May long weekend is here: begin the bush parties, litter, trucks in the river. . . I wish I could find last year's Sustainable Resource Development blog post about the perennial rotting couches. There will be liquor bans, fire bans, trail closures and check stops.
This is one of the ways we engage youth
Alberta WPACs ...Seeking Library Wizard!
Alberta's Watershed Planning and Advisory Councils seeking Library Wizard!
Alberta has shaken the blues and .... orange you glad we're in the rose of health?
In time for the weekend, something to think about ...
Well, we've done it this time - picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off and made it to the polls in greater numbers than in the last 22 years. Premier-designate Rachel Notley could make the difference for some of the challenges our watershed is currently facing.
WPACs of Alberta (Watershed Planning and Advisory Councils) have an important role to play: to advise government. And we've been doing it a long time. Key pieces of research like the State of the Watershed Report and the Integrated Watershed Management Plans, as well as key input into the South Saskatchewan Rgional Plan have had much work - and much hope - put into them.
It was interesting to note that both rural and urban Albertans want change and are willing to work together. Combining the orange and the rose will make a brighter future for everyone who lives, works and plays in our beautiful and unique Oldman watershed. (Suddenly Jayme Cabrera Lopez' photo of the sunrise at the top of ths blog seems serendipitously appropriate.)
We look forward to the support of both NDP and Wildrose MLAs to make things different - and to make them better.
Here's what our Executive Director, Shannon Frank, had to say about the recent election and its implications for watershed management and health .... you may need to adjust your speakers a little ... have a peek at this recent video:
Well, we've done it this time - picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off and made it to the polls in greater numbers than in the last 22 years. Premier-designate Rachel Notley could make the difference for some of the challenges our watershed is currently facing.
WPACs of Alberta (Watershed Planning and Advisory Councils) have an important role to play: to advise government. And we've been doing it a long time. Key pieces of research like the State of the Watershed Report and the Integrated Watershed Management Plans, as well as key input into the South Saskatchewan Rgional Plan have had much work - and much hope - put into them.
It was interesting to note that both rural and urban Albertans want change and are willing to work together. Combining the orange and the rose will make a brighter future for everyone who lives, works and plays in our beautiful and unique Oldman watershed. (Suddenly Jayme Cabrera Lopez' photo of the sunrise at the top of ths blog seems serendipitously appropriate.)
We look forward to the support of both NDP and Wildrose MLAs to make things different - and to make them better.
Here's what our Executive Director, Shannon Frank, had to say about the recent election and its implications for watershed management and health .... you may need to adjust your speakers a little ... have a peek at this recent video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AAsJJ8-5QE <<< CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW!!!
We'd love to hear your thoughts about this topic!
You're Invited: Waterton Grizzly Film Premier May 8th
(Editor's Note: We love teddy bears and shoot grizzlies. Yet the world reveres Canada for its majestic, natural landscapes and wildlife. Our farmers and ranchers who steward this landscape are telling another side to the story. Waterton Biosphere is releasing a new film this Friday - what happens when increasing population, expanding agriculture, loss of habitat, and teddy bear/killer bear legends collide?)
Sharing the Range: a film about ranch families living with grizzly bears in the Waterton Biosphere Reserve to be released May 8th, 2015.
Pincher Creek, AB – April 29, 2015 – The Waterton Biosphere Reserve is proud to announce the upcoming release of a short film, Sharing the Range, on May 8, 2015. The film tells the story about the challenges of living with large carnivores and how people in the Waterton Biosphere Reserve (WBR) are meeting those challenges.
The southwestern corner of Alberta, Canada, where the Waterton Biosphere Reserve is located, is home to a large number of people involved with agriculture; it is also home to a high population density of bears. With so many people and carnivores sharing the same habitat, there are bound to be conflicts.
"We have bears in all this country; lots of sows with little cubs. They've denned near here – so it's not just in the mountains and not just on public lands that we are seeing a lot of grizzly bears. It's on private lands all over the place." Jeff Bectell, rancher, Waterton Biosphere Reserve Association Chair and Coordinator of the WBR Carnivore Working Group
As the Waterton Biosphere Reserve has worked with the local community and wildlife managers to address the issues of living with large carnivores, the need has arisen to share the story of the farmers and ranchers who directly face the many challenges of living with large carnivores; challenges that impact both their livelihood and the safety of their families. Despite these challenges, southwestern Alberta families are working hard to solve the problems that arise when animals like bears and wolves share the landscape with people and agriculture. It is important for people who care about large carnivores, and people who care about the landscapes of southwestern Alberta, to recognize the effort spent and costs incurred by farmers and ranchers stewarding these lands.
And so it is that Sharing the Range was produced, offering a glimpse into the lives of farm and ranch families and their struggle to share the land with large carnivores. The farmers and ranchers of the Waterton Biosphere Reserve appreciate the unique landscape in which they live, knowing that their land is prime habitat for wildlife. However, making a living in this environment is not without challenges and wildlife can pose significant concerns for rural families in terms of safety and economics; along with the stress that comes from both worries.
Sharing the Range tells their story: real people, with real families who work hard to produce healthy food in a sustainable way that allows room for large carnivores to roam.
"I wish we had a better way of communicating with the general public about who we are. Often I think people misunderstand farmers' and ranchers' feelings about wildlife. What I would like people to know is that we enjoy seeing a grizzly bear or big bull elk as much as anyone, but when our livelihood and our families are threatened by wildlife over which we have little control, it can be very upsetting to us. My hope is that Sharing the Range will allow people a glimpse into our lives, and a better understanding of the situation which we are living in here in southwestern Alberta." – Tony Bruder, rancher and Area Coordinator for the WBRA Carnivore Working Group
Filmed by award winning filmmaker Leanne Allison, with footage contributed by Jeff Turner, famous cinematographer and wildlife filmmaker; Sharing the Range not only tells an important story of the people in the Waterton Biosphere Reserve, but offers stunning imagery of southwestern Alberta and the grizzlies who call this area home.
The full documentary will premiere May 8th, 2015 at 7pm in the Remington Carriage House Museum Theatre, Cardston, AB. Everyone is welcome, and we hope you will join us.
View the Sharing the Range trailer and learn more about the film: www.sharingtherange.com
Contact the WBRA:
Jennifer Jenkins
Communications Coordinator
Waterton Biosphere Reserve Association
403 627 9598
Website: www.watertonbiosphere.com
Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WatertonBiosphereReserve
OWC April 2015 E-Newsletter
Nature's burstin' out all over!
