Where Water, Wellness & Communities Meet
IN THIS ISSUE:
Discover the benefits of planting native trees in Saskatchewan and how eco-buffers enhance soil, water, and wildlife health across the landscape.
Explore how responsible harvesting and mindful angling practices help protect Saskatchewan’s lakes and fish populations.
JUNE 2025
June 19 - Lake Stewardship Community Workshop, Meota Community Hall, Meota
June 23 - Southeast DAC, Sleep Inn Regina East, Emerald Park
June 24 - Early Adopter Field Day, Wood Mountain Regional Park
June 27 - Southwest CCAP Meeting, Home Inn & Suites, Swift Current
JULY 2025
July 10 - Swift Current Research and Development Centre Open House
July 15-17 - Ag in Motion, Langham Range Road 3083 at Hwy. 16
July 22- Early Adopter Field Day, Bladworth
CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLANNING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS
With support from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), SAW will work to complete climate adaptation plans for the Southwest and Northern Watershed Districts, as well as the provincial-wide climate adaptation plan. SAW will also host two climate adaptation demonstration sites and workshops. More details will be shared soon!
On June 27, 2025, in Swift Current, SAW will continue their climate adaptation planning in the Southwest Watershed District. Community engagement meetings are a key component in developing climate adaptation plans, allowing local producers, stakeholders, industry, government, leaders, and other citizens to address specific concerns related to climate change, climate variability and extreme events within their district. To register for the upcoming meeting, use the QR code above, or click the link below.
PRESERVING SASKATCHEWAN LAKES THROUGH SUSTAINABLE HARVEST
Saskatchewan lakes provide ample opportunities to harvest a variety of fish species and native plants. However, to preserve the health of Saskatchewan lakes, fish and plants should be harvested in a sustainable manner in accordance with provincial and federal laws. Overharvest of any species can reduce population size and result in an imbalance in the aquatic ecosystem, with repeated overharvest having the potential to permanently reduce population numbers and extirpate the species from a lake.
Some popular species that are harvested in Saskatchewan lakes include fish such as Walleye, Northern Pike, and Yellow Perch, and plants such as wild rice. To conserve these species and protect lake health, commercial and recreational harvesters must follow laws and quotas pertaining to harvest. Laws or quotas that regulate harvest of fish or plants are in place to allow for sustainable harvest, but also change annually or differ on regional and lake-by-lake scales to best sustain populations in Saskatchewan Lakes. Following laws and quotas ensures harvest of fish or plants is done sustainably, preserving our lakes.
SAW has completed climate adaptation plans in Saskatchewan for the Northwest, Northeast, and Southeast Watershed Districts. The completed plans and adaptation demonstration sites and workshop videos can be accessed here: CCAP - Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds.
If you are interested in attending the Southwest Watershed District community engagement meetings or have any questions related to the project, please contact Samantha at ccap@ saskwatersheds.ca.
In addition, anglers can use proper catch and release techniques when recreationally angling to limit fish mortality. By shifting mindsets towards ‘limiting catch’ instead of ‘catching a limit’, where the number of fish harvested is only enough for a meal as opposed to all fish legally allowed, anglers can do their part to ensure that fish populations in lakes remain stable and harvestable for generations.
MONITORING SASKATCHEWAN LAKES FOR INVASIVE SPECIES THIS SUMMER
After a long winter and spring, the summer season is here! Already, the lakes and rivers are busy with activity – fishing, kayaking, canoeing, waterskiing, swimming, and a variety of other fun activities. This also means Saskatchewan waterbodies are going to be monitored for aquatic invasive species (AIS). SAW has partnered with the Saskatchewan Fish and Wildlife Development Fund and the Water Security Agency to monitor over 60 waterbodies across Saskatchewan for invasive quagga and zebra mussels.
Zebra and quagga mussels, both native to southeastern Europe, can cause significant damage to waterbodies once established.
When these invasive mussels invade a body of water, they ravenously feed on phytoplankton and zooplankton, removing an important food source for native species. They will also attach to native mussels, weaken them, and kill them. Large colonies of quagga and zebra mussels will occupy habitat used by fish for spawning, making them unusable. Threats to human use include clogging water intake lines, encrusting boats and docks left in the water and even clog boat motors. Once invasive mussels become established in a waterbody it is almost impossible to eradicate them. Early detection is a vital component in preventing the spread of these invasive mussel species.
Members of the SAW team will be collecting samples this summer to test for the presence of veligers. Veligers are the freeswimming larval form of mussels and are not visible to the naked eye. Preventing the spread of zebra and quagga mussels also comes from carefully cleaning and drying all water recreation equipment – including fishing line, nets, buckets, and even snorkeling gear. Cleaning, draining, drying your boat, trailer and all gear is essential to keeping Saskatchewan waters mussel-free. The Ministry of Environment is working hard to prevent invasive mussels from entering Saskatchewan waters. “Pull the Plug” is a campaign, that follows the law of removing the drain plug while transporting watercraft. For more information, visit their website.
For more information on the Species at Risk project, please click the link below.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCE FOR FARMERS
The ALUS-SAW Carrot River Watershed Community offers a funding program that is a payment-for-ecosystem services model which allows society to recognize the benefits which are provided to nature because of the stewardship of farmers and ranchers. Farmers and ranchers are stewards of the land, and they are making decisions daily that benefit the environment, their communities, and future generations. They are paid for the additional ecosystem services produced because of their management change via cost-shared establishment expenses and annual payments.
