Projects

Message from the Chair

The Red Deer River Watershed Alliance (RDRWA) is continuing to make progress in completing the many projects that the Government of Alberta has tasked Watershed and Planning Advisory Councils (WPAC’s) with. To this end a major milestone was completed last year with the completion of the State of the Watershed Report (SOW). This document provides an excellent assessment of the measurable factors that affect the quality and quantity of the water in the Red Deer River basin. One of the biggest challenges in completing this document was trying to keep the focus on only those indicators for which there was actual measurement data available. Unfortunately data was not available for many concern areas especially those associated with ground water. Continued effort will be put towards trying to quantify the data gaps, but in most cases this is a costly endeavour for which the RDRWA will be looking for partners to help support the data collection required. In the meantime, there are many indicators for which management plans can be developed. This will include the setting of targets and thresholds and identifying best management practices. These are some of the items that will be developed in the Integrated Water Shed Management Plan (IWMP). 
Expectations abound about what the RDRWA is or isn’t. Often the Board of Directors is asked to become an advocate group for or against specific projects or proposals. That was not the intent of the government of Alberta with the formation of WPAC’s. There were some very specific tasks assigned to the group. This included the development of the SOW and the IWMP. Our funding is very dependent on government sources at this time and there has been no direction provided by the government after the completion and implementation of the IWMP. In the short term, as an organization, we must continue to work towards the completion of the IWMP.
Looking further out we need to explore options for what role the RDRWA will perform in the future. First and foremost the RDRWA must continue to be an advocate for the watershed. What does being an advocate mean to the membership? The opinion on this is as large as the watershed is wide. Potentially, future sources of funding must be identified as it is unknown whether the government of Alberta will continue to support WPAC’s at current levels. The key in all of this will be membership involvement about the expectations for the future. This organization is only as strong as the membership and the membership must be engaged in this discussion. I hope that we are all able to work together to define and agree on the future of the RDRWA.
 
Tom Daniels
Chair


Accomplishments for 2009/10

In our fifth year of operation, the Red Deer River Watershed Alliance initiated a number of important and exciting major projects. 
 
ENACT AND EMPOWER
1. The Alliance signed an operating/funding agreement with Alberta Environment for $302,250 ($250,000 Grant Funding & $52,250 in Project funding)
2. Obtained core funding of $128,585 through the generosity of 47 municipalities representing approximately 257,170 residents.
3. Held the Annual AGM in Red Deer on June 19, 2009 at which time elections for Board Directors were held.
 
OPERATE
1. Initiated the three year Strategic business plan as it pertained to 2009/10.
2. Expanded our contact data base (e.g. members, like organizations, partners, resource people and agencies, school contacts).
3. Established a 2009/10 work program and project priorities.
4. Establish a 2009/10 events program timetable.
5. Combined the Stewardship committee with the BMP committee. Added to all committee memberships and held regular meetings of the Education and Communication Committee, Stewardship/BMP Committee, Fundraising / Membership Committee.
6. Held monthly meetings of the Steering Committee for the initiation of the Integrated Watershed Management Plan.
 
ENGAGE AND COMMUNICATE
1. Expanded the RDRWA membership by 11% this year through personal contacts at events and information fairs.
2. Continued implementation of an Education Plan and Communication Strategy.
3. Responded to approximately 44 requests for speaking engagements/information fairs to highlight RDRWA. 
4. Designed / published 4 issues of the RDRWA newsletter called “Reach Out”.
5. Held one general meeting, one in Bowden in November to discuss Watershed Health—Looking At the Big Picture and Planning for Our Future. The GM to be held in March was postponed to April 20th.  
6. Held 3 workshops in May 2009 (Sundre, Red Deer, and Hanna) for both Municipal stakeholders and the public to learn about the results of the final State of the Watershed Report.
7. Held 3 workshops during January 2010 in Red Deer to provide stakeholders a chance to review the IWMP Terms of Reference and provide input on the approach expected to take. 
8. RDRWA website updated regularly.
 
SHARING KNOWLEDGE
1. Continued building an information data base and made components available via the website.
2. Held workshops to share State of the Watershed results in progress and added the State of the Watershed report to the website.
3. Held IWMP Start up workshops in January 2010 to provide knowledge on health indicators.
 
EDUCATE
1. Developed Resource Kits for 8 School Districts in the watershed to support teachers teaching water / watershed curriculum. 
2. Provided watershed presentations and learning opportunities to 11 youth groups/schools.  
3: Attended 17 tradeshows/farmer’s markets to profile RDRWA to targeted audiences.
4: Held a waste water management tour through the city of Red Deer’s Waste Management Plant,
     hosted a Wetland Management session in partnership with Ducks Unlimited Canada, and a canoe
     trip along the Red Deer River.
 




PROMOTE
1. Continued distribution of the RDRWA brochures and promotional items.
2. Developed and distributed promotional items including pens, water bottles, tattoos and window
    decals.   
 
FOSTER STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS
1. Held our fourth annual WPAC / Watershed Stewardship Group sharing session on January 26, 2010 in Red Deer.
2. Distributed copies of the Stewardship Kit.
3. Hired 2 summer stewardship assistants to provide support to and to work with the stewardship groups and their support agencies in the Red Deer River Watershed. 
4. Included stewardship project information in the RDRWA newsletter.
5. Completed a Beneficial Management Practices research project: Literature Review and applied it to the Panther, Waskasoo, Kneehills and Alkali subwatersheds. 
 
WATERSHED PLANNING
1. Approved the State of the Watershed Report on April 3. Distributed the findings at numerous presentations and May workshops. 
2. Participated in the South Saskatchewan River Basin LUF Terms of Reference workshop.
3. Participated in the provincial WPAC Summit in October 2009.
4. Provided advise on and actively participated in provincial initiatives:   Land Use Framework, Alberta Water Council; AWC Governance & Watershed Planning; Integrated Watershed Coordinating Committee.
5. Initiated the Red Deer Integrated Watershed Management Plan in Sept 2009. The Board of Directors approved the Terms of Reference & Committee structure in March 2010.
6. Developed & received Board approval for the IWMP Public Consultation Plan.
  
   INFLUENCE
1. Participated on the Alberta Water Council.
2.  Participated on the International Water Coordinating Committee.