(Editor's Note: Are you one of the many people who are itching for green in your garden and thinking about what to plant? There are many ideas out there for great gardens, beautiful flower beds - and watching for nature's spring plants. The Oldman recently disovered a nice selection of prairie plant seeds at the Galt museum - and here, thanks to botanist June Flanagan, some tips on what to look for on your spring walks. Remember to plant something for the butterflies - and enjoy!)
You're in for a treat if you head out wildflower hunting in the Oldman River Watershed this week, as warm weather is coaxing buds to break earlier and faster than usual.
Prairie crocus enthusiasts will still find fuzzy flower buds (Anemone patens) emerging from cool, damp areas on north-facing hillsides. And for gardeners, the arrival of golden beans (Thermopsis rhombifolia) is a reminder that temperatures are now perfect for sowing lettuce seeds. 
Keep your eyes close to the soil for cushion plants like plains milk-vetch (Astragalus gilviflorus) bearing white pea-shaped flowers tucked between soft silver leaves, or the very tiny tufted milk-vetch (Astragalus spatulatus) with lavender blossoms.
It's likely you'll see moss phlox (Phlox hoodii) plants pressed against dry ridges and south-facing slopes, smothered with white star-shaped flowers that resemble patches of receding snow, and you may spot the small white daisies of prairie townsendia (Townsendia hookeri) scattered among grassy flats.
Some sunny beauties you might discover are yellow prairie violets (Viola nuttallii), and the flat floral umbrellas of leafy wild parsley (Musineon divaricatum). A few yellow bells (Fritillaria pudica) continue to echo the buzz pollination of bees, but many are already setting seed.
To help you identify what's blooming, University of Lethbridge Library continues to host a free download of our local guide to native prairie plants called "Common Coulee Plants of Southern Alberta". The updated edition with photographs and searchable links by flower colour travels easily on your smartphone or tablet. Get your free copy in EPUB or PDF format at <https://www.uleth.ca/dspace/handle/10133/3376> or find more information on my web site.
Enjoy spring!
June
June Flanagan is a Lethbridge botanist, environmental horticulturist and author. She has published five regional books, including the local plant guide Common Coulee Plants of Southern Alberta and gardening guides Edible Plants for Prairie Gardens and Native Plants for Prairie Gardens. See June's web site for details, and follow what's in bloom with her on Instagram or "like" her Facebook Author Page:
Seeking New Board Members - Love Your Watershed
Join the Oldman Watershed Council's Board of Directors!
OWC is now holding 2 elections - one for sector organizations and one for members at large.
You must be a member by
April 30
to join the Board or vote in the election.
You don't need to be a scientist to join the Board, we also need expertise in fund development, volunteer management, communications and of course passion to get involved and help out!
We would like to invite you and/or your organization to get involved in the OWC so that your voice can be heard at the Board table. We encourage you to
(it's free), nominate someone to OWC's Board of Directors and vote on who makes up the OWC's Board of Directors.
The OWC board is comprised of 19 individuals serving two-year terms and is structured as follows:
- 4 members are appointed by their organization (1 from the Federal Government,
2 from the Provincial Government, 1 from the City of Lethbridge),
- 4 members-at-large are elected at the OWC Annual General Meeting
(bringing perspectives from the general public),
- 2 members bring First Nations perspectives, and
- 9 members are elected by their organizational sector.
The categories for the organizational sectors are:
Academia
Agricultural Producers
Commercial/Industrial Companies
Environmental Non-Government Organizations
Health
Irrigators (election held at AIPA)
Rural Municipalities (election held at Mayors & Reeves of Southwest Alberta)
Towns/Villages (election held at Mayors & Reeves of Southwest Alberta)
Wildlife Conservation Organizations
As an
individual
you can nominate yourself or someone else as a
Member at Large.
This year we have 2 vacant positions.
As an
organization
you can nominate someone from your organization to bring perspectives from your sector to the OWC Board of Directors. See the
Board of Directors job description
for more details.
Process to Participate in the
Sector
Election
(for organizations only)
Step 1:
Complete the
for your organization by
April 30, 2015
. Membership is free and is valid for one calendar year. Only members of OWC are eligible to vote for and/or serve on the Board of Directors.
Step 2 (optional):
Complete the
or
or
to nominate someone to run in the OWC sector election by May 20, 2015. This person must be willing to bring perspectives from your sector.
Step 3:
Vote in the sector election by June 5, 2015 for your sector's position on the OWC Board of Directors through an online vote. We will send you instructions by email once we have your membership form. You can still vote regardless of whether or not you submitted a nominee for this position, so long as you are an organizational member.
Process to Participate in the
Member at Large
Election
(for individuals)
Step 1:
Complete the
for yourself by
April 30, 2015
. Membership is free and is valid for one calendar year. Only members of OWC are eligible to vote for and/or serve on the Board of Directors.
Step 2 (optional):
Complete the
online or
or
to nominate someone to run in the OWC Member at Large election by May 20, 2015. This person must be willing to bring perspectives from the general public. Nominations from the floor are not accepted at OWC's AGM.
Step 3:
Voting takes place in person at the OWC's Annual General Meeting on June 23, 2015 at the Readymade Hall. Registration for this event opens soon and all members will be emailed an invitation. You can still vote regardless of whether or not you submitted a nominee for this position, so long as you are a member. Nominee biographies are included in the AGM package and nominees will be given 5 minutes to speak prior to voting.
For more information, please contact Shannon Frank, Executive Director at
or 403-382-4239.
Oldman Watershed Council
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100, 5401 - 1st Avenue South
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Lethbridge
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Alberta
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T1K 4V6
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Canada
Kids These Days ...
Yesterday, in a fit of cynicism, I wondered whether designating one day as Earth Day made any difference. Here's what happened today:
I picked up the Lethbridge Herald on the way to work and began to peruse it as I sipped coffee at my desk. Would there be any local coverage of Earth Day, I wondered? Look no further than page A3, Hometown News. Tijana Martin's got a photo in there to accompany an article by Melissa Villeneuve. The photo shows Ty Marshall, 17, from Victoria Park High School. To compliment his very cool Black Sabbath T-Shirt and shades, his plastic gloves indicate serious business as he scours the coulees for garbage. So whoever said garbage-picking isn't cool?
It wasn't just him. 100 students were out there, cleaning up the mess we have left behind.
But there's more: in addition to participating in the Earth Day cleanup, they applied for, and were successful in procuring, $1,000 through the Telus "We Give Where We Live" program. These kids donated that money to the Lethbridge Food Bank. Environmental AND Social awareness?! Makes the Oldman just tear up at the thought of it. Seriously.
