FRWIP — Small Dams

• Completed Small Dam Pre-Approval Application Form.
• Detailed project diagram.
• Water Security Agency approval.
• Written authorization from the legal, registered landowner, if the project is on land not owned by the applicant.

Who is eligible?

• Primary agricultural producers: individual, partnership, co-operative or corporation.
• Multi-producer groups that are one or more eligible applicants who are not related and are legally, financially and operationally independent of each other, and who wish to financially contribute to, and share infrastructure related to, a small dam project.
• First Nation Bands in the Province of Saskatchewan.
• Crown Land Pasture Grazing Associations in Saskatchewan.

Who is not eligible

• Research facilities and publicly funded institutions are not eligible for funding.

Eligible expenses

• Fees for Permit to Construct Groundwater Investigation, Water Rights Licensing, and Approval to Construct and Operate from the Water Security Agency.
• Consultant and engineering fees, including hydro-geologist, materials analysis, and project design.
• New small dam construction, wet well installation, pumps, pipelines, plumbing materials, trenching or directional boring, and pipe to the water distribution points.
• Permanently installed water storage tanks, permanent fencing to exclude livestock from a new dam, watering appliances, and power infrastructure.
• In-kind labour at $22 per hour and in-kind machinery/equipment at the rates established in the Farm Machinery Custom Rate and Rental Guide.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Projects and any expenditures commencing prior to October 1, 2022.
• Connections to potable water utilities, and water resources developed solely for household use, washing and toilet facilities, or washing machinery.
• Generators, solar power systems intended to generate power beyond solar pumping systems, all-in-one solar powered water pumping systems for livestock as a standalone item, and gas/diesel powered water pumps or distribution pumps.
• Water quality enhancement systems, water meters for rural water connections, water storage tanks under 1,000 US gallons/3,700 litres, water storage tanks not permanently connected to the project infrastructure, watering devices/accessories installed on frozen dugouts, gravel as a base for a storage tank or watering appliance, and stand-alone cement pads.
• Used, leased or fabricated materials and infrastructure, basic repair and maintenance, taxes, financing fees, interest charges, legal fees, fees paid to third parties for application support, applicant/employee administration costs, and costs claimed under other Sustainable CAP programs or any other government grant, rebate or assistance program.

• Review the FRWIP details, including eligibility and the most common regulatory compliance items that may apply to your project.
• Complete the Small Dam Pre-Approval Application form in its entirety.
• For multi-producer projects, each unrelated entity must complete an application form, and sections 4 and 5 must be consistent across all applicants.
• Submit the completed application package by email to agprograms@gov.sk.ca or by mail to the Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program, Ministry of Agriculture, Programs Branch, 329 – 3085 Albert Street, Regina SK S4S 0B1.
• Applications for pre-approval must be received on or before April 30, 2027, for projects to be completed by February 1, 2028.

• Claim forms will be sent to eligible applicants after pre-approval for the project has been obtained.
• Claims for funding may be submitted when the project is fully constructed and operational for agricultural use.
• All invoices must be paid in full before applying for the rebate.
• Proof of payment may be requested in the form of bank/credit card statements or processed cheque images from your financial institution.
• Projects must be complete and claims for funding submitted the earlier of 18 months from written project approval or February 1, 2028.