About the Manitoba Association of Watersheds

The Manitoba Association of Watersheds (MAW) supports Manitoba’s 14 watershed districts in their efforts to protect Manitoba’s soil, water, habitat, and climate. MAW offers support in many ways, including assisting with public policy issues, administering joint funding projects, sharing success stories, and more.

History

For 48 years, Manitoba’s Watershed District’s (formally Manitoba’s Conservation Districts) have collaborated with farmers, landowners, communities, non-profits, and local, provincial, federal, and Indigenous governments to protect Manitoba’s watersheds.

On January 1st, 2020, Manitoba’s 18 Conservation Districts became 14 Watershed Districts with the proclamation of the Watershed Districts Act. This legislation brings important changes into effect for Manitoba’s Watershed Districts. As described by the Province of Manitoba, The Watershed Districts Act has:

  • Moved the districts to watershed-based boundaries to improve management of floods, droughts, and water quality;

  • Renamed Manitoba’s “Conservation Districts” as “Watershed Districts” to emphasize their mandate; and

  • Allowed Watershed Districts to form partnerships with non-municipal entities, including Indigenous nations, to enhance watershed management.

The Watershed Districts Act empowers the new Watershed Districts to take the next steps to build Manitoba’s resilience to floods, droughts, climate change, nutrient loading, and more.

In addition to the new legislation, Manitoba’s Watershed Districts have access to new resources to get more done on the landscape. Watershed Districts are key delivery agents for the Conservation Trust created in 2018 and are currently the sole delivery agents of the Growing Outcomes in Watersheds (GROW) Program announced in 2019.

Learn More

Visit the Watershed Districts webpage to learn more.