So who are the great teachers inspiring these kids? You don't have to look far - there is Mr. Sadlowski in the photo, bent over with garbage bag, right behind his student, camera slung over his shoulder, hoofing it up the coulee. Reading further, there is an additional teacher involved as co-facilitator - Karla Wright. Both teachers meet every Thursday at noon with the group, called "Free The Children".
It doesn't take the Oldman long to pick up the phone to thank the teachers and the students for their great work. A Thank You goes a long way - there is an endless supply of them, yet so few in circulation. Yes, you can quote me on that. I ask whether Mr. Sadlowski thinks the group would be interested in the OWC's Film Project. Part of the project involves reaching out to students. Donations from anyone under 18 to the Film Project are honoured with a professional photo opportunity with the OWC and a special blog posting (did you know our blog has had nearly 15,000 hits?!) Best of all, students will be invited to a free "How To Film The Watershed" seminar (to be offered in Taber, Lethbridge and Pincher Creek).
So next Thursday, the OWC is going to Victoria Park High School in Lethbridge to meet these outstanding watershed warriors and invite them to get involved with our Film Project. I am hoping to inspire them to create their own watershed videos and upload them to our new OWC You Tube channel.
Communication, after all, isn't only about "getting our message out there". It's also about supporting each other's efforts to make our watershed a better place to live, work and play - hearing each other's messages and acting on them.
I picked up the Lethbridge Herald on the way to work and began to peruse it as I sipped coffee at my desk. Would there be any local coverage of Earth Day, I wondered? Look no further than page A3, Hometown News. Tijana Martin's got a photo in there to accompany an article by Melissa Villeneuve. The photo shows Ty Marshall, 17, from Victoria Park High School. To compliment his very cool Black Sabbath T-Shirt and shades, his plastic gloves indicate serious business as he scours the coulees for garbage. So whoever said garbage-picking isn't cool?
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| Lethbridge Herald featuring the "Free the Children" Earth Day clean-up action. |
But there's more: in addition to participating in the Earth Day cleanup, they applied for, and were successful in procuring, $1,000 through the Telus "We Give Where We Live" program. These kids donated that money to the Lethbridge Food Bank. Environmental AND Social awareness?! Makes the Oldman just tear up at the thought of it. Seriously.
So who are the great teachers inspiring these kids? You don't have to look far - there is Mr. Sadlowski in the photo, bent over with garbage bag, right behind his student, camera slung over his shoulder, hoofing it up the coulee. Reading further, there is an additional teacher involved as co-facilitator - Karla Wright. Both teachers meet every Thursday at noon with the group, called "Free The Children".
It doesn't take the Oldman long to pick up the phone to thank the teachers and the students for their great work. A Thank You goes a long way - there is an endless supply of them, yet so few in circulation. Yes, you can quote me on that. I ask whether Mr. Sadlowski thinks the group would be interested in the OWC's Film Project. Part of the project involves reaching out to students. Donations from anyone under 18 to the Film Project are honoured with a professional photo opportunity with the OWC and a special blog posting (did you know our blog has had nearly 15,000 hits?!) Best of all, students will be invited to a free "How To Film The Watershed" seminar (to be offered in Taber, Lethbridge and Pincher Creek).
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| Follow #oldmangoestohollywood on Twitter for updates on the Film Project and great photos! |
Communication, after all, isn't only about "getting our message out there". It's also about supporting each other's efforts to make our watershed a better place to live, work and play - hearing each other's messages and acting on them.
Congratulations, "Free The Children" and Victoria Park School ... and THANK YOU :-)
Earth Day - Does It Really Matter?
(Editor's Note: You may call me cynical, but I did ask myself today whether naming this one day "Earth Day" actually made a difference. Here is a blog piece by OWC's Planning Manager, Connie Simmons, attempting to answer that question.)
The Oldman Watershed Council marks Earth Day with a spotlight on the Headwaters Action Team!
In preparation for this Blog post, I visited Earth Day’s website, http://earthday2015.ca/ and thought a lot about how the OWC and our key partnerships with stakeholders and volunteers supports Earth Day Canada’s mission to foster and celebrate environmental respect, action and behaviour change that lessens our impact on the earth. I looked at the questions they asked:
“What can I do to help the environment?”
“How can my individual actions make a bigger difference?”
“Can the impact of one person really help the planet?”
It didn’t take me long to figure out what to say – without the power of key partnerships and committed people and groups working together for common goals and outcomes for watershed health – the OWC would be just another planning organization with piles of plans on a shelf gathering dust.
Committed action by individuals, stakeholders and government is what makes the difference – and this action makes Earth Day (and everyday) a reason for acknowledgement and thanks to the people who are doing this important work.
The OWC’s Headwaters Action Team (HAT) is focused on getting things done for headwaters health. The HAT was formed in 2014 to begin the process of implementing 5 priority actions of the Headwaters Action Plan, and to see how far we can go in the first two years of collaborative work (for more on this: http://oldmanbasin.org/teams-and-projects/integrated-watershed-management-plan-team/).
The HAT is a great group of people, with different perspectives, interests and values. Some of our conversations are bluntly honest, and some of the interests around the table are at times cross-threaded. Nonetheless, as a foundation for collaborative work, we agree that the health of the headwaters needs improvement, that there are important initiatives that can address the priority concerns - and through this work, we raise support for improved watershed management, and achieve better outcomes for headwaters health.
OWC Headwaters Action Team - April 9, 2015
left to right: Jason Blackburn (Alberta Conservation Association); Lorne Fitch (Cows and Fish); Mike Wagner (Environment and Sustainable Resource Development – Forest Hydrology); Connie Simmons (OWC); Wade Aebli (Spray Lakes Sawmills); Rosemary Jones (Environment and Sustainable Development-Parks); David Green (Southern Alberta Sustainable Communities Initiative); Terry Yagos (MD Pincher Creek); Tony Bruder (Drywood-Yarrow Conservation Partnership); Bill Kovach (MD Crowsnest Pass); Jim Lynch Staunton (North Fork Grazing Association); Richard Burke (Trout Unlimited – Lethbridge). Missing: Darryl Ferguson (Crowsnest Pass Quad Squad); Carolyn Aspeslet (Castle Crown Wilderness Coalition).
The Headwaters Action Team works in both an advisory and implementation capacity, within the mandates and resources available from their respective organizations. So when I look at the questions posed for Earth Day, ‘…what can I do, and how can my individual actions make a difference?’ - I see in the HAT the commitment and willingness to act stemming from connection and appreciation for the beauty, the critical ecological function as key water tower, and resources that support people and communities – all of these values, and more, are inherent to the Oldman headwaters.
