WORLD WATER DAY March 22, 5:30—8:30 pm

NAIT Shaw Theater Edmonton Join us for an exciting evening to meet and network with inspired water collaborators, learn about local water initiatives, and listen to forward thinking solutions on freshwater issues. The keynote speaker is Bob Sanford, EPCOR Chair for Water and Climate Security.

For more information and registration go to the Eventbrite site

The North Saskatchewan River and the NSWA were featured in an article in the Globe and Mail The North Saskatchewan River - The Story of the West

Go to https://tgam.ca/2fyvxHX

NSWA is now a CHARITY

Your donation will support NSWA’s education and research projects in the NSR watershed. Please consider supporting the NSWA with a charitable donation. Email us at water@nswa.ab.ca for more information

NSWA FORUM

MUNICIPAL PROGRESS IN WATERSHED MANAGEMENT for the

NORTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER BASIN FEB. 1, 2018

This Forum focused on municipal programs and projects relating to water resource management for the North Saskatchewan River watershed in Alberta. Over 120 people were registered for the forum. The speaker’s presentations will be posted on the NSWA website under Resources. If you have any questions email us at water@nswa.ab.ca

WINTER 2018

AirScapes International Inc.

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The NSWA partnership with the VRWA is going strong with multiple projects in place. Landowners are wanted for summer 2018 restoration projects :

What motivates landowners to apply ? Here's what some landowners who participated last year said: “We depend on the water for agriculture and recreation and I want to preserve it for future generations.”

“I wanted to improve the quality of water for livestock use and keep the water clean for aquatic life by keeping cattle out of the water….This program helps with financial assistance to make it possible!”

“Any possible improvements by projects to enhance water quality by lessening erosion or river bank destruction….can only be expressed as a positive step forward both environ-mentally and financially. The personnel from VRWA /NSWA are extremely helpful.”

See and hear more stories at http://vrwa.ca/

Field work—Vegetation Assessment at a restoration site by Chris

Elder (ALUS-CVR) and Mara Erickson (VRWA/NSWA)

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The Vermilion River Watershed Alliance is a collaborative group involving representatives from a number of municipalities. Board members:

Dave Berry, Councillor for the Town of Vegreville: I grew up in Innisfail, Alberta where I helped my dad with his painting business and worked with relatives on the farm. After studying ecology and ichthyology at the University of Alberta, I spent 32 years as a Fisheries Biologist with Alberta Fish and Wildlife.

My research on lakes included Pigeon, Buck, Lesser Slave, Wabamun lakes as well as several trout stocked waters. Stream studies included the Athabasca River below Fort McMurray and the North Saskatchewan River above Edmonton. During the later years of my career I worked on fish management plans, policy and planning, and compiled the Alberta Guide to Sportfishing.

After retirement I returned to my rural roots, where I’m now serving my second term on Town Council. After several severe flood events, the town channelized the river for flood mitigation. We have now mapped potential flood areas so we can control

development within the flood plain. Our North Parkway Drainage System was built in 2016 to intercept stormwater runoff from more than a third of the Town. The system can handle a 1:100 storm event, moving runoff, but settling and improving water quality before allowing a slower discharge to the Vermilion River.

As a Town Councillor, I was privileged to be one of the signatures to the formation of the Vermilion River Watershed Alliance Society. I look forward to my role as the newly elected President of VRWA. Our community benefits from its involvement with VRWA by having direct input to goals of the Alliance, and from achievements in protection and en-hancement of the Vermilion River Watershed—it’s part of our home.

I believe we must increase public education and communication to get our concerns heard, understood and publicly supported. A healthy community needs, not only affordable recreation, but also culture and social activities, and a close contact with nature.

