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Preserving Our Lifeline

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Preserving Our Lifeline Preserving Our Lifeline working together to nurture, renew and protect the waters of the bow river basin Follow us @BowRiverWPAC facebook.com/BowRiverBasinCouncil www.brbc.ab.ca Volume 20 | Issue 3 September 2020 Calgary River Valleys: Riparian Restoration and Education Anne Naumann, Project Manager Calgary River Valleys [email protected] Calgary River Valleys (CRV) an annual Brown Trout Redd Count An important aspect of this project each November to count and includes educational outreach to is a non-profit organization geo-locate the spawning nests of other river-adjacent homeowners, that has operated in Brown Trout in the Elbow River. river community associations, and Calgary since 1991. This data is one indicator of river the larger Calgary citizenship. We ecosystem health and collecting it have conducted surveys on people’s consistently each year allows analysis riparian knowledge, hosted site tours of spawning trends over time. We after each “riverbank makeover,” and In addition to annual field work provide the data collected to several provided educational information projects, CRV works toward ensuring levels of government and like- to the public via ongoing articles that the cumulative effects of urban minded organizations. In 2019, the in community newsletters across development and recreational Government of Alberta used CRV’s Calgary. activities are anticipated and planned data to help determine suitable sites so as to protect, and where possible, for the Elbow River Spawning Habitat Continued on page 2 restore natural processes and habitats. Restoration Pilot Project. CRV is unique in Calgary in that we are the only organization that tracks In 2018 and 2019, CRV completed IN THIS large-scale land use and development two phases of a riparian restoration proposals that impact Calgary’s project: “The Elbow River Riverbank Issue watercourses and wetlands, so as to Makeover Project.” This project was 1 Calgary River Valleys provide independent input regarding completed with funding from the how best to protect our water assets. City of Calgary and other sources, as 4 Waiparous Creek Water We consider our organization “the a demonstration project to show the Quality voice of our rivers.” kinds of techniques that can be used 6 Western Sky Land Trust by river-adjacent homeowners to 8 Tribute to Gus Yaki CRV also encourages the replant their riparian zone and provide 8 BRBC Annual General Meeting participation of volunteers in our flood and drought mitigation, as well and Phosphorus Management field work projects. We organize as improve river water quality and Plan Update wildlife habitat. Page 2 Continued from page 1 In early 2020, CRV received funding We found from our research in other communities via community under the Government of Alberta’s 2018 and 2019 that many river- newsletters, as well as to multiple Watershed Resiliency and Restoration adjacent homeowners in Calgary are media and social media sources, Program (WRRP) for riparian still traumatized by the effects and including Global News TV and their restoration and educational work to catastrophic damage from both the website, and MyCalgary.com. be conducted until early 2022. While 2005 and 2013 floods and they are the start of our project was delayed motivated to do what they can to help Starting this year, we plan to by the onset of Covid-19, we are now mitigate the effects of the next flood build on these efforts to provide preparing to follow hygiene and in Calgary. Unfortunately, we also educational information to river- physical distancing best practices found that some homeowners believe adjacent landowners and the broader for all three main components of the best solution for flood protection citizenry via media, social media and the project: research, education and is to install a retaining wall or large our website. The new information will outreach, and riparian restoration field boulders as was done shortly after include advice about the benefits of work. Below is an outline of what our the flood in many publicly owned re-planting riparian zones with native project will entail. areas. However, science shows that riparian adapted species: while rocks and retaining walls may • To stabilize the riverbank, help to prevent erosion in one area, Research thereby limiting erosion during they just rebound the river’s energy flood events, both at the site and so areas further downstream can be downstream; The research component will eroded or otherwise more negatively build on the work we completed in affected during flood events. A • To absorb water during high 2018 and 2019 in partnership with bio-engineering solution, where the water events (flooding) and the City of Calgary. We can now riparian zone is planted with a variety release water during drought broaden our survey research of river of sedges, rushes, shrubs and trees, events; adjacent landowners and the larger can still achieve the desired