Province investigates allegations of environmental damage to Alberta’s Oldman River

A backhoe works in the Oldman River near Cowley, AB. Taken on Sept. 21.
Chris Davis / Pincher Creek Voice

Work in Oldman River prompts water concerns

by Erika Stark, Calgary Herald, October 2, 2015

Alberta Environment is investigating the extent of damage to the Oldman River after residents complained a local landowner was doing unapproved work in the river.

The landowner had approval under the Water Act to clean out a small withdrawal channel for irrigation upstream of the dam, but on Sept. 21, the department received a complaint about the work.

“We conducted a site inspection that day and determined that work had been conducted outside the scope of the approval,” said Envrionment spokesman Jamie Hanlon. “We ordered that all work cease at that moment.”

According to one resident, the landowner “tore up the entire river,” building a dike and changing the water’s path.

“The impact in the area where it is cannot be fixed,” said Dr. Alan Garbutt, who lives downstream. “The impact, down the stream, if there were spawning fish down there, can’t be fixed.

Read balance of Calgary Herald story here: http://calgaryherald.com/…/work-in-oldman-river-prompts-wat…

Read Global News story at this link: http://bit.ly/1L0OBqM

The Important Places

THE IMPORTANT PLACES. from gnarly bay on Vimeo.

AFTA (American Fly Fishing Trade Association) writes: "Lovely way to spend 10 minutes of your day. Where are the important places in your life? Chances are they have something to do with water..."
 
American Rivers writes: "New short film about the relationship between a father and son, and how the Colorado River and Grand Canyon was the thread to reconnect them. And the value of reconnecting with our own “important place,” wherever that may be."

Chuitna - More Than Salmon On The Line

Chuitna - More Than Salmon On The Line Trailer from Trip Jennings on Vimeo.

 #‎flyfishing‬ | ‪#‎KeepEmWet‬ | ‪#‎Chuitna‬

Interesting Times

Interesting Times

by Don Meredith, April 21, 2015. 

[Note: The following was first published in the March 2015 Alberta Outdoorsmen.]

"...What’s happened over the last few years with fish, wildlife and environmental conservation in this province is just one example of the damage overwhelming majorities can do. Somewhere in the backrooms of our successive Progressive Conservative governments, it was decided that our fish, wildlife and environment needed to get out of the way of petroleum and other resource development. The dismantling of the Fish and Wildlife Division was just one step along the way..."

Read more here: https://donmeredith.wordpress.com/2015/04/21/interesting-times/

H/T to Kevin Van Tigham

Heavy Metal Salmon: Sub-Lethal Toxicity in the Skeena

Check out the new mini-doc "Heavy Metal Salmon: Sub-Lethal Toxicity in the Skeena" from SkeenaWild Conservation Trust

City cancels film screening after complaint from Nestle Waters

Nestle Waters "wrote to Mayor Karen Farbridge (Guelph, Ontario) on Sept. 7, 10 days before 'Tapped' was to screen, expressing disappointment that the city would co-sponsor a film that offers a one-sided view of the water bottling industry, and demonizes the product."

City cancels film screening after complaint from Nestle Waters

Joanne Shuttleworth,

Mercury staff

Tue Oct 02 2012

GUELPH — The city pulled the plug on screening a film that portrayed Nestle Waters North America in a bad light after receiving sharply-worded correspondence from John Challinor, director of corporate affairs of the Aberfoyle-based Nestle Waters Canada.

Tapped was slated to run during Guelph Water Services’ Documentary Nights in September, a series of three films about water conservation and water management, presented in conjunction with the Wellington Water Watchers.

The purpose was to raise awareness about the importance of water conservation, said Wayne Galliher, water conservation program manager, “but we received concerns. So we looked at the movie and upon reflection, it was mainly U.S. content. So we removed Tapped from the lineup and looked for a Canadian movie.”

Read more here

 

Cigarette Waste Brigade

Every year, cigarette butts end up in dumpsters and landfills, or they are tossed as litter on shorelines, parks, and sidewalks across Canada. With the help of one of Canada’s largest major tobacco manufacturers, the waste collected through the Cigarette Waste Brigade will be recycled into a variety of industrial products, such as plastic pallets, and any remaining tobacco will be re-worked into tobacco composting.  

Learn more here: Cigarette Waste Brigage

 

Canadians are thirsty for a national water strategy

Paddlers on the Don River. Water is so deeply woven into the fabric of what it means to be Canadian that in a 2012 poll Canadians overwhelmingly agreed that it is our most valuable natural resource. (May 1, 2011) Courtesy, Colin McConnell/Toronto Star

Baltutis and Sandford: Canadians are thirsty for a national water strategy

By Jesse Baltutis and Bob Sandford July 31, 2012

In the future, prosperous nations will be those with enough water for food, cities, industry and nature — and know how to ensure each gets the amount it needs. But Canada’s prosperity is at risk because our water is increasingly at risk. Indeed, there is a growing awareness that the way we currently manage our freshwater resources poses significant challenges to our ability to ensure the future environmental well-being and economic prosperity of our country.

