Welcome to the July edition of the Roundup. If you have any content you would like included in our next edition of the Roundup please contact us. Happy reading! 

Upper Kananaskis lake 
“Upper Kananaskis lake Alberta Canada” by davebloggs007 is licenced under CC BY 2.0.   

Opinions

Note: these pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Alberta WaterPortal.

Brian Hutchinson: Hogs, scofflaws and hypocrites flood Vancouver as drought fuels fresh water wars

National Post reporter Brian Hutchinson looks at the emerging “water wars” Vancouver….Click here to continue reading.  

 

Staples: The joy of swimming down the North Saskatchewan River

David Staples, columnist for the Edmonton Journal, dispels some common misconceptions about the North Saskatchewan River and goes for a swim. …Click here to continue reading.  

 

Klassen: Let’s stop wasting water before shortages force us to

Calgary Herald reporter discusses water supply in Calgary with Mark Bennett, Bow River Basin Council executive director…Click here to continue reading. 

 

Long Reads

Preparing cities for a changing climate – before it’s too late

…Click here to continue reading. 

 

Other Stories 

Climate change ‘triple threat’ increases severe flooding risk in biggest US cities 

…Click here to continue reading. 

 

Drought worries: should Edmonton re-think the front lawn?

…Click here to continue reading. 

 

B.C. residents ‘drought shame’ neighbours as water rules tighten

…Click here to continue reading 

 

Decline in Albertans’ visits to provincial parks may be result of post-flood ‘confusion’ 

…Click here to continue reading. 

 

New program launched to help Calgary businesses be disaster resilient

…Click here to continue reading. 

 

Why drought is a dirty word in Alberta

…Click here to continue reading. 

 

The tech industry is threatening to drink California dry

…Click here to continue reading. 

 

Video: Thunder storms trigger flash flooding in Arizona

….Click here to watch video. 

 

A structure over ten feet high, in the middle of the river valley

 …Click here to continue reading. 

 

Web Content   

The July newsletter from the Elbow River Watershed is now available. Click here to read about their recent AGM. 

 

Visit the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative website to read updates from their recent town hall and to learn more about the importance of gravel bed rivers. Click here to read Discovering Life Under the River. 

 

RETROactive is the official blog of the Historic Resources Management Branch of Alberta Culture and Tourism. Click here to read the July 15th post titled The Lost Islands of Upper Kananaskis Lake.

 

WWF have just launched an online assessment of many Canadian Watersheds and the results are available in an interactive format. Click here to start exploring. 

 

Reports and Research

The City of Calgary is wrapping up their 2015 Flood Readiness awareness campaign to help Calgarians understand, prepare and stay informed on flood risk. They have updated inundation maps, the river flow rates, triggers and related effects and the new Flood Readiness Guide.

 

Canadian Water Network has released the report Assessing Cumulative Effects of Canadian Waters. Click here to download the report.

 

Click here to view the COSIA Water Environmental Priority Area Update. 

We provide Canadian educational resources on water practices to promote conservation and sustainability. Our team crafts current and relevant content, while encouraging feedback and engagement.

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Photograph of WaterPortal Board Member Ross Douglas

Ross Douglas

Board Member

Ross has extensive executive experience in Operations, Governance, Information Technology and Strategy at the board and senior management level including Mancal Corporation, Mancal Energy, Highridge Exploration and Atlantis Resources. He has worked in Oil and Gas, Coal, Commercial Real Estate, Portfolio Management, Recreation, Retail and Water and Wastewater Treatment. His experience is also geographically diverse having overseen operations in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Additionally, he has been on the board of companies with operations in Argentina, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Kazakhstan, and Russia. He has served on numerous Public, Private and Not for Profit Boards across a number of industries.

Ross has been active on several industry Boards and committees including the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and The Schulich School of Engineering Industry Advisory Council at the Schulich School of Engineering.

Photograph of WaterPortal Board Member Brian Mergelas

Brian Mergelas, PhD, ICD.D

Board Member

Brian is a seasoned Cleantech entrepreneur with a proven history of successfully bringing complex water technologies to the market.   With over 25 years of experience, he has led various organizations to achieve significant milestones in the industry. 

Having started as the founding CEO of the Pressure Pipe Inspection Company (PPIC) and later taking the helm at the Water Technology Acceleration Project (WaterTAP), Brian’s entrepreneurial spirit has been instrumental in driving innovation and growth within the sector. 

He is an active investor in the cleantech sector and has served on many boards including the Ontario Clean Water Agency. 

Actively engaged in industry associations like AWWA, WEF, IWA, and ASCE, Brian enjoys collaborating with fellow professionals to promote advancements in the field. 

Brian holds an undergraduate degree and a PhD in Physics from Queen’s University, which has provided him with a solid technical foundation.   As a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, he brings valuable insights to corporate governance.