Our two previous blogs posts focused on how to collect weather data and how to engineer a yard to mitigate against flood and drought. Part three in our “Make A Difference” series focuses on watershed planning. Healthy landscapes are better able to withstand flooding as well as drought and there are numerous organizations in Alberta working to maintain the health of Alberta’s watersheds.   

Give time to existing water focused organizations

One of the easiest ways to help mitigate flooding is to donate time to one of the many groups in Alberta that monitor, manage, or help to protect headwater, wetlands, riparian areas, lakes and rivers. The workload of these organizations is growing all the time and increasingly crucial. Many of these groups are volunteer driven and can utilize the help and skills you can bring to the table.

Photo: “The Oldman River” by Varina Crisfield is licenced under CC BY 2.0.

Give money to organizations that already exist

Don’t have any time to donate? Well they say that time is money. A small donation can go a long way and will help groups already working to improve water management in Alberta to keep up their important work. Many of these groups are also registered charities, so don’t forget to keep your receipt!

Your Local WPACs: WPAC stands for Watershed Planning and Advisory Council and there are 11 WPACs in Alberta. WPACs are multi-stakeholder, non-profit organizations that address the state of their respective watershed.

Local Water Stewardship Groups: These are some groups that work in smaller areas such as sub-basins or individual rivers and lakes. If you are interested in helping to develop plans and activities that will impact a specific area you might consider reaching out to your local water stewardship group. You can try using the Land Stewardship Centre’s stewardship directory to find a nearby group or download the directory. The following are a few sub-basin watershed groups.

·         Elbow River Watershed Partnership

·         Ghost Watershed Alliance Society

·         Keepers of the Athabasca Society

·         North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper  

Lakes. Rivers and Wetlands: Many lakes, rivers or creeks in Alberta also have  organizations, non-profits or societies that focus on the health and care of smaller water bodies. If you have a cottage or a favourite recreational spot, join your local water stewardship group and get involved. 

·        Alberta Lakes Management Society

·        Calgary River Valleys

·        Cows and Fish 

        River Vallery Alliance

Water and Land: Land use can have a profound impact on the health of watersheds. If you are interested in learning more about the relationship between water and land there are a number of organizations to support.

·        Southern Alberta Land Trust

·       Western Sky Land Trust

·       Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative

·        Land Stewardship Centre

·       Alberta Tomorrow

Water Community

·       Waterlution

·       Alberta Invasive Species Council

·       Ducks Unlimited Canada

·       Trout Unlimited Canada

The above are only a handful of the groups in Alberta dedicated to watershed health. If you would like to learn more visit our ENGO page. If there’s a group you’re passionate about that we’ve missed you can let us know in the comments below. Check out our events calendar to meet fellow water stewards in your area.