Dave Berry (Chair), Town of Vegreville

Ed Parke (Vice-Chair), Member-at-large

Chris Elder (Secretary), Alternative Land Use Services

Elaine Sorochan (Treasurer), Town of Two Hills

Barry Bruce, Beaver County

Al Corbett, Alberta Drainage Council

Jessica Hryciuk, Lakeland College

Stacey Hryciuk, County of Vermilion River

Tim Knudson, Holden Drainage District

Roger Konieczny, County of Minburn

Murray Phillips, Two Hills County

Jordan Smith, Counties of Minburn/Vermilion River

Carlin Soehn, Alberta Environment & Parks, Operations (advisory)

Grace Turner, Lakeland College (student observer)

Candace Vanin, Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada

Gary Walsh, Alberta Environment & Parks

Richard Yaceyko, Town of Vermilion

Ralph Boe, Agricultural seat

Bryon Wolters, Ducks Unlimited Canada

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HEADWATERS ALLIANCE

Jim Duncan, member of the Headwaters Alliance and Deputy Reeve for Clearwater County: I grew up on a cattle ranch SW of Rocky Mountain House, where I was active in sports and was an avid horseman, hunter and fisherman. After high school I completed a Bachelor of Science in Zoology at U of A and worked for about 5

years as an environmental consultant. For the past 30 years I have been ranching on the family farm and have been a Clearwater County Councilor for the past 7 years, active on environmental and agricultural committees.

Much of my council committee work has revolved around recreation and agriculture, environmental extension and policy through Clearwater Ag and Landcare Services. I also sit on the Bighorn Backcountry Standing Com-mittee that advises Alberta Environment and Parks on recreation manage-ment in Public Land Use Zones and on Clearwater Trails Initiative Society which has been seeking to provide sustainable trails on vacant crown lands through synergy planning with industry, government and other stakehold-ers. Sasquatch and Partners is an educational initiative that now involves five counties and promotes responsible use of “Our Backyard”. Clearwater County has long been active on both the NSWA and Red Deer River Watershed Alliance WPACs and most recently I have been part of the Headwaters Alliance.

Involvement with the Headwaters Alliance and NSWA provides opportunity to learn about watershed planning and management and tools to help carry them out. It educates me about issues and solutions in other parts of the watershed, as well as promoting collaboration and consistency between Municipalities. It also brings science-based decision making to the table.

As the Headwaters Alliance wraps up their first major project—the assessment of riparian health of tributaries in the Modeste sub-watershed using new geospatial methods—we are taking steps to make sure the data has meaning. These steps include the devel-opment of an online data-viewing web portal, where the public can access the data; they’ll be able to view the results of the assess-ment, be provided some interpretation as well as a database of contacts for locally-active agencies and programs that can assist with achieve the restoration and conservation goals. Our next Steering Committee meeting is on February 12, 2018.

Clearwater River

Bill Trout

Images Alberta

We are pleased to welcome returning and new Councillors to our Steering Committee : Deputy Reeve Jim Duncan—Clearwater County Reeve Bart Guyon—Brazeau County Deputy Mayor AnnLisa Jensen—Parkland County Lyle Seely—Wetaskiwin County Ray Scobie—Leduc County Eric Butz—Town of Drayton Valley Tammy Burke—Rocky Mountain House Sandy Kroll—Town of Devon.

As well we have active participants on our Technical Advisory Committee: Krista Quesnel—Parkland County Steve Majek—Wetaskiwin County Benjamin Misener—Brazeau County Matt Martinson—Clearwater County Bill Adams—Town of Thorsby Sonya Wrigglesworth—Town of Drayton Valley Andy Tchir—Town of Devon Risha Rushton—O’Chiese First Nation

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One of the Councillors, very active in the SRWA is the Chair, AnnLisa Jensen. She writes:

I grew up in Parkland County, where I continue to live in my childhood home. Previous to my election to Parkland County Council in 2013, I served on various Parkland County boards and committees and dedicated my career to senior local government administration in the areas of culture, economic development and tourism at the City of Spruce Grove and Town of Stony Plain. I am passionate about the mandate of the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance and the importance of inter-municipal collaboration and policy alignment at this critical time for our watersheds. I am an active member of both the Sturgeon River Watershed Alliance and the Headwaters Alliance.