To really hear what is important to the team members, it is best to hear from them on why they are putting their time and energy into action for headwaters health:
I have lived near to the Oldman River most of my life and have spent many hours fishing, and playing in it, but most of all walking along it enjoying the hugely diverse wildlife and plant life enabled and nourished by it. The headwaters is the source and the Oldman River is the lifeblood of Southern Alberta. Ted Smith – Rancher, Livingston Landowners Group, HAT member
The Oldman River headwaters encompasses the largest remaining core areas of pure strain Westslope Cutthroat Trout within the historic range of Alberta, and is critical to the long term sustainability of the species in the province. Watersheds within the headwaters not only contribute to the overall persistence of this species, but also represent some of the best quality, and most popular native (and introduced) trout fisheries in the province, a service highly valued by a major stakeholder group of ACA, Alberta’s anglers.
Jason Blackburn – Alberta Conservation Association – HAT member
Headwaters are the epicenter for source water, native fish and wildlife (several of which are ‘threatened’) and a sense of space for recreation, watershed integrity and biodiversity maintenance. The headwaters are where the Oldman watershed begins and how well we manage this critical area dictates whether we meet the goals of downstream residents.
Lorne Fitch, Cows and Fish – HAT member
I live in the Oldman headwaters. Every day I see the snowpack on the mountains, hear the melt-water music of Gladstone Creek as it joins Mill Creek, which flows into the Castle River, and then joins the Oldman River system at the Oldman Reservoir. I think of all who live upstream and downstream and depend on this water – the towns and cities, the forests, the fish, birds and wildlife, and the farmers, ranchers and businesses that help support the economy of Alberta. Over 90% of the water of the Oldman River comes from the headwaters. For this reason, and because this place is my home, I am committed to working for headwaters beauty, function, spiritual values and source of life and sustenance.
Connie Simmons, Oldman Watershed Council – HAT coordinator
On Earth Day 2015 – we celebrate and thank the commitment of people and organizations who are working together for watershed health.
Thank you, Headwaters Action Team!!!
Blog post by: Connie Simmons,
OWC - Headwaters Stewardship Coordinator
connie@oldmanbasin.org
We're Asking For Your Help In One Small Act
(Editor's Note: Please renew your OWC membership and take the opportunity to see where your hard-earned dollars go. Any donation - large or small - makes a difference. Whether it is $20 or $200, your donation helps ensure a healthy watershed for generations to come. Our OWC Family is growing, thanks to people like you. Because of your support, we accomplish great things.)
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Safe Drinking Water In Lethbridge - And Downstream!
The other day, we met with OWC's Chairman, Doug Kaupp, who is also the General Manager of Water and Wastewater for the City of Lethbridge. The City has generously sponsored the OWC Film Project as a Collaborative Partner. The OWC gets $5,000 to put toward the film-making, and the City gets three videos: one for kids, one for the public at large, and one for scientists. The Collaborative Partner gets the videos at a fraction of the commercial cost, and the Oldman gets to create invaluable educational material.
For the City's videos, we toured three main sites: the waste water treatment plant, the water treatment plant and some river locations for storm outfalls and other technology.
It's a good thing this is a story told in pictures and not in smells! ...but, here we go:
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| So this first picture ^^ is where all the toilet flushings and drainage from the city of Lethbridge is collected to ONE POINT. I know, it's not fluffy birdies and flowers, but it's high time you knew. Yes, it stinks to high heaven. |
That's why I was praying that the guys didn't drop or knock their fancy-dancy camera equipment into the sludge: clearly, nobody would jump in after it to save it!
There are several stages to the process, and I'm not going to walk you through them all, but it was really interesting to find out just how much effort, science (and yes, money) goes into treating wastewaster to a condition where it can be released back into the river. It is the same stuff that fish will swim in, kids will play in ... and everybody downstream will drink (after they treat it further). (Obviously this picture shows one of the initial stages, and not the end result far down the line in wastewater treatment!)
First of all, anything that will harm the other machines is caught and removed (rocks, what have you). Then, 'tons and tons' of sand is taken out. I couldn't believe it. A lot of the sand is simply from cleaning - washing your floors, etc. Apparently, a lot of people are also forgetting their rags when they flush their dirty floor water down the drain!
A much better idea is to use biodegradable soap and dump the sand and dirty water onto your lawn - and pick out your rag.
The picture above ^^ shows part of the process where, now that the sand has been removed, the culprits grease and hair get worked over.
Are you one of the people flushing the hair from your brush down the toilet?
It is far better to put it in the garbage.
The same goes for your bacon fat, cooking fat, any type of grease is a real effort to remove.
There's a little trick, actually: use an old milk carton and pour the grease into it. Close the spout so it doesn't smell and put it in the fridge and it is easily disposable in the garbage after it has set.
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This is a very complicated process.There are ten of these"sludge pools", bubbling and working away. |
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And here's a photo of "Mr. Water", Doug Kaupp, who is taking the Oldman Film Crew on a tour of the facilities and explaining the wastewater treatment process to us. Doug has a lot of responsibility for taking care of us all! |
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There is not an alien living in this tank. It is actually ultraviolet light, used to treat the water once it's past the sludge stage. It has a green tinge due to the algae. |
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On to the next stage! There are several buildings, each with it's own function, and all connected with massive pipes. |
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Jim MacDonald, left, is the Wastewater Plant Manager in Lethbridge. A lot of people are involved in making sure our water is clean and healthy for everyone downstream. |
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Great chemistry brains aren't just found on TV! Brian Thomson is the brains at the water treatment plant.
Wastewater gets treated differently than water does than stormwater does. The difference? Wastewater is downstream. It's what we put down the drain. It must go through a careful cleaning process before it is put back into the river. It all goes to users downstream. The sludge removed is what powers the plant itself, but you can help by being more careful about what you put down the drain: use biodegradable soap and pour your cleaning water in the yard; don't put hair in the sink or toilet and keep cooking fats out of the drains.
Water treatment is upstream. It's what we take in from the river flowing into the City. It has come from the headwaters in the mountains and passed through the communities and landscapes to the west and we take a portion of it into the water treatment plant where we remove contaminants and treat for purity. That then, flows into your taps.
Stormwater is what falls as precipitation from above. It falls on your roof, your car, your yard. You could be capturing it from the roof in a rain barrel, making sure you don't wash your car in the driveway, avoiding the use of pesticides and herbicides in your yard (hey! dandelions are the first bee food!) - and keeping your storm drain clean. All this water collects in the gutters and is transported straight into the river. Whatever you do to your yard, fish drink. That's the concept of "We are all downstream". Luckily, more and more people are getting into gardening, permaculture and xeriscaping as beautiful - and useful - 'English lawn' alternatives. We do, really, live in a semi-arid climate.
