The Story of Water Management on the Bow River

Through the vision, funding and support of the Bow River, Eastern and Western Irrigations Districts, we are excited to showcase this initial series of ten HD-quality, professional videos on The Story of Water Management on the Bow River.


Water is the lifeblood of southern Alberta and the Bow River is critical to the health of the Region. This educational series of vignettes, takes the viewer on a journey of Water Stewardship of the Bow River and how that stewardship affects life in the Bow Basin.
Designed for both students and general audiences, the series looks at the importance of irrigation to life in Southern Alberta. In fact, irrigation feeds 40% of the world’s population, and not insignificantly in the Bow Basin. Not many of us know the rich history of irrigation in Alberta and how appropriate stewardship of the finite resources of the Bow River continue to benefit all of us – both urban and rural residents.
From food production to ecological protection to recreational opportunities, the series paints a fascinating and not-well-understood story of the real Bow River – not only it’s beauty, but its enduring qualities to sustain life, and of the people whose job it is to keep it that way.

We encourage you to learn more about The Story of Water Management on the Bow River, and hope you enjoy viewing the following videos:

    • Episode Five: Bow River Irrigation District – How the Bow River Irrigation District conserves water to create more agricultural and recreational opportunities and how irrigation created a sugar industry in the province.
    • Episode Six: Water ManagementWhy the same amount of water in the Bow River does way more than it used to – and will do even more in the future.

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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.