The SRWA group meets regularly and keeps informed about various projects underway in the Sturgeon River

basin. During the fall of 2017, a number of technical studies were initiated, and results will be analysed for

incorporation into the development of the Sturgeon River Watershed Plan (2018). Stay tuned for NSWA –

SRWA surveys and workshops for the Sturgeon River Watershed Management Plan planned for 2018.

We welcome several new Councillors to the SRWA and are thankful for the ongoing support of returning Councillors:

Chair—AnnLisa Jensen, Parkland County Karen Shaw, Sturgeon County Bernie Poulin, Summer Village Lac Ste. Anne Jay Millante, Town of Gibbons Wayne Rothe, City of Spruce Grove Jacquie Hansen City of St. Albert Aaron Paquette, City of Edmonton Nick Gelych, Lac Ste Anne County Rebecca Balanko, Town of Morinville Pat St. Hilaire, Town of Onoway

Kayaker on the Sturgeon River Sieg Koslowski - Images Alberta

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STATE OF THE WATERSHED REPORTS The NSWA has been active in supporting lake manage-ment initiatives. The Isle Lake and Lac Ste Anne State of the Watershed Report was completed in 2017. A citizen–led educational project to address the invasive species flowering rush has received grant money for the spring and summer of 2018. The NSWA also initiated work with the Antler Lake Stewardship Committee and the Hubbles Lake Stewardship Society to draft State of the Watershed Reports for those lakes, for completion in 2018.

WABAMUN LAKE The Wabamun Watershed Management Council is working with the NSWA, Alberta Environment and Parks, and Parkland County to initiate a watershed management planning process for Wabamun Lake. A Terms of Reference for the Steering Committee has been prepared and the various stakeholders are currently working with the local municipalities to ensure a cohesive, integrated approach to watershed management and to support the implementation of key elements in Parkland County’s Wabamun Lake Subwatershed Land Use Plan (WLSLUP).

LAKE PROJECTS and OTHER EVENTS

Wabamun Lake—Images Alberta

Alberta Ecotrust is hosting their 3rd Environmental Gathering March 8-10!

This is a great opportunity to connect, innovate & help Create the Future of Alberta's environment. You should be there to experience this solutions-focused and activity-based event. Check out the program, speakers and registration details here:

https://albertaecotrust.com/gathering2018/

Registration is NOW OPEN for SALMTEC's Alberta

Wetland Rapid Evaluation Tool - Actual (ABWRET-A)

Training Course.

Visit www.SALMTEC.com to register!

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Do you know someone who loves history? Science? Watersheds? The River? Living in the Shed makes a great gift!

Copies of the book are available for only $25.00 at the NSWA office, online on the NSWA website and from these retailers: Audrey’s Books, Edmonton

The Wildbird General Store, Edmonton

Wildbirds Unlimited, Edmonton

Bookstore on Perron, St. Albert

Elk Point Library, Elk Point

Fort Edmonton, Edmonton

Metis Crossing

Fort George /Buckingham House Provincial Historic Site

Ukrainian Village

Elk Island National Park

Muttart Conservatory, Edmonton

Telus World of Science, Edmonton

Devonian Gardens, Devon

Coles -Southgate and St. Albert

Copies of Living in the Shed are appearing in offices near you! The NSWA has placed copies in doctor, lawyer, dental and physio offices, and in other local business waiting rooms. We hope to spread the watershed message to a wider audience and increase interest in managing our vast watershed. We have spotted people engrossed in the book: A dentist, who canoes regularly on various rivers in the watershed, was excited to read the book and discover more about the watershed he already loves.

Another man told us he saw the book at his physio office and started reading it—when he got home he realized “he had to buy it!”.

Another person is now reading the book to her children - a little at a time. She says that it has something to interest all ages.

A person who purchased the book at one of our events volunteered to distribute it to Métis elders in his community.

We would love to hear how the book has impacted you and your friends.

Send us an email at water@nswa.ab.ca

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587.525.6820

water@nswa.ab.ca

We acknowledge the strong support of Alberta Environment and Parks, Environment and Climate Change Canada, EPCOR and 38 other Municipal Partners for funding in 2017

The NSWA appreciates the active participation of the following municipalities and organizations: