use. It was removed and replaced with 3, 2200mm culverts. Cost: $63,343.35 |
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Kerosene Drain Clean out
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Drain Clean out
Year: 2020 Location: E 26-24-17w A drain cleanout was done on the kerosene drain due to it being full of soil and cattails. The drain was brought back to its original specs. Cost: $16,300.37 |
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New Culvert on Bennet Drain
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New Culvert
Year: 2021 Location: SE 18-24-16w New 450mm culvert with automatic flood gate installed to alleviate water that jumps the dyke in a high water event, causing flooding on agricultural land. |
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Culvert Crossing on W. Boundary drain
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New Culvert Crossing
Year: 2020 Location: North of NW 34-21-16w The crossing was previously an old timber bridge that was in rough condition and unsafe to use. Due to the landowner having a cattle barn with livestock on the property that needed access to, this was an emergency replacement. The old bridge was removed and replaced with 2, 1400mm culverts. |
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Mckinnon Creek brushing
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Brushing
Year: Ongoing brushing at various locations Location: NE 8-21-15w and NW 9-21-15w Brushing was needed along the Mckinnon creek due to willows hanging in the water, causing it to slow down, and fill in with shale and other sediments. |
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Culvert Crossing on Reave drain
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Culvert Crossing
Year: 2019 Location: NE 8-20-15w The crossing was previously an old timber bridge on a municipal roadway that was in rough condition and unsafe to use. The old bridge was removed, and replaced with 2, 1800mm culverts Cost: $37,393.34 |
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Rosenbarker drain- Ongoing issues
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Erosion issues
Year: Ongoing Due to the steep topography along with Riding Mountain National park, the Rosenbarker drain has been dealing with ongoing erosion issues. High water events and spring runoff erode shale from these drains and it gets carried downstream where it eventually fills in and changes the formation of the drain. Many of these drains were constructed 50+ years ago and have filled in with shale and other sediments throughout the years to the point where they are no longer able to operate like they were intended to. These cleanouts required on the drains are expensive due to the amount of spoils that are removed from the drain. |
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Wilson Creek shale cleanout
Shale Cleanout
Year: Ongoing
Ongoing shale cleanout being done on the Wilson creek.
Year: Ongoing
Ongoing shale cleanout being done on the Wilson creek.
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Crawford Creek Alluvial Fan Boardwalk
HistoryIn 1996, the TRCD now known as IMWD initiated the Crawford Creek Project, one of its most significant to date. The innovative project included the purchase of the last intact alluvial fan along the Manitoba Escarpment. Over 678 acres of land was protected. Crawford Creek was restored back to its original channel. Previous to this in the early 1900's the creek was diverted into the Ochre River from its natural outlet to Lake Dauphin. The goal of the project was to reduce erosion and sedimentation in the Ochre River and rehabilitate critical fish spawning habitat within Crawford Creek. Today Crawford Creek sustains a thriving aquatic environment and provides a diverse habitat for numerous species of fish and wildlife.
What is an alluvial fan?An alluvial fan is a fan-shaped deposit that is formed where a fast flowing stream eventually flattens, slows down, and then spreads out at the exit onto a flatter plain. As the stream gradient decreases, the slowing of flow allows coarse-grained solid material carried by the water to be dropped. This in turn will reduce the capacity of the chanel and will gradually build up into a shallow conical fan shape.
Fun FactThe Crawford Creek Alluvial Fan is the last intact alluvial fan along the Manitoba escarpment. As water comes off Riding Mountain along Crawford Creek, the alluvial fan slows the water down and spreads it out. This allows suspended material to drop and the water is filtered as it passes through miles of wetland. This site has a boardwalk and viewing tower where visitors can view this natural phenomenon. Why protect the area?The main benefit of protecting the alluvial fan, is its ability to improve water quality downstream after the infiltration process is complete. By protecting this area we can ensure that the habitat for both fish and wildlife species is optimal. |
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