Watershed Stewards Important to Residents of Saskatchewan Valley

5 THE SASKATCHEWAN VALLEY NEWS • Thursday, October 2, 2014 5 Local watershed group launching efforts Watershed stewards to stop invasive mussels from entering Saskatchewan water systems important to residents of By Rod Andrews habitat project, which With the help of their new identifies areas of important coordinator, Renny Grilz, fish habitat within theSaskatchewan Valley area the South Saskatchewan South Saskatchewan River By Rod Andrews River Watershed Stewards tributaries. The South Saskatchewan Inc. (SSRWSI) hopes to There is also an River Watershed Stewards launch a province-wide Environment Canada’s Inc. (SSRWSI) has an initiative shortly to stop Environmental Damages important role to “protect quagga and zebra mussels Fund project that has been and preserve the quality from entering into lakes involved with mapping and quantity of surface and rivers of this province. and assessing the aquatic water and groundwater” “It will be a good plan habitat, as well as sampling in and around the and one way to protect for fish species to catalogue Saskatchewan Valley area, the lakes and rivers of utilization and spawning says Ben Buhler of Osler, Saskatchewan,” said Ben within the creeks, which chairman of the SSRWSI Buhler of Osler, chairman of will enable watershed and director for the North the SSRWSI and director for residents and industries to Sub-Watershed Area. the North Sub-Watershed make informed decisions Buhler, who is also Area. Renny Grilz on proposed projects or mayor of the Town of Osler, Buhler said last week that will be held October 27 developments that have says the SSRWSI, looks at the board of the SSRWSI to 29. the potential to negatively issues dealing with waste gave its approval for It is hoped that Grilz will impact fish habitat. water disposal, run-off, Grilz to start work on the “engage members of the The Water Quality Project drinking water, solid waste initiative, developing plans board and general public Research and Planning management that will to prevent the small clam- to see the seriousness of initiative is a project that impact people in the heavily like mussel from finding its this potential problem” so identifies key sources of populated area north of way into water bodies of the by mid-winter the SSRWSI land use or human activity, Saskatoon. The northern portion of the South Saskatchewan River province. could hold a major workshop which can adversely impact The SSRWSI includes the Watershed Stewards Inc. area. Zebra mussels are a fresh looking into the threat water quality in the South area the river flows from water species native to posed by zebra mussels, Saskatchewan River Basin. the Alberta border to where Eastern Europe that found as work out a plan to keep The primary objective of the river joins the North by the SSRWSI to ensure not Buhler expects there their way into eastern lakes them out of the province. this project is to identify Saskatchewan River near only a quality water supply, will be a major increase in of North America and were He feels what will trends and describe Prince Albert. but that there will be a the cost of water one day, first detected in Canada in ultimately be developed will variability across multiple One of the goals of the water supply in the future which is why the push is 1988. be an education program. water quality parameters organization is to ensure that people in the area can on now to ensure that the It is thought the mussels Extensive monitoring, in the South Saskatchewan residents of the area, depend on. water in the southern part came to North American similar to that in other River, including especially in the fast He said the organization of the province is preserved in ballast water discharged jurisdictions, for zebra and identifying potential water growing Saskatchewan feels protecting the water and cared for by the nine from ships. quagga mussels, will be the quality stressors: human Valley area, have “a safe supply within the watershed watershed authorities in Without natural first line of defence against development and land use and adequate supply of area is very important, Saskatchewan which is predators, the mussels which is why they promote the potential threat. changes in the river basin potable water”. similar to the SSRWSI. have become an invasive friendly environmental Zebra mussels have been to see how these stressors “What is important He said everything from species and grow profusely, and other changes impact management practices to found in Lake Winnipeg, to remember about the mining to crop irrigation to sometimes clogging water water quality in the South Watershed Stewards is help all those living within MB and this spring the rapid population growth treatment facilities and Saskatchewan River. that it was formed as a the watershed area continue provincial authorities