goal of • To reduce river energy and population of Calgary regarding their erosion protection while allowing the resulting water damage during understanding of the functions and riparian zone to function normally and flood events; benefits of a healthy riparian zone for maintain wildlife habitat. • To filter contaminants due to flood and drought mitigation, river land run-off, thereby improving water quality and wildlife habitat. river water quality; In the last two years we initiated In response to the educational • To trap sediments and improve direct door-to-door engagement messaging that we deliver over the water quality ; and with every homeowner whose course of our project, we plan to property is adjacent to the Elbow track changes in people’s levels of • To create habitat for wildlife, River, as well as face-to-face surveys knowledge of riparian functions and including shade for fish. of citizens attending the Fish Creek the roles riparian zones play in flood and drought mitigation, as well as Park Creekfest event. The surveys We also intend to continue our improving river water quality. measure respondents’ knowledge and efforts to provide educational understanding of riparian zones, and information to those involved in the help to support the environmental Education & Outreach City’s planning and development stewardship of these areas. For process so as to encourage protection, this WRRP-funded project, we plan With WRRP grant funding, we intend wherever possible, of Calgary’s river to complete additional surveys of to build on our successful education valleys, creeks, riparian areas and landowners along rivers and creeks and outreach efforts in 2018 and 2019 wetlands. in Calgary, as well as continue to regarding the Elbow River Riverbank gather data from the broader Calgary Makeover projects. Information population regarding their knowledge about our project was delivered of the importance of maintaining and directly to hundreds of thousands restoring riparian zones to their full of Calgarians in river-adjacent and Continued on page 3 functionality. Page 3 Continued from page 2 Riparian Restoration Field Work native adapted vegetation species. We benefit from restoration of the expect to complete a re-planting for at riparian zone, and will also require the For the final component of this least one site in 2020 and at least one landowner to allow the restoration WRRP-funded project, we intend to additional site in 2021. Pictures of the and follow-up monitoring for at least identify, assess and restore to higher restoration site from 2018 and 2019 two years . functionality at least two damaged are below. riparian areas within Calgary. We plan We hope to provide an update after to remove non-native and invasive The sites for our 2020-2021 project year one of our newest project. vegetation species from selected are still to be confirmed. In order to be riparian zones, and re-plant them with selected, each site must significantly CRV 2018 restoration site in June 2020 along the Elbow River in Calgary. Four CRV 2019 restoration site in June 2020 along the Elbow River in Calgary. A planting beds were created by removing Kentucky bluegrass to allow space variety of riparian plants were planted in multiple locations on this site to help to plant a variety of water-loving trees and shrubs to reduce bank erosion reduce bank erosion, improve water quality, and provide additional habitat for and improve water quality, and allow for various wildflowers and herbs for wildlife. On the upstream property border and near the river’s edge, groupings aesthetics. Riparian plantings included river birch, Saskatoons, gooseberries, of sandbar willow stakes were planted at an angle to work with the river flow wild rose, red osier dogwood, yellow willow, shining willow, and an entire during high water events. upstream bed of sandbar willow. All photos: Calgary River Valleys. CRV 2019 restoration site in June 2020 along the Elbow River in Calgary. Wild CRV 2019 restoration site in June 2020 along the Elbow River in Calgary. rose and Saskatoon bushes were planted near an existing stand of red osier Gooseberry bushes and butterfly-friendly wildflowers were planted near an dogwood shrubs. existing patio seating area on the property, several metres back from the river’s edge. Page 4 Page 4 Determination of Fecal Coliform Sources and Surface Water Quality in Waiparous Creek Within the Ghost River Watershed Emily Moore, Anna Zacaruk, Maria Arizaleta, Brandee Lynch, Charlotte Ansell University of Calgary [email protected] [email protected] As part of a self-directed group study conducted through an environmental science course at the University of Calgary, we were asked to identify an addressable concern in the Ghost Watershed relating to surface water quality. After discussion with members of the Ghost Watershed Alliance Society, 18 sample sites. Figure: ALCES and Ghost Watershed Alliance Society, Ghost River State of the Watershed a local Watershed Stewardship Group, Report 2018, Figure 49.
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