Moving forward to protect southern Alberta’s headwaters

In this Calgary Herald article, Alberta Minister of Environment and Parks, Shannon Phillips, describes the provincial government's planned approach to protecting the headwaters of southern Alberta.  Phillips writes, "...the province is designing a parks management and a tourism strategy for southwest Alberta. That work will involve months of engagement with local communities, Albertans, land users and First Nations. This kind of broad consultation is a necessity in order to get it right."  "A parks management plan for the Castle will involve input from local towns and counties, tourism authorities, land users, environmental organizations and recreational users. It will also ensure First Nations’ access for traditional land use and preservation of constitutional treaty rights."

For the whole article, click here.

Trout Unlimited Canada receives grant for Drywood Creek watershed

Trout Unlimited Canada has received a grant of $150,000 from the RBC Blue Water Project.  This grant will enable TUC to increase riparian health, and improve water quality in the Drywood Creek Watershed system in southwest Alberta. Working in collaboration with the Drywood-Yarrow Conservation Partnership and Southwest Alberta Conservation Partnership, agricultural producers will be engaged to protect sensitive riparian areas from cattle grazing by installing protective fencing and off-stream livestock watering systems.

Click here for the grant announcement on RBC Blue Water Project's website.

Congratulations to TUC and partners!  We look forward to hearing more about the project.

Alberta's river basin management plan under fire

The release of internal government documents has raised doubts about Alberta's river basin management plan. Apparently, Alberta government officials knew their plan to manage southern Alberta rivers could damage aquatic life, but they went ahead with it anyway.  Moreover, federal fisheries officials disagreed with the lack of conservation measures Alberta had set out but, said nothing publicly.

Read more in this Lethbridge Herald article from September 1, 2011.

Four municipalities enter regional water partnership

Four municipalities in the foothills region - the Towns of Turner Valley and Black Diamond, the Village of Longview and the MD of Foothills - signed a key document last week signaling their commitment to work together on a regional water partnership dealing with water and sewer infrastructure.

Read more in this article from the Okotoks Western Wheel (February 2 2011).

Water fight looms in southern Alberta, Calgary Herald, November 9, 2010