Reading Time: 4 minutes Some people find bats and frogs creepy, but the Milk River Watershed Council Canada wants to examine them through its “Wild Nights” monitoring project. The aim is to understand how many bats and amphibians live in the watershed, in southeastern Alberta, and how they’re distributed. The group is particularly interested in the little brown myotis […] Read more
Group launches wildlife monitoring project in Milk River watershed
Acoustic monitoring project aims to determine population levels and valuable habitat for bats and amphibians
Getting the facts on pesticide residues
Independent testing gives 15 watersheds a clean bill of health for pesticide concentrations
Reading Time: 5 minutes Alberta farm groups have done their homework to prove that farmers are good stewards of the province’s watersheds. Using an independent testing company and lab, the project extensively sampled 15 watersheds in central and southern Alberta for a panel of 129 pesticides. No instances of pesticide residues above prescribed limits were found. Team Alberta Crops, […] Read more
Schoepp: Fresh water a gift we can’t afford to take for granted
What falls from the sky gets most of our attention but the entire water supply should be our concern
Reading Time: 3 minutes Drop by precious drop we are celebrating rain in the dry areas — and cursing it on the flood plains. The weather patterns have been rather unpredictable with monumental hail in Mexico City to extreme heat in Europe and Saharan winds that are dropping sand in the most remote of locations. Putting seed in the […] Read more
They can be troublemakers, but beavers do a lot of good, too
There are low-cost ways to prevent the busy dam builders from causing flooding and other damage
Reading Time: 3 minutes Beavers have been given a bad rap, but they can benefit the landscape — and there are ways of coexisting with them. “People are beginning to recognize the value of beaver and how they might be able to help us as a society navigate some of the challenges we are facing,” riparian specialist Kerri O’Shaughnessy […] Read more
Province funds watershed protection
Reading Time: < 1 minute In the midst of the outcry over coal mining and its impact on water, the provincial government is giving $1 million to Cows and Fish for “projects and initiatives that protect creeks and streams along Alberta’s Eastern Slopes.” The organization, formally called the Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society, will work with other groups on specific […] Read more
Eco-services group to capture flood waters on farms and ranches
Reading Time: < 1 minute ALUS Canada has been given a $720,000 grant from Alberta Environment and Parks’ Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program for flood-prevention work. “We are excited to start putting this funding to good use on the ground in the Modeste subwatershed,” said Lara Ellis, the organization’s director of strategic initiatives. “ALUS will quickly establish new natural infrastructure […] Read more
Nitrates to linger for decades in N-heavy waterways, study finds
Lakes, rivers, streams and well water high in nitrates will stay that way for another 35 years or more, even if farmers in those watersheds were to stop applying nitrogen (N) fertilizer on their fields today, a new study shows. The study of the Mississippi River basin, published Tuesday by Canadian and U.S. researchers, shows […] Read more
Alberta wetlands receive funding for conservation projects
More than 1,300 acres will be conserved or restored thanks to $11.6 million grant
Reading Time: < 1 minute Ducks Unlimited Canada will receive more than $11.6 million in grant funds for wetland conservation and restoration work to help reduce the impact of flooding and drought in Alberta. The funding comes from the Alberta government’s Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program. Wetlands have the ability to store water and slow the release of water into […] Read more
Beavers cause problems, but also provide benefits
Understanding beaver biology and ecology can help you coexist with beavers on your property
Reading Time: 2 minutes They’re one of Canada’s national symbols but for some farmers, beavers are nothing more than pests who destroy trees and flood land. But it’s time to think of the industrious rodents in a new way, says Lorne Fitch, provincial riparian specialist with Cows and Fish. “Beavers are a keystone species,” said Fitch. “They are one […] Read more
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