Councillors in the RM of Victoria are pleased with the work of the Assiniboine River Basin Initiative. They recently heard a delegation from ARBI Executive Director Wanda McFadyen, and Reeve Harold Purkess says she outlined the work they've been conducting over the past year.

"They're in constant discussions with Saskatchewan, North Dakota and all the conservation districts in the Upper Assiniboine Watershed. Their intention is to come up with a long-term water strategy for the Assiniboine River basin. So far, they're pretty much on track and their work is coming along nicely."

The delegation was one of several McFadyen has been involved with over the past year. The ARBI is hoping to gather municipal support, requesting 50 cents per capita in funding for their work. Purkess says he's confident they'll provide support to the group, citing their important work across the region.

"I think it's a very, very worthwhile project. We've had some real significant flooding issues along the Assiniboine River since the spring of 2011, and there definitely has to be some controls or something happening along the Assiniboine in time to come. We just can't handle this amount of water that's coming this fast."

Purkess says overall he feels the ARBI is moving in the right direction, and hopes to continue to work with them in the future.