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


RedDeerRiver RickyLeong CC 
Red Deer River” by Ricky Leong is licenced under CC BY 2.0.   

Opinions and Columns

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

Roy MacGregor: In Globe debate, leaders ignore Canada’s No. 1 resource: water

The Globe and Mail reporter highlights the lack of conversation about water in recent political debates. …Click here to continue reading.

  

Patricia Matthews: City of Chestermere 2015 Flood Response Summary

The Chestermere Mayor shares a timeline of events and lessons learned in the City’s flood response for the July 2015 storm. …Click here to continue reading.

 

Long Reads

Britain’s water crisis – are we killing our rivers?

…Click here to continue reading.

 

Other Stories 

South Carolina experiences deadly floods

…Click here to continue reading.

 

Extreme weather events are in the cards

…Click here to continue reading.

 

900 years of tree-ring records tell a story: Declining river flows

…Click here to continue reading. 

 

China’s sponge cities: soaking up water to reduce flood risks

…Click here to continue reading.

 

California drought drives cities to filter drinkable water from sewage

…Click here to continue reading.

 

Climate brokers gather best data for policy making

…Click here to continue reading.

 

City’s on the move with latest piece of public art

..Click here to continue reading.

 

Local Waves

The Oldman Watershed is seeking votes to win $100,000 in funding for an outreach and education film project. Click here to vote!

 

A reminder the Red Deer River Watershed Alliance are seeking public input on their draft Integrated Watershed Management Plan,
Phase One, Water Quality. Click here for more background and a survey link. 

 

Reports and Research

The Report of the Auditor General – October 2015 is now available.

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.