What's Happenin g at the OWC

Renew Your OW C Membership

OWC Upcoming Events and Rece nt Activities

OWC Communic ations Update

Meet the OWC B oard of Directors

Events and Activi ties in the Water shed

In the News

2015 Conference s, Courses and Workshops

Job Opportunitie The OWC was incorporated as a society s on February 24, 2005.

Congratulations on the first 10 years!

A BIG thank you to all the municipalities and irrigation districts who have donated to OWC so far this fiscal year! Your support allows us to engage residents in actions that improve water quality, fish and wildlife habitat and overall watershed health. We could not do it without you!

Town of MD of No. 9 Town of Coalhurst MD of Ranchland No. 66 Town of Village of Barnwell Town of Nanton Village of Cowley Town of Pincher Creek Village of Town of Irrigation Projects Association Municipality of Raymond Irrigation District Crowsnest Pass County St. Mary River Irrigation District Taber Irrigation District

Thanks to everyone who renewed their memberships! If you haven't done it yet, click on the link below and register today.

Renew Your 2015 Membership online today! Individual form

Organization form

Municipality form

Irrigation District form

The information marked with an asterisk is a requirement by Alberta Corporate Registry that we need to have on file. For general information on OWC membership or to print a pdf copy to submit to us, click here.

Why be a member of the OWC?

 Receive discounts on OWC activities and events  Run as a member-at-large on the OWC Board of Directors  Vote for the members-at-large who will serve on the OWC Board  Be a part of the OWC community by choosing to be involved in a project or by volunteering.

Contact us if you're interested or want more information.

There is no membership fee but voluntary donations make a big difference! Click here to make a donation to the OWC or to set up a monthly donation through PayPal or CanadaHelps.org; a charitable receipt will be issued.

If you are unable to complete the renewal form online, please phone Bev (403-381-5145) or by email and I'll register you manually.

Your membership is important to us - thanks for renewing it.

If you are not a member but would like to be, please register online or if you have questions, please call or email us.

OWC AGM will be held on Tuesday, June 23 at the Readymade Community Association Hall. Mark it on your calendars!

The Oldman Watershed Council is partnering to bring Stewards in Motion to the Oldman basin! Brought to you by the Alberta Stewardship Network (ASN), with the support of Miistakis Institute and Environmental Law Centre, these interactive, regional events offer participants the opportunity to actively learn, share, and engage in collaborative dialogue across sectors.

Building on the success of last year's events, this year's theme is transforming collaboration to advance local stewardship efforts. Participants have the opportunity to not only actively learn, share, and engage in conversations across sectors, they were also introduced to a new tool that will help move stewardship efforts forward. More info: http://www.landstewardship.org/stewards-motion/

Register today!! March 12 Community Centre, Main Hall 5920 - 8 Street W, Claresholm

Check out the Agenda Space is limited so register online today.

Who should attend? Plan to be there if you represent local: - Volunteer community stewardship groups - Municipal and provincial government (staff, elected officials) - Watershed Planning and Advisory Council (WPAC) - ENGOs - Industry

Travel and registration subsidies are available for volunteer community stewards. For more information call 1-877-727-5276 ext. 222 or email [email protected]

Anyone with teenagers who are interested in the environment, do we ever have an opportunity for you!!

The Oldman Watershed Council (OWC) is offering an amazing opportunity for teachers or clubs leaders working with students in grades 7 to 12 - we are willing to come to your classroom to present about our watershed as well as let students know about a really cool contest they could enter.

http://caringforourwatersheds.com/canada/southern-alberta/

Please contact OWC Program Coordinator, Leta Pezderic, to book a classroom presentation or to learn more about this amazing opportunity!! Phone: 403-381-5801 Email: [email protected]

The Caring for our Watersheds Contest - North America

Meet the OWC Board of Directors

Ever wondered why someone would want to be an OWC board member? We will introduce some of our board members each month in our E-Newsletter. Here's their answers to the question:

"Why do I value being an OWC Board Member?"

Doug Kaupp, Chairman Sector Represented: City of Lethbridge

The Oldman River is the source of supply for 105,000 people in Lethbridge and the surrounding communities that get drinking water from the City of Lethbridge treatment plant. The City does not have the jurisdiction or resources to directly control the potential risks to the water supply. It is only through the multi- stakeholder engagement demonstrated by the Oldman Watershed Council that the vast geographical area and diverse public and commercial interests involved can effectively be addressed.

Biography

Anne Stevick, Treasurer Sector Represented: Members-at-Large

I find the Board of Directors of OWC to be an interesting and diverse group, who take on interesting and diverse projects to help preserve and improve the Oldman Watershed. Personally I find it very motivating and inspirational to see the projects that OWC completes; and to see the passion that the OWC employees exhibit in carrying out their jobs. Professionally, I find the experience gained on the "Board" very useful in future committee involvement and work in conservation/agriculture.