Jurisdictions across Canada face water-related concerns. Alberta, with its vast oilsands, currently has the most vigorous economy. Yet, the consequences of extracting the heavy crude are being felt downriver in the Northwest Territories. Collaboration, communication and engagement between the governments of Alberta and the N.W.T., communities and First Nations is critical to developing a comprehensive action plan for how best to safeguard water quality and quantity within the Athabasca River, and consequently, the larger Mackenzie River Basin.

Overarching national concerns include critical supply and quality challenges related to a changing climate and increasing population pressures, accompanied by a growing concern for our watersheds, which are vital for sustainable and prosperous communities.

Despite these threats, many Canadians believe in the myth of limitless water. We are among the world’s most prolific users — and abusers — of water. According to Environment Canada, over the 10-year period from 1996 to 2006, our collective water withdrawals increased by 13 per cent. Even more alarming is the rate of withdrawal between 1972 and 2006 — a whopping 112.5 per cent increase.

Yet water is so deeply woven into the very fabric of what it means to be Canadian, that in a 2012 RBC water attitudes poll, Canadians overwhelmingly agreed that it is our most valuable natural resource.

Canada needs a national water strategy. This was the message Canadians delivered during the Forum for Leadership on Water’s cross-Canada discussion tour held last fall. Water expert and forum co-chair Bob Sandford — one of the authors of this opinion piece — visited 16 cities to share lessons learned from the Northwest Territories Water Stewardship Strategy.

Read more here

World Environment Day - June 05

World Environment Day - Learn More Here

Environmental NGOs – Funding Issues

Sun News Network pundit Ezra Levant (left) and Tides Canada director Ross McMillan (right)

The recent Federal budget included provisions that targeted Environmental NGOs. Here are a couple articles that explore that topic.

NGOs should reveal funding sources

By Deborah Yedlin,

Calgary Herald

April 9, 2012

Despite cries of an impending witch hunt, last week's move by the federal government to push for more transparency in the funding of not-for-profit environmental organizations is a move in the right direction.

The budget outlined that not-for-profits will have to provide more information in the context of their political involvement as well as disclose how much of their dollars come from foreign sources.

It's about time.

Read more here

Tides Canada's Ross McMillan shoots back at Ezra Levant's "money launderers" slur

David P. Ball

Vancouver Observer

Posted: Apr 4th, 2012

Tides Canada chief executive Ross McMillan shot back yesterday at oil sands proponent Ezra Levant – a talk show host on Sun News Network and newspaper columnist – who has accused the charitable group of illegal fiscal activities over its support for environmental groups.

“People like Mr. Levant and critics of the environmental and charitable sector are confusing allowable political activity – as defined by the Canada Revenue Agency – with advocacy,” he said. “In the press, people tend to use those terms interchangeably, when they're clearly not the same.

Tides Canada's director reiterated that Tides Canada operates within Canadian law in disbursing donations to other registered charitable organizations, and is legally distinct from its U.S. counterpart – facts he added have been grossly distorted by Sun News Network.

Read more here

The TUC Big One – A Look Back

All photos: Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Trout Unlimited Canada's 2012 National Conservation Dinner and Auction has come and gone for another year. TUC is reporting that the funds raised should once again top $1,000,000.

This very successful fundraiser requires many months of planning and the help of many volunteers.

One of those volunteer jobs is doing the setup of the all the donated prizes on the morning of the event. I’ve enjoyed helping out with this for a number of years.

It’s a combination of Christmas morning and putting into practice the art of ‘window display’. We get to open up all of the boxes containing the prize items, and then we do our best to make sure they are displayed in the most attractive manner possible. The better they look, the more money they will bring in from bidders. Or at least, that’s the hope. :-)

For a complete report on this event, go to The Big One Delivers Again

You can also see some great photos from the dinner itself at this link

Bob Scammell: The Battle for No-Man's Land – Nov 18

Alberta Wilderness Association

Presents

The 2011 Martha Kostuch Annual Wilderness and Wildlife Lecture

and the

Annual Wilderness Defenders Awards

with

Bob Scammell: The Battle for No-Man's Land

Bob Scammell is known for his 45 years of writing a weekly outdoors column carried at one time or another by most of Alberta's main newspapers, and continuously by the Red Deer Advocate since 1966. On November 18, Bob takes us on a heartfelt journey through Alberta's public lands, and proposes a plan of action for responsible management of those lands going forward.

Two Alberta Wilderness Defenders awards and one Great Gray Owl award will be presented at this evening of celebration. The 2011 Wilderness Defenders Award recipients are Steve Herrero and Bob Scammell.

Friday November 18, 2011

Reception at 6:00 pm

Lecture and Awards at 7:00 pm

455 - 12th St. NW Calgary, Alberta

Members $30, Non-members $45

Alberta Wilderness Association