January 20, 2009
Province Supports Strong Environmental Work Of Red River Basin Commission: Melnick
An international organization working to improve the Red River basin will once again receive financial support from the Province of Manitoba, Water Stewardship Minister Christine Melnick announced today.
The Red River Basin Commission (RRBC) will receive $107,500 to further its work this year on water‑quality issues, habitat, fish and wildlife protection, conservation initiatives and flood-damage reduction efforts along the Red River’s entire basin.
“We strongly support the continued efforts of the Red River Basin Commission on issues of mutual concern to people throughout our shared international basin,” Melnick said. “This work is key to the important goal of leaving high-quality water to the next generation.”
The provincial funding will also support the commission’s international co-operation and public awareness initiatives.
The commission’s board of directors has members from Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Manitoba including senior officials from Manitoba Water Stewardship. Provincial support for the RRBC’s mandate has averaged $100,000 in recent years and also funds work in areas related to:
· community consultations with local Manitoba watershed authorities,
· assessment of international water-protection initiatives and how those could be applied to Manitoba,
· facilitation of cross-border watershed planning,
· co-ordination and support of basin-wide drought management planning, and
· building public awareness of nutrient sources and potential nutrient-reduction measures.
More information on the Red River Basin Commission can be found at:
www.gov.mb.ca/waterstewardship/water_info/transboundary/orgs.html or on the commission’s website at www.redriverbasincommission.org/.
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