Watershed health boost from Bow River Basin Council

By Sharon McLeay Times Contributor

Mark Bennett, executive director with the Bow River Basin Council (BRBC), attended Wheatland County’s agricultural service board (ASB) meeting on April 11, to update the board on recent activity on behalf of the local water system.
The Alberta Environment Minister established the Bow River Basin Council in 1992 as an advisory body for the province, municipalities and the public. It is a multi-stakeholder, volunteer-based, charitable organization charged with protecting water quality of the Bow River and increasing awareness of water management strategies. This includes monitoring and improvement of riparian zones – the interface between land and a river or stream – quality and quantity of water, aquatic environments, and land use issues surrounding surface and ground water. It is also a member of the Bow River watershed planning and advisory council.
“We see ourselves as a collaborative organization whose motto is fix the problem, not place the blame,” said Bennett. “One dollar in five that comes through our door in funding goes right back out into stewardship initiatives.”
The Bow River basin starts in the mountains with snow, rain and glacial melt feeding headwaters that flow into the Bow River and its tributaries. It travels through the foothills past Calgary, into the Wheatland County area moving east and south, until it feeds into the South Saskatchewan River by the Oldman Dam. The basin also includes the land around the various water areas and covers 25,000 sq. km. of territory. Bennett said 80 per cent of the water in the basin comes from snowmelt, 19 per cent from rain and one per cent from glacial melt.
“This may change, whether or not you believe in climate change, to more from rain and less from snow,” said Bennett.
A constant flux of factors that contribute to a healthy watershed requires constant observation and monitoring. Things like flooding, diversion of water, changes in wildlife patterns, fires, and human interaction and industrial use can all affect changes to the water systems. Some of the challenges for the BRBC include expanding urban population and recreational use, wetland loss, nutrient and pesticide infiltration, and decreases in oxygenation in the water.
Bennett said strategies are formed in the boardroom with tactical action delivered in the field through their volunteer core.
He emphasized that the large group of knowledgeable BRBC volunteers are essential to the success of operations. They conduct a lot of research providing good data for municipal decision-making processes. Volunteers include people with PhD’s, Master’s degrees, agronomists, farmers, chemists, and forestry and fishery workers, just to name a few. The volunteers allow significant cost savings, compared to what it would cost to hire an independent environmental consultant.
Some examples of the recent projects were the 2017-18 participation in the South Saskatchewan River basin review, developing river mitigation suggestions from the 2013 flood information, environmental and road management plans, and help with the urban storm water plan that also involves Wheatland County.
Public education and awareness is a big part of BRBC’s mandate. They hold quarterly education forums, with the next one on the second Wednesday in June, to exchange ideas, promote good stewardship and present information learned.