Biography Events and Activities in the Watershed

Tuesday, March 3 - 7 - 8 pm The Burgess Shale Tales and Trilobites - John Hancock Please join this video conference live in , Taber, Brooks, Longview, Hanna, , Claresholm, , Sheep River, Canmore, Rockyford libraries. Join John in person as the studio audience at Pincher Creek Library or contact a RISE Library near you. For more information, click here.

Action for Agriculture 25th Anniversary AGM and Celebration and "Working Landscapes" Workshop March 6 in Cochrane Click here for more information, click here for agenda.

Speaker Series The Royal Tyrrell Museum's annual Speaker Series brings world-renowned scientists and researchers to the Museum and offers them a platform to discuss hot topics in palaeontology or to share results of their current research with the public. Speaker Series presentations are available online! Royal Tyrrell Museum

Royal Tyrrell Museum YouTube - They Never Left

Volunteer Opportunity - 2015 Home and Garden Show - March 11-14

Theme: Stormwater Awareness We are looking for people to help out at our Home and Garden booth this year. Take a look at the attached Doodle link - you are more than welcome to sign up for multiple shifts.

 2 people per shift  No training required-simple instructions will be available at the booth  Free passes to the Home and Garden Show  Booth location and where to pick up passes available closer to the date

(By the way...... it's fun!) If you need additional information, contact Karen Armstrong.

Volunteer in Waterton

No experience necessary, you can enjoy being a part of a growing team of volunteers. We provide a free Waterton Lakes National Park day pass for the days you volunteer. Click here for more information. In the News

Check out the latest submissions to the OWC BLOG

February 15 Kelsey - A Young Voice for the Oldman - What About the Winter Watershed? (Things to do in the watershed in the winter)

February 9 Livingstone Range landscapes/AltaLink threats/Alberta values (letter to Premier Prentice regarding proposed transmission lines)

Click here to read more blogs.

The Land Stewardship Centre is excited to introduce their new online store! This new store offers instant access to an assortment of Land Stewardship Centre resources, publications and merchandise. As a non-profit organization, proceeds from the sale of its publications and merchandise go directly to support the continued development and delivery of Land Stewardship Centre programs and resources.

Taxpayer Group Questions Worth of $309-million Flood Mitigation Project Herald, February 26 A taxpayer lobby group says the cost-benefit analysis of the Springbank Off-Stream Storage project fails to account for the amount and likely price of the land the province will need to purchase so it can construct the massive canal and dam west of the city to divert and hold excess waters during a disaster. read more

Oil and gas companies must report earthquakes near Fox Creek, new rules say Journal, February 19 New rules for oil companies using hydraulic fracturing in the Fox Creek area should prevent stronger earthquakes, the Alberta Energy Regulator announced Thursday. After a cluster of earthquakes possibly associated with "fracking" in the region, the regulator decided to bring new regulations, said Todd Shipman, AER manager responsible for seismic monitoring. read more

Just released: New Introduction to Phosphorus Beneficial Management Practices Factsheet

2015 Conferences, Courses & Workshops

3rd Canadian German Conference on Energy and Water Efficiency on Industrial Applications Tuesday, March 3 - Calgary RSVP by today, February 27. Sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy the conference will be offered free of charge and will provide plenary sessions and extensive networking opportunities for Canadian and German organizations and companies to discuss potential business opportunities. Click here for more information.

BRBC Quarterly Forum - March 11, 9:30 am - 3:30 pm "Stormwater Management and Monitoring" TransAlta auditorium, Calgary Click here for more information.

Champions for Change: Leading a Backbone Organization for Collective Impact" Workshop by Alberta Ecotrust and Partners - April 15 - 17, Calgary Special rates available for teams registering three or more people. Register early as space is limited. Click here for more details.

Alberta Council for Environmental Education's national conference on energy and environmental education, "Earth Matters," will take place October 15 - 17 at the Coast Hotel and Conference Centre in Canmore. To learn more and to register please visit http://abcee.org/conference Job Opportunities

Cows and Fish Job Postings: Riparian Specialist (Central Alberta), Riparian Resource Analyst (full-time, based in Lethbridge) Application Deadline: March 5

Riparian Specialists Central Alberta Ad Expression of Interest (seasonal, field-oriented) Application Deadline extended to March 11 OWC funding provided in part by:

Oldman Watershed Council | 100, 5401 - 1st Avenue South | Lethbridge |

Alberta | T1K 4V6 |