Adding to this list, we also have groundwater, which is what you would use if you have a well.
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Away from all the plants and pipes and down to the Oldman River for some fresh air! We're going to see the weir (Get it?!!) |
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Nice shot, if I do say so myself. The lovely cottonwoods across the river are budding and waiting to leaf. We saw Spring's first butterflies and a few tiny flowers.
Doug took us to a few different stormdrains that exit into the river. Yes - whatever is on your street- leaves, garbage, paint, soapsuds ... whatever your pour into the gutteror the street drain ... DOES NOT GET TREATED. It flows straight into the river and straight onto wildlife like beaver and trout. It is important for us, as neighbours, to keep storm drains clear. The City can't possibly come around several times a year to do this. We must have an interest in keeping our water wildlife healthy and care about human populations downstream.
The "Yellow Fish Road" program is a way for school kids to learn about storm drains and water. They paint on the little yellow fish on the storm drains as a way of reminding people that whatever goes down there directly impacts fish.
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It was a beautiful day for filming and we had the best tour guide ever: Thanks, Mr. Water - Doug Kaupp - and thank you to the City of Lethbridge!For more information about your drinking water, please visit http://www.lethbridge.ca/living-here/water-wastewater/Pages/default.aspxThe OWC is seeking further Collaborative Partners who would like to showcase in video how they are making the watershed a better place to live, work and play. Please get in touch! |
The Beauty of Permaculture Blog
(Editor's Note: I bet a lot of people are planning some garden clean-up this weekend. What better time to think about how you can set up your yard to make best use of both soil and water? There is an event TONIGHT!
One of the greatest challenges we face at OWC is communicating to folks that what happens on the land makes or breaks water quality for fish, flora, fauna and folks downstream. These days, we are hearing more and more about permaculture. Thanks to Cristiana for the guest blog posting! Enjoy your weekend read!)
Vibrant Life Eco-Solutions is a local small business that focuses on Permaculture Design, Education, and Soil Enhancement. It strives to both protect nature and enrich the areas of it that we live in to sustainably support humanity.
So many of us enjoy nature. We strive to protect it and in turn take time to bask in the beauty and vitality of Mother Nature. Nature is full of webs of interaction. The study of the interactions of living creatures, vegetation, and their surroundings is Ecology. Healthy Ecosystems are the key to sustaining human civilization as nature provides for all of our needs – food, water, shelter, and warmth.
It is widely observed that when a civilization has crumbled in the past, the condition of their land had been vastly degraded by the agricultural practices used to sustain the people. To take a simplified look - unhealthy nature leads to unrest among the people who faced famine, starvation, and natural disasters. War and disease tend to follow, completing the decimation of the once great civilization.
As the wise Masanobu Fukuoka once said:
"If we throw Mother Nature out the window, she comes back in the door with a pitchfork."
Out of this understanding, 'Permaculture', the word and the science, was born. It is a fusing of the words "permanent" and "agriculture." Its purpose is to show how to create a Permanent Culture or civilization that lives in harmony with nature, instead of trying to subdue it.
The design science behind Permaculture is essentially Ecology. However, let us insert ourselves and our needs into the picture with Nature. We are no longer the ecologist who, by definition, observes the system from the outside. We are part of it! First, we observe how carelessly taking what we need can impact the system negatively. Then we consider how we can enhance the system and out of the bountiful production of nature, receive what we need to live.
Food production is a huge part of Permaculture, and it is an integral part of our existence. So, let's talk about how we can grow our food sustainably and enhance Nature while we're at it.
Observing Nature in the area you wish to cultivate is very important. We need to find out about the types of plants that grow well, the wildlife that we need to co-exist with, the types of weather and weather cycles that are common, where the water comes from and where it goes, and if there are any harsh factors such as intense sun or prevailing winds that need to be taken into consideration. A common saying is, "100 hours of observation; one hour of work." Every possible aspect has to be carefully considered before starting to alter the natural system.
But don't be discouraged! After the area is very familiar, the design process begins.
The first and most important step is mapping water. Water, where it is, and how we can passively move it through the landscape to nurture our crops and animals is what the whole system is built upon. Roofs are great surfaces to catch water and are largely under-utilized. Thousands of litres per year can be captured, and then the rainwater can be directed into storage or channelled directly to areas that need irrigation.
Areas of the land that are eroding, flooding, or are established waterways need to be identified. There are many methods that can be used to naturally solve erosion and flooding issues, and passively irrigate areas that need moisture throughout the growing season. Once the water management plan is in place, your garden, orchard, and meadow areas should be simple to take care of due to the water being distributed naturally throughout your property without sprinklers or pumps.
Rainwater Capture, Filtration, Storage, and Passive Irrigation System Designed and Built by APEX Permaculture Inc.
One of the biggest differences between Permaculture methods and Conventional methods is how the vegetation is arranged. In modern farming and gardening, straight rows and large areas of one type of plant are the normal planting format. However, this is contrary to Nature, which does not tend to plant in rows or have areas that contain just one species of plant. Diversity goes a long way to reducing pests and disease. Thus, the Permaculture way is to plant in Guilds.
A Guild is any group of plants that benefits one another. Companion planting figures into this concept but is not the summation of it. There are benefits to having different heights, different rooting styles, and plants with different purposes all growing together. A guild does not have to contain all of the aspects illustrated in the image below, but this is the ultimate Guild – The Forest Garden.
The Forest Garden is one of the finest expressions of enhancing nature so that humans can harvest food and wood for fuel and shelter. While this is the ideal way to plant, it may not always be practical. A kitchen garden with annual vegetables and herbs along with a separate area dedicated to fruit and trees with less diverse undergrowth can also be great ways to practice Permaculture style planting methods.
The most important keys in Permaculture planting are to encourage diversity, grow plants with multiple functions, make use of both vertical and horizontal space, and encourage pollinators and beneficial creatures to frequent the area.
Another big difference between Permaculture Methods and other gardening methods is to "chop and drop" instead of weeding. Contrary to popular belief, not all weeds are your enemy! They always perform some sort of function in the area they grow in. For example, dandelions grow in compacted soil that is low in Calcium. Their deep tap root both loosens the soil and brings minerals up to their leaves which crumble onto the ground at the end of the season, and become part of the topsoil.
"Chop and drop" is simply cutting the foliage at ground level, then dropping it around your plants. By chopping the weed foliage before it seeds out you prevent an infestation, but you also allow the weed to perform its function in the system. In this way you also increase the organic matter of the soil and add to the mulch layer that protects and nurtures the microorganisms that make the soil nutrients plant-soluble. So, not only is "chop and drop" less labour intensive, there are multiple "wins" when you handle your weeds in this manner.
You can also do this to plants that are growing too large or you can intentionally grow plants that will be "chopped and dropped" such as comfrey. Comfrey is a bio-accumulator, which means that it grows deep roots and brings all the amazing minerals that are deep in the soil up to its leaves. Then when you "chop and drop" the comfrey, you create a nutrient dense mulch for your other plants.
There are numerous methods used in Permaculture that are based in science and common sense. The way that these methods are tied together into a self-sustaining system is what sets them apart and earns them the title of Permaculture. Permaculture strives to create a web or closed system based on the example that Nature sets for us. There is no waste in a properly designed ecosystem - there are only inputs and outputs.
A very simple example system is growing a garden. You need to enrich your soil with compost or worm castings. You harvest food and along with it, some excess plant matter. The excess goes into your compost or worm bin.
Repeat. Let's say you have an infestation of slugs because your soil is moist and has a lot of organic matter in it from handling your water efficiently, chopping and dropping, and building up the protective organic mulch layer. Well, one option is to get a pet duck. The duck gives you eggs and eventually meat and it eats the pests in the garden and creates manure and nutrient rich water which can be used to fertilize the garden. The Permaculturist creates an interactive web, just like Nature, to solve issues and to create an efficient, vibrant, bountiful, and healthy system.
This is the beauty of permaculture. It is the beauty of nature and the pursuit of a vibrant life.
If you would like to learn more about Vibrant Life Eco-Solutions you may visit our website, here, or our Facebook Page, here. Any inquiries can be emailed to: c.hill@VLESolutions.ca
Check out our Events, Products, and Services and learn more about Permaculture and Vibrant Life Eco-Solutions. We will be happy to help enhance the Nature that surrounds you.
We are hosting an evening talk: Water & Earth: Issues and Elegant Solutions, this Saturday, April 11th, 6 - 9:30PM, at the University of Lethbridge, that will reveal more about how Permaculturists manage water and correct or prevent issues from occurring with some really interesting landscaping techniques. All are welcome. Hope to see you there!![]()
Cristiana Hill
Vibrant Life Eco-Solutions
403.894.4887
Ever wondered about your water? TEST IT!
(Editor's Note: Thanks to Jacskon for blogging about how YOU can test your water. Kits are free!)
AWQA Day, June 5th, 2015
A hands-on approach to increasing water quality awareness in Alberta
Have you ever wondered about the quality of water in your local stream or wetland?
You can have the opportunity to learn more about your local waterways by engaging in the Alberta Water Quality Awareness (AWQA) program in 2015. On June 5th we will kick-off our program for the 2015 year!
Alberta Water Quality Awareness (AWQA) aims to increase people's awareness about the health and value of water in Alberta, through hands-on water quality testing. Participants in the program are provided with a free water quality test kit.
This easy-to-use kit includes all of the materials needed to analyze four basic water quality parameters: temperature, pH, turbidity and dissolved oxygen. These basic measures of water quality have important implications for fish and wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, and human health.
Albertans were last able to get their 'feet wet' in 2012, during Alberta's fifth AWQA event. The program was a huge success, with nearly 2000 people, from across the province, actively testing water in their communities. Families, individuals, schools, watershed groups, rural landowners, and community and youth groups all participated in the program.
Together these groups collected and tested water samples from over 200 different locations, covering all seven of the major watersheds in Alberta. These results were compiled to create a 'snapshot' of water quality in the province.
Results from past years can be viewed at www.awqa.ca
Everyone is invited to participate in AWQA 2015. Interested parties can order their free water quality test kit online at www.awqa.ca.
Kits can be ordered as a single, teacher kit package, as well as a special order for those with larger groups of students. AWQA kits will be shipped around mid-May and water quality testing can be done anytime between June 1st and August 31st. A single kit can be used ten times to test any stream, lake, river, wetland, dugout, community pond, reservoir, slough or other surface waterbody in Alberta. It is crucial to the success of this program for the data to be uploaded after collection, don't miss out on this great opportunity to get involved in the outdoors and water education.
AWQA Day is a program of the Alberta Lake Management Society in partnership with Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, and Alberta Tomorrow.AWQA Day is made possible through the generous support of our sponsor EPCOR.
For more information on Alberta Water Quality Awareness please visit www.awqa.ca.
Or contact:
info@alms.ca
(780) 415-9785
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AWQA Day, June 5th, 2015
A hands-on approach to increasing water quality awareness in Alberta
Have you ever wondered about the quality of water in your local stream or wetland?
You can have the opportunity to learn more about your local waterways by engaging in the Alberta Water Quality Awareness (AWQA) program in 2015. On June 5th we will kick-off our program for the 2015 year!
Alberta Water Quality Awareness (AWQA) aims to increase people's awareness about the health and value of water in Alberta, through hands-on water quality testing. Participants in the program are provided with a free water quality test kit.
This easy-to-use kit includes all of the materials needed to analyze four basic water quality parameters: temperature, pH, turbidity and dissolved oxygen. These basic measures of water quality have important implications for fish and wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, and human health.
Albertans were last able to get their 'feet wet' in 2012, during Alberta's fifth AWQA event. The program was a huge success, with nearly 2000 people, from across the province, actively testing water in their communities. Families, individuals, schools, watershed groups, rural landowners, and community and youth groups all participated in the program.
Together these groups collected and tested water samples from over 200 different locations, covering all seven of the major watersheds in Alberta. These results were compiled to create a 'snapshot' of water quality in the province.
Results from past years can be viewed at www.awqa.ca
Everyone is invited to participate in AWQA 2015. Interested parties can order their free water quality test kit online at www.awqa.ca.
Kits can be ordered as a single, teacher kit package, as well as a special order for those with larger groups of students. AWQA kits will be shipped around mid-May and water quality testing can be done anytime between June 1st and August 31st. A single kit can be used ten times to test any stream, lake, river, wetland, dugout, community pond, reservoir, slough or other surface waterbody in Alberta. It is crucial to the success of this program for the data to be uploaded after collection, don't miss out on this great opportunity to get involved in the outdoors and water education.
Students, or other participants, can go online and add their water quality information to the database atwww.awqa.ca, and together create a picture of water quality in Alberta. Data will also be transferred to the Alberta Tomorrow program where students and citizens can further their engagement in the environment, and data, by working with the land-use simulator. Various teacher resources are on our website which includes lesson plans, worksheets, and more information on the parameters that are being tested.
Teacher Resources can be viewed here: http://alms.ca/teacher-resources/
AWQA Day is a program of the Alberta Lake Management Society in partnership with Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, and Alberta Tomorrow.AWQA Day is made possible through the generous support of our sponsor EPCOR.
