Drought workshops gather important information
The Battle River Watershed Alliance (BRWA) held the final of a series of Drought Workshops in Sedgewick on Thursday, Aug. 30.
David Samm, General Manager of BRWA, led the meeting, in place of Susanna Bruneau and Sarah Skinner, both unable to attend.
“We’ll be working on this for about a year, at this time we’re coming to the public for their thoughts and opinions,” said Samm.
Samm started the session off by showing a video presentation prepared by a Camrose area student, Kalista Sherbaniuk, called, “What is a Watershed?”
Afterwards, Samm explained that the purpose of the workshops were to share information, discuss the face of drought, and propose recommendations.
Samm reminded those present that the BRWA is a non-regulatory group; but said that the results of the drought program will be used in recommendations to local government authorities, to lend assistance when forming policy directions and management practices that lead to the long-term sustainability of our watersheds.
Samm outlined the various components that will be considered in the watershed management plan, starting with economic, ecological, and social; then branching from those into land management, water quality, water quantity, and biodiversity, with each of those four having three subcategories into 12 areas of study.
Samm also announced that the BRWA has received funding from Environment Canada for policy research into the 12 areas already identified, which will lead to policy advice to government, developing implementation guidelines, and ultimately, implementation of watershed management legislation.
“Why drought?” asked Samm, going on to explain that the initial Watershed Management Plan was initiated from information originally gathered during the BRWA’s preparation of the State of the Watershed.
“In the fall of 2011, drought was on everyone’s mind,” said Samm, “we were hearing a lot about it.
“From August to November of last year we were in an extreme drought situation across the entire BRWA.”
Leslie Cholowsky
Editor
Read the rest of the story in the September 4, 2012 Edition of The Community Press, on newsstands now.
