The Pembina Valley Watershed District has opened an office in Altona to serve landowners in its new Eastern District, including the municipalities of Rhineland, Montcalm and Emerson-Franklin, and the Town of Altona.

Located on the second floor of the Altona Mall, the office is staffed by Tiffany Hemphill.  

"I'm called a Grow Technician for the East. We also have a Grow Tech in the West. My main priority is delivering the GROW program to residents in our Eastern District - different things like fencing and watering systems, flooded area programs, erosion control and stream crossings, perennial forage, cover crops, all that kind of stuff. And as well, just be another person to talk to from the watershed district in this area."

The main office is situated in Manitou. Hemphill says the Altona location was chosen as more centralized office to serve producers in the new Eastern District. They want to speak with anyone that has working agricultural land, irregardless of acreage. 

"Any producers that are looking to complete projects under any of the following categories, I would love to speak to you. So fencing and watering systems, if you have flooded areas on your land, erosion control in stream crossings, if you plan to plant cover crops, or if you have any saline areas if you have a forested natural area or shallow wetland, or if you're interested in planting a shelter belt or working on your water retention system."

Hemphill says their office can help landowners apply for the appropriate programs. She can be contacted via email at egrow@pvwd.ca or by phoning 431-349-0882.