The goal of the ALUS-SAW Carrot River Watershed Community is to help farmers and ranchers develop projects that generate ecosystem services and build economic and environmental resilience. Outcomes generated by these projects will include improved water quality and quantity through the implementation of buffer strips and wetland enhancements, invasive weed control, improved riparian health and the addition of wildlife habitat for waterfowl and pollinators. There are two major streams of focus for the ALUS program.
One stream of the program focuses on marginal or ecologically sensitive areas that need to be managed differently to produce nature’s benefits that will target the community priorities identified by the PAC. Farmers and ranchers who choose to participate in the ALUS program have flexible agreements that suit their operation. Projects can include perennial forage conversions, enhanced riparian areas, shelterbelt/tree plantings and exclusion fencing along waterways with the option for an alternative watering system. Payments are available to support project establishment costs as well as annual payment to help with project maintenance. A contract is typically 5 years in length.
A project highlight from 2024 is an exclusion fencing project along the Carrot River that was completed at Bez Wood Farms.
With the addition of the exclusion fence, they were able to provide corn grazing for their sheep operation while restricting access to the Carrot River. A page wire fence was constructed around the paddock that will be used for grazing. By being able to access funding through the ALUS program, they were able to complete the project earlier in their planned timeline. By restricting livestock access to the river, this improves water quality, reduces degradation of the river bank and allows for healthier riparian vegetation.
WELCOME TO THE TEAM
MALAYNA GRAMLICH, ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNICIAN
Hi! My name is Malayna Gramlich and I am on my coop work term through my school, Saskatchewan Polytechnic. I will be working as a summer student at SAW and am looking forward to learning many new skills! I grew up in Moose Jaw and am excited to be working in my own community. I am grateful for this opportunity and can’t wait to make a difference!
In my spare time I love to be outdoors. I love to garden, fish, swim, and hike. I also love to travel with my family and enjoy exploring new places.
SARAH BLACK, AQUATIC BIOLOGIST
Hello! My name is Sarah Black and I joined SAW in May as an Aquatic Biologist. My passion for fisheries conservation has led me to study for 6 years in biological sciences to obtain a Honors Bachelor of Environmental Management at Lakehead University, and 2 Diplomas as a Fish and Wildlife Technician and Natural Environment Technician at Sault College. My expertise lies with managing analytic data on river systems and delegating monitoring activities to protect and conserve native fish in aquatic ecosystems. I currently reside near Raymore, SK, where I enjoy spending my time gardening, birding, camping, fishing and biking. In addition, I am a Caretaker for a Key Biodiversity Area in SK, where I monitor migratory birds, vascular plants, amphibians and Species At Risk in a 4000-acre wetland. I am excited to be joining a wonderful, dedicated team of environmental professionals!
TRYSTAN MCNABB, ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNICIAN
Hi everyone! My name is Trystan McNabb and I am one of the new Environmental Technicians at SAW this summer. I am from Regina where I am currently attending the First Nations University of Canada. I am going into my 4th year of Indigenous Environmental Science where I have learned about all things related to the environment from a traditional science approach, but also from an Indigenous viewpoint . I am super excited to be working with SAW this summer and to get out in the field and try lots of new and different things.
When I am not at work, I am at the ball diamonds playing fastpitch
ALEC TANGAN, ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNICIAN
Hey, my name is Alec Tangan I just started working for SAW at the start of June as a Environmental Technician. I was born and raised in Moose Jaw and just finished my high school diploma at Central Collegiate. I like being outdoors and I am very amped to spend my summer with SAW helping to help make sure the water is clean!
In my spare time I love being around friends and family outdoors whether were playing sports, swimming or even around a campfire.
AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES FOR HEALTHY STREAMS IN SASKATCHEWAN
Aquatic invertebrates such as insects, worms, and mussels are critical components of healthy streams in Saskatchewan. By serving important roles in various ecological processes and acting as indicator species, aquatic invertebrates are the pillar of an aquatic food web.
Aquatic invertebrates are primary consumers, which makes them prey for many fish species, including the Plains Minnow and Plains Sucker. They also decompose organic matter, which recycles nutrients including phosphorus and nitrogen back into the ecosystem. Some species such as water beetles contribute to the pollination of aquatic plants and seed dispersal, while other species such as caddisfly larvae help maintain water quality by feeding on algae.
In addition to the important roles they play in the ecosystem, aquatic invertebrates can function as indicator species. Indicator species are organisms that are sensitive to physical changes within their environment, such as temperature, dissolved oxygen levels, pH, or pollutants such as heavy metals or pesticides. Many aquatic invertebrates also have short life cycles, making them useful for monitoring short term changes and disturbances in aquatic ecosystems.
With funding provided by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, SAW will implement habitat enhancement and restoration projects including riparian area tree plantings and rock riffles. These projects benefit aquatic invertebrates, creating a healthier ecosystem for at-risk fish species such as the Plains Minnow and Plains Sucker.
For more information, please click the link below.
Our office locations are open Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM (closed 12 PM - 1 PM).
HEAD OFFICE
300B - 99 Diefenbaker Dr., Moose Jaw, SK
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT OFFICE
1 Airport Road, Swift Current, SK
MAILING ADDRESS
Box 1177, Moose Jaw, SK, S6H 4P9
Freshwater Water Beetle (Mike Pearson, Pearson Ecological)