For more information on Alberta Water Quality Awareness please visit www.awqa.ca.
Or contact:
info@alms.ca
(780) 415-9785
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Jackson Woren, B.Sc, BIT
Lakewatch Technician
Time to say goodbye...
Editor's Note: Yes, it's time to say goodbye to Leta Pezderic as she moves on in her career to take up a new role. Read all about it here—and please do get in touch with her—leta@oldmanbasin.org or @LetaPez to wish her all the best of luck). Farewell and best of luck to Leta!
To celebrate Leta's time with the OWC, thank her for her contributions and provide an opportunity to say farewell and best wishes, there is an informal, come & go celebration at The Owl Acoustic Lounge (411- 3 Avenue South) on Friday, April 24 from 4-6 PM. Please join us!
Please join us in wishing Leta all the best as she leaves OWC to pursue a career with Nature Conservancy of Canada! We will miss her easy smile and caring personality. She has been a trusted representative and friendly face for the OWC over the last 6 years, responsible for building many of the strong relationships we have with partners and volunteers. Leta started with the OWC as an Executive Assistant but quickly recognized the need for a Program Coordinator to work with partners on projects and morphed into that role easily with her strength as a relationship builder. Over the years she has developed many new projects and events, always putting her all into every task. Recently she has been championing new directions for OWC to improve volunteer engagement, youth connections, and program effectiveness. Leta's commitment to quality is unwavering and has been a big part of the OWC's reputation for engaging and inspiring events.
Leta has made many friends during her time at OWC and we are fortunate to know her and look forward to a continued relationship with her in her new role. We greatly appreciate all her hard work and dedication and wish her all the best!
From Shannon, Anna, Bev, and Connie who will miss Leta as a friend and colleague.
A message from Leta
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye...
Adieu, adieu, to you and you and you!
Well, I can't believe it's been over 6 years since starting with the OWC—where has the time gone?! I think back to when I started when it was just Stephanie Palechek and myself—the OWC was up to their eyeballs in the State of the Watershed Report, the Rural Team was just pitching the idea of a Watershed Legacy Program, the Watershed Science Team was about to host its first Watershed Science Forum and the Urban Team was just launching the Prairie Urban Garden project! Now as the OWC celebrates its 10-year anniversary, I can hardly believe how far we've come! I am so proud to have been a part of it!
An opportunity has presented itself to me and I've decided to take it. I have accepted a position working with the Nature Conservancy of Canada as the Natural Area Manager for Southeast Alberta! However, it is with mixed emotions that I leave the OWC—there are so many things I will miss. Most of all though, it will be the people—the dedicated and talented staff, the passionate working Teams, and the strong, supportive Board of Directors—it is through this amazing community of people that the hard work gets accomplished!
I've been so fortunate to spend my days with so many inspiring people throughout the watershed who have taught me so much about our spectacular basin and for that I am truly grateful!
Thank you and of course, let's stay in touch! (pezderic@gmail.com)
Leta
How Naapi Helped the OWC Find a Face in time for World Water Day
OWC is hiring! - PLEASE SHARE!
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Native fish – our very own aquatic ‘canaries in a coal mine’
(Editor's Note: Why is your clean, clear, drinking water threatened? And how does it depend on fish? OWC's Planning Manager, Connie Simmons, explains exactly what's "fishy" in the headwaters. Your comments are, as always, most welcome.)
The Headwaters Action Plan (HAP) is a key outcome of the Oldman Integrated Watershed Management Plan, and was developed with the input of key stakeholders and the public throughout 2013-14. The HAP developed targets, actions and recommendations for three indicators of headwaters health to focus efforts to effectively protect and maintain source waters and headwaters values.
One of these three indicators provided direction for action related to fish - and not just any fish, but a focus on two native species that are now listed as ‘threatened’ by the Government of Alberta: westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout.
With the ‘threatened’ listing, come Recovery Plans and a legislated requirement to safeguard the species from further population decreases, and to protect and restore critical habitats to support and ensure their continued persistence and recovery. Westslope Cutthroat Trout have an approved Recovery Plan, and a Recovery Plan for bull trout is currently being developed. (See: http://esrd.alberta.ca/fish-wildliditfe/species-at-risk/ )
Native fish need healthy source waters and headwaters to thrive, and source water and headwaters integrity directly link to sustainability of healthy streams and rivers that provide us with high water quality and sufficient water quantity – a critical foundation for sustainable human communities and economic stability.
The looming crisis with these two native trout species tells us that all is not well in the Oldman headwaters, or Alberta.
Development and recreation pressures, habitat degradation, fragmentation and loss, invasive species incursion (i.e. competitive or hybridizing species such as rainbow trout), climate change, and angling pressure have created a perfect storm of issues that threaten the continued existence of these key native fish species in Alberta.
This is our wake-up call – these native trout are truly our aquatic ‘canaries in a coal mine’ – telling us that all is not well, and that we need to pay attention, prioritize what to do, and then act with responsibility and solid scientific direction to ensure the continued persistence and flourishing of native trout in the strongholds of cold, clear mountain streams and lakes.
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Westslope cutthroat trout are listed as threatened by both the Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada. In Canada, westslope cutthroat trout are native only to the Bow and Oldman River systems.
Historically in the Oldman watershed, their populations extended from the high mountain creeks, rivers and lakes to as far as Lethbridge. But - that was then, this is now. WSCT have declined so precipitously in the last 50 years that they now are at around 5% of their former population numbers, and these remnant populations have retracted to the small and scattered streams in the highest reaches of the Rocky Mountain tributaries of the Oldman River.
Human activities were and continue to be the greatest threat to the persistence of WSCT remnant populations in Alberta. These activities include the historical introduction of invasive species (ie: stocking of rainbow trout hybridize with WSCT and reduce or exterminate pure strain populations); development/industrial pressures that adversely impact or destroy habitat; and consumption (angling).
This alarming trend is further exacerbated by the looming issue of climate change, when projected mean temperatures in summer of many streams, especially in lower elevation streams and lakes, will rise to a point that WSCT cannot continue to exist. High mountain streams with intact forests and riparian areas provide the foundation for the clear, cold, connected and complex aquatic systems that support WSCT.
If we want to have WSCT in the future, there is an immediate need to take greater care of these important remnant habitats – to protect, rehabilitate and restore, and to manage adverse and cumulative impacts in these mountain headwaters areas.
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Bull trout occur in all of the major watersheds of the eastern slopes in Alberta, but have experienced significant reductions in both range and numbers, including the loss of some populations. Historically, bull trout were estimated to live in approximately 24,000 stream kilometres in Alberta, but are now down to an estimated 16,000 kms. This is a 33% reduction in the extent of their historical range.