have “is having an impact on choking waterways with tried to kill the mussels The SSRWSI also result of what happened to have access to this sheer growth and numbers. works with the Agri- in Walkerton and the precious resource. both the quality and amount with potash, but that did of water that is available”. So far the mussels not work. Grilz said they Environmental Group Battlefords,” said Buhler, “We are helping to create While many rural and have not been found in are looking at other ways to Plan (AEGP) to provide who reminded residents water issue policies with the Saskatchewan. remove them from that huge farmers and other that deaths occurred in province, including Lake urban municipalities in the Grilz, who joined the freshwater lake. primary producers Walkerton, ON, when E. Diefenbaker, for example. Saskatchewan Valley area SSRWSI in June, said “it is What is even scarier, he financial assistance who coli bacteria got into the Diefenbaker Dam provides are part of the SSRWSI, only a matter of time before said, was a boat, coming wish to enact beneficial community’s water supply. electricity that we need Buhler said others are not they get here, unless they to Alberta from Montana, management practices in In the Battlefords, it was now, and will need more of and it would be nice for are here already” and it is was discovered to have their operations. a parasite that got into the in the future. But it is also them to get involved with in the best interest of the zebra mussels in it, which Originally from a family water supply that caused there for flood protection for the organization so there residents of the province could have spread to water farm near St. Benedict, people to get sick. people down stream, and we will be a stronger voice from that they are not found in ways to our neighbouring Grilz, holds a Bachelor “We cannot assume that need to create policies that this area once the decline in the waterways. province. of Science in Agriculture governments are protecting are good for everyone.” river water comes around Residents of the South “Zebra mussels could from the University of us and we can’t assume that Buhler said water quality, again. Saskatchewan River system have a major impact on the Saskatchewan, majoring in we will have quality water, local area flood, fish and “We encourage towns, would be especially “hit wildlife habitat protection fishery by impacting fish Plant Ecology with a minor which is why we must villages, cities and rural hard” by the choking effects in Crop Science and is a and other issues are just habitat,” he said, pointing protect our drinking water municipalities to be of the zebra mussels, as Professional Agrologist. and its source.” the tip of the iceberg of out that the fishery in members of the SSRWSI as there is a large number Saskatchewan is “huge”, He has worked in the three Buhler said to ensure concerns when looking at of infrastructure projects prairie provinces, including quality water, there must the long-term source of the we are there to look after for the personal pleasure the environment. There are on the river that could see aspect, for its tourism value Ducks Unlimited Canada, be continuous monitoring of water that is coming into many environmental issues the rapidly growing mussel and commercial, including Nature Conservancy of the water supply, which for the area from the river. attacking. fish farming, which occurs Canada and the Canadian the Valley area means the One long-term concern that will be coming to the He said everything from on Lake Diefenbaker and Wildlife Service. South Saskatchewan River. that authorities have been forefront in the future that boat docks to water intake has a potential to expand in He has served on various “And that means down looking at for years has we are looking at now.” systems to farm irrigation years to come. boards including the stream before the river been the increase of silt “The watershed is a very systems could get clogged by Developing new programs Native Plant Society of comes into the City of flowing into and “filling comprehensive subject and the mussel, not to mention is only one of Grilz’s jobs Saskatchewan, Alberta Saskatoon, and leaves up” Lake Diefenbaker that we need municipalities the effects they might even as watershed coordinator. Land Trust Alliance. He the city. That is what the Buhler said “will eventually onboard in order to get both have on Gardiner Dam As SSRWSI has been in is currently on the SSWRSI is doing with our have to be addressed”. their input as well as their and the power generating existence since 2007 and Saskatchewan Invasive monitoring programs.” What he is concerned support,” Buhler added. system in place on Lake has a number of major Species Council and is First formed in 2007, about in the long run is the In the past Buhler told Diefenbaker.

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