Water Resource Management

Water Resource Management refers to the planning, development and distribution of water resources in grassland ecosystems to equitably allocate fresh water to sustain the natural environment, enable economic development and support recreational activities.

Water resource management practices provide strategies to reduce flooding, prevent erosion, protect water quality and quantity, and reduce the impacts of drought while protecting a variety of ecosystem services, such as filtering nutrients and pathogens from surface runoff to protect streams and lakes.

A combination of poor water resource management and livestock grazing near aquatic areas has resulted in degraded water quantity and quality, especially those areas located near streams and rivers. By implementing beneficial water management practices, ranchers and land managers can minimize or eliminate the negative effects of livestock grazing in riparian areas.

As one Saskatchewan rancher put it, “Water is your gold. Without it you have nothing .” Water resource management is key to attaining a sustainable livestock operation while maintaining water quality and productive aquatic ecosystems.

How Much Habitat is Enough?

Environment Canada

Type Government Publication Organization Environment Canada – Canadian Wildlife Service (Ontario region) Country Canada Region Great Lakes region Link http://www.ec.gc.ca/nature/E33B007C-5C69-4980-8F7B-3AD02B030D8C/894_How_much_habitat_is_enough_E_WEB_05.pdf Language English Reference Environment Canada. 2013. How Much Habitat is Enough? Third Edition. Environment Canada. Toronto,
JP Sons LLC

Russell County, Kansas

The goal of the project for JP Sons LLC was to improve the grassland ecosystem for livestock grazing and wildlife. It focused on 618 hectares of the ranch, located in the southern region of the Kansas Partners for Fish and Wildlife, North Central Prairies focus area.
Kidd Bro’s Ranch Mayerthorpe, Alberta

Bob and Larry Kidd

The Kidd Bros. ranch was originally homesteaded in 1913. Since then, the Kidd brothers have worked hard to engrain themselves not only in the land they work off, but also in the surrounding community.
Leavitt Lake Ranches

Vina, California

Located in the Vina Plains of California, Leavitt Lake Ranches uses an integral approach to manage their land and has implemented a number of management practices aimed at improving production and profitability.
Management of Canadian Prairie Rangeland

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canada

This document was created by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to provide information to range managers, ranchers, scientists and wildlife managers about management practices for Canadian natural grass rangelands.
Managing Saskatchewan Rangeland

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatchewan

This book was created over a number of years by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to assist range managers in the stewardship of rangeland resources in Saskatchewan.
Managing Your Native Prairie Parcels: Your Guide to Caring for Native Prairie in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Wetland Conservation Corporation, Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan Wetland Conservation Corporation created this planning guide to help landowners learn about and manage native grasslands on their land, covering topics such as native grassland conservation and enhancement…
Matador Ranch

Matador, Texas

Matador Ranch, located in Matador, Texas is a large historic US ranching and hunting operation. Established in 1882, the ranch has a long history of improving the health and productivity of its livestock, wildlife, and renewable natural resources.
Padlock Ranch

Big Horn, Montana

Padlock Ranch, located near Big Horn, Montana, demonstrates a commitment toward improved sustainability within the beef industry. The ranch’s beneficial practices focus on grazing and water management.
Perrin Ranching

Beechy, Saskatchewan

Perrin Ranching 1990 Ltd. is a fourth-generation ranch located in southwestern Saskatchewan near Beechy. Reg and Shannon Schellenberg, along with their son, Coy, and his wife, Laura-Lie, run this commercial cow/calf operation.
Rancho ‘El Uno’

Janos, Chihuahua

The El Uno Ecological Reserve, better known as Rancho El Uno, belongs to The Nature Conservancy NGO. The main purpose of the ranch is the conservation of grasslands and their biodiversity through the teaching and application of good stockbreeding management and grassland restoration practices.
Rancho El 15

Villa Ahumada and Chihuahua, Chihuahua

Rancho El 15 forms part of the grassland conservation collaboration initiative between the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) and the non-profit organizations, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, IMC Vida Silvestre and Pronatura.