Bull trout in southern Alberta watersheds have had the greatest losses, including the Oldman, Bow and Red Deer rivers. Bull trout populations in the Oldman watershed have been decreasing due to increasing cumulative impacts of industrial and recreation activities in their historic range, including logging, gas exploration and extraction, off-highway vehicles use, livestock grazing and random access camping.
Recovery of bull trout will require conservation of healthy aquatic ecosystems, restoration and protection of degraded habitats, and the adoption of disturbance thresholds that will not be exceeded.
As a first step, Albertans need to be aware that the populations of native trout are in trouble and that action is needed to ensure healthy headwaters and source water native fish habitat. As a sharp lesson about the nature of cumulative effects that degrade native fish habitat and population persistence, Lorne Fitch put it most succinctly:
"Farmers, miners, off highway vehicle users, roughnecks, homeowners, politicians and a cast of thousands have devastated Alberta’s fish populations without ever catching or frying a single fish. Instead, large numbers of fish, populations of fish, and watersheds of fish were killed through habitat alterations, loss of critical habitats, water withdrawals, and pollution. It has been a death by a thousand cuts, not a thousand hooks. Individually there was no malice, spite or even intention – only the ignorance of fish ecology and cumulative effects."
Lorne Fitch (excerpt from essay ‘Two Fish, One Fish, No Fish: Alberta’s Fish Crisis’)
If we are able to secure healthy, productive headwaters and source water habitat for native fish, we are also helping to secure healthy and productive headwaters and source waters for all who need water in the Oldman watershed.
In addition to raising public awareness, a concerted effort to effectively manage cumulative development/use impacts, provide excellent conservation information to public and stakeholders, and work to address threats to the continued persistence of native trout is greatly needed in the Oldman headwaters.
The OWC Headwaters Action Team and partners are starting to address some of these concerns this summer (more on the Team and partnerships is coming in a future Blog!). Recreation user engagement programs in Dutch Creek will share information about critical habitat for westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout, and engage recreationists to seek solutions that will would help ensure continued native trout persistence.
Trout Unlimited (Oldman chapter) has taken the initiative to begin to work on riparian restoration and sedimentation issues in Hidden Creek – a sub-watershed just north of Dutch Creek and home to bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout. The Alberta Conservation Association is working on a more complete inventory of westslope cutthroat trout in the upper Oldman headwaters area, and will be doing population assessments in Dutch Creek, Hidden Creek and White Creek in 2015. Cows and Fish are working with the OWC to inventory riparian areas and flag areas that need focused restoration work in the form of restoration, and engagement of users to mitigate further impacts. South Saskatchewan Regional Plan sub-regional initiatives are underway with the Linear Footprint Management Plan and Recreation Management Plan for the Livingston and Porcupine Hills areas.
All of these initiatives are greatly needed, but we need a focused approach to preserving and extending critical habitat for native trout as an important iconic species, and a marker of healthy, productive headwaters and source waters in the Oldman watershed and beyond.
Bull trout - at home in cold, clear, complex and connected high mountain streams and lakes
Connie Simmons
Planning Manager
Beyond Seeing Red
(Editor's Note: Those transmission towers sure have got people talking! Here's another guest blog from an artist who is "seeing red" on this issue. What are your thoughts? We welcome all points of view: managing the watershed means all voices must be heard. This article poses many questions - lots of food for thought. For more information, please see: http://www.altalink.ca/projects/other/c-e.cfm ).
Beyond Seeing Red - Barbara Amos Art Projects
Do hydroelectric transmission towers bring out the worst in your area? Do you see red at the thought of them? There are alternatives. The next few paragraphs are going to outline ideas and forward-thinking questions that hopefully engage a process that moves us all beyond seeing red.
Cumulative linear development is one of the major concerns on our landscapes and watersheds. Transmission towers are a big part of those concerns. In a time when many places are exploring alternatives to the electrical grid, Alberta seems determined to go forward with technology from days gone by.
The transmission line routes add linear disturbances that negatively impact watersheds. The social fabric of communities are distressed by the route selection process. The issue in front of the local community has been a yes/no and here/there strategy. The route selections pit communities against each other as new route seems worse than the last proposal. It divides our communities.
Whatever routes are selected, these towers compromise property values, heritage landscapes and ecological integrity and the social favor of the community. They are costly to build will add to your monthly utilities statement.
Does this make you see red?
Could we reject these divisive tactics and work together to consider new possibilities? Let's ask what else would work; what else can we consider? It's a worthy discussion.
passherald.ca
How much power is transported annually? There must be averages. How much power does each community require? This should be information that can be accessed. Is it to the benefit of our land and people to consider a local approach? There are economic inefficiencies, as 11-14% of the electricity is lost in transmission. Maybe we shouldn't be transmitting it out of our area. There might be money saved in not having to move it along transmission towers. Perhaps we would not need transmission towers if the power stayed close to where it was made.
Medicine Hat has just completed a solar thermal power generator in November 2014. Thermal energy from a parabolic trough collector field generates steam. The solar steam is combined with the steam produced in the heat recovery steam generator, and the combined steam flow is directed to one, or both, of the existing steam turbine generators. This should be celebrated and set forward as a possibility for other municipalities. It has local considerations that are novel, since the traditional way of calculating profit does not help offset the damage to local communities, ecologies and economies.
If we want to explore other models that place the land ie our watersheds and our communities as the top priority, we need to consider new decision making models which are currently coming into effect.
Triple bottom line (abbreviated as TBL or 3BL) is an accounting framework with three parts: social, environmental (or ecological) and financial. These three divisions are also called the three Ps: people, planet and profit, or the "three pillars of sustainability". The City of Calgary has adopted this model of decision making, and other municipalities are also governing their decisions within this framework.
Perhaps some questions from the people in our province might open the doors to a provincial TBL framework. How do we want to see the electrical grid in Southern Alberta progress? Are we building infrastructure that will last for 50 years yet it may be obsolete in 10 years?
albertaviews.ca
We already know that the windmills are not as effective as hoped. There have been very few applications in front town councils for the past 2-3 years. Already the question is in the air…what will become of them? Whose responsibility is it to take them down when they are out of commission? Will we be asking the same questions of the transmission towers in 15 years? Can we begin to think of the full cycle instead of just the profit cycle? This is called "cradle to cradle" planning and is a responsible way to go forward.
We need time to enter serious conversations about how to change for the better. Let's propose and explore alternatives, share the research and fact finding. As a community of people, lets inform ourselves and make good decisions for a changing economy and a healthier watershed.
