Bow River News - Jul 19th, 2007

Bow Riverkeeper

Contents

  1. Living within the limits of the watershed: water for the mega-entertainment complex may now come from the Bow River
  2. MD of Bighorn Requires Proposed Development to Secure Water Source Before Approval
  3. The Idaho Supreme Court rejects strict application of First-in-Time, First-in-Right Principle
  4. What are your thoughts on a "renewed" Water for Life strategy for Alberta?
  5. Green to the Core: Eco-fashion is the new high fashion
  6. How does sewage affect river ecosystems?

1. Living within the limits of the watershed: water for the mega-entertainment complex may now come from the Bow River

A newly proposed deal may resolve a major controversy over piping water from the Red Deer river basin to the Bow River basin. Following Drumheller's recent refusal to allow use of its water intake and infrastructure from the Red Deer River for a mega-entertainment complex located in the Bow River basin, a deal emerged with the Western Irrigation District (WID) who draws water from the Bow River. The WID is now offering to sell a portion of its water allocation - about 2000 acre-feet - for $15 million. The money will enable the irrigation district to convert 50 km of their open canal system to pipelines. But the deal must first be approved by WID members.

Read more: http://www.bowriverkeeper.org/node/151

2. MD of Bighorn Requires Proposed Development to Secure Water Source Before Approval

A controversial proposal to create a new community in the Bow Valley took one step closer to reality recently but not without a requirement that the developer first secure a water source. On June 12, the Municipal District (MD) of Bighorn Council passed second reading of the Area Structure Plan for the proposed Horseshoe Lands development on the Bow River.

Read more: http://www.bowriverkeeper.org/node/150

3. The Idaho Supreme Court rejects strict application of First-in-Time, First-in-Right Principle

While Alberta has experienced high stream flow advisories and flood warnings over the past few months, a bitter legal dispute continues to brew as a result of drought conditions in the US state of Idaho. This ongoing dispute is between senior surface water rights holders and junior groundwater rights holders. It highlights the challenges of allocating scarce water resources based on the traditional "first in time, first in right" (FITFIR) legal system of allocating water. Alberta may face similar challenges as it begins to look for groundwater sources to supplement surface water shortfalls in southern Alberta.

Read more: http://www.bowriverkeeper.org/node/149

4. What are your thoughts on a "renewed" Water for Life strategy for Alberta?

Alberta's Premier Ed Stelmach made a commitment to the public to "renew and resource" Water for Life. But what is meant by a "renewal"? To answer this question, the Minister of Environment Rob Renner asked the Alberta Water Council for recommendations. Now Alberta Water Council is asking for your thoughts.

Water for Life is a strategy that was developed between 2001 and 2003 through public consultation to shift how Albertans use the province's water. The government released the strategy in late 2003 and soon after began working to implement the strategy in partnership with water-using sectors and the Alberta public. Periodic reviews of implementation progress by the Alberta Water Council, a multistakeholder provincial-level council, make evident that implementation has progressed in a number of areas but has failed to meet short-term targets in others.

Read more: http://www.bowriverkeeper.org/node/148

5. Green to the Core: Eco-fashion is the new high fashion

Bow Riverkeeper went high fashion in June at the Calgary's Eaton Centre/TD Square's Green to the Core's eco-fashion show. The fashion show, featuring designs by internationally recognized designer Paul Hardy, was a highlight in a series of environmental events that ran over the course of the month. Bow Riverkeeper's Friend of the Bow program was featured, promoting water conservation.

Read more: http://www.bowriverkeeper.org/node/147

6. How does sewage affect river ecosystems?

We all know that flooding is a needed event for healthy aquatic ecosystems. But flooding can also lead to negative consequences for rivers — due to human development. In Canmore, Alberta, a combination of events nearly flooded Canmore streets with sewage and required an emergency discharge of raw but diluted sewage into the Bow River for 19 hours from June 8 to 9. While it appears the discharge of sewage to the Bow River was short-lived, there was still a need to warn local citizens of the potential health threat. But we also wanted to know what kind of impact sewage has on river and lake ecosystems and wanted to share this information with you.

Read more: http://www.bowriverkeeper.org/node/146