List of Upcoming Events and Products

Most Recent Ag News Article

August 12, 2026 - Healthy Streams, Healthy Farms

Learn about the Caring for My Land Funding Program.

Whether it's a creek winding through a pasture, a wetland tucked into a low spot, or even the banks of a dugout, the areas where land meets water are some of the most valuable parts of an agricultural landscape. These areas play a critical role in maintaining water quality, supporting livestock operations, and improving the long-term health and resilience of a farm.

While typically occupying only a small portion of a property's total acreage, their impact extends far beyond their boundaries. Protecting and maintaining healthy riparian areas and wetlands is one of the most effective stewardship investments a landowner can make for both the farm and our watersheds as a whole.

Implementing beneficial management practices like riparian fencing and off-site watering systems, which restrict or limit livestock access, can help prevent soil compaction, bank erosion, vegetation loss, and decreased water quality.

Heavily disturbed soil, such as that from repeated access from livestock watering, can create ideal conditions for weed establishment. Prolonged grazing in these areas can also prevent the establishment or regeneration of trees, shrubs, and deep-rooted vegetation; this can result in decreased soil stability, which can make these areas vulnerable to erosion and less resilient during high water events.

To some ranchers, it may be traditional sentiment that holds them back from fencing off these areas. Cattle have been watering and grazing in and amongst rivers, creeks and wetlands dating back hundreds of years. 

Ongoing research into the impacts on these sensitive areas, paired with larger competitive herd sizes, steep land prices limiting management capabilities, and more intensive and prolonged grazing all paint a picture of why historic practices are not considered best practice today.

The largest barrier to many is likely the ever-increasing cost associated with these types of projects. This is where the Caring for My Land program comes in.

Recognizing the costs associated with on-the-ground practice change, Clearwater County’s Caring for My Land program is a cost-share funding program intended to assist producers by reducing the financial burden that comes with implementing beneficial management practices on their land. 

The goal of the program is to help improve upland and lowland areas, making watersheds more resilient to seasonal runoff or high-water events and periods of drought or water deficiency. All projects must directly or indirectly protect natural surface water.

Eligible Clearwater County landowners will receive 75 per cent cost share funding for riparian fencing along streams, creeks, rivers, springs and surface water bodies – up to $7,500 reimbursement per project – 25 per cent cost share funding for eligible dugout fencing and offsite watering systems (projects benefitting watershed resiliency will be prioritized), and 50 per cent cost share funding for all other approved projects and expenses – up to $5,000 reimbursement per project. 

Riparian areas, wetlands, and other water bodies are vital to the health of rural landscapes. Every landowner can influence the health and resiliency of their farm landscapes with careful management of these sensitive resources.

If you are a landowner in Clearwater County who is interested in discussing a potential project, don’t hesitate to reach out to Clearwater County staff.

For more information, visit the Agricultural Funding Opportunities page on the Clearwater County website, or contact staff at (403) 845-4444 or landcare@clearwatercounty.ca.