BIGHORN COUNTRY AND OUR WATERSHED
Conversations about the future of Bighorn Country have reached a fever pitch in recent weeks, with people from all walks of life weighing in on the Government of Alberta’s proposal for the area.
As the conversation continues, the Red Deer River Watershed Alliance would like to provide our members with an update about how the Bighorn Country proposal may influence the Red Deer River watershed. We have combed through the Government of Alberta’s proposal for Bighorn Country (available
here
) to look for changes in land-use designations that may affect the Red Deer River watershed specifically.
We invite community members to use this information to inform their own views about the proposal. Be sure to fill out the Government of Alberta’s
online
survey
by February 15
th
to make sure your voice is heard.
PROPOSAL AREA
The Government of Alberta’s proposal for Bighorn Country would include a new wildland provincial park, three provincial parks, four public recreation areas, and two public land use zones (PLUZ) west of Rocky Mountain House and Sundre.
The proposed Bighorn Country area includes a sizeable portion of the headwaters of the Red Deer River watershed, including parts of the Panther, James, and Raven sub-watersheds. Figure 1 shows the overlap between the southern toe of Bighorn Country and the Red Deer River watershed, based on current boundaries. The Government of Alberta’s proposal would also expand the area of Bighorn Country with footprint in the watershed (see
here
for the proposed map boundaries), through the creation of the West Country Public Land Use Zone, which would extend eastward toward Sundre and northward toward Rocky Mountain House.
According to our 2009 State of the Watershed Report, the Panther River sub-watershed is the most pristine sub-watershed in the watershed, with an overall condition rating of “A”. The James River and Raven River sub-watersheds were each given condition ratings of “B+”. More information about the State of the Watershed Report and these sub-watersheds can be found
here
.
CHANGES TO LAND USE
We have reviewed the proposed land use designations for areas with footprint in the Red Deer River watershed, and summarized what that means for industry and recreational permissions in Table 1. Importantly, these are still subject to change
,
because the Government of Alberta is still consulting on the file.
Table 1.
Proposed and current land-use designations in the parts of Bighorn Country with footprint in the Red Deer River watershed, with proposed permitted and non-permitted industrial and recreational uses. Bolded items marked with a Δ reflect a change in permissions from the current state.
|
|
Figure 1. A map showing the intersection of the Red Deer River Watershed (outlined in red) and the southern extent of Big Horn Country (outlined in black), based on the current boundaries of public land use zones.
|
|
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
Bighorn Country is an area of critical hydrological importance for communities across the Red Deer River watershed. Over 50% of the total water yield in the Red Deer River originates from snow and rain in the Rocky Mountain and Foothill regions in the upper headwaters (Kienzle and Mueller, 2010), which includes the southern toe of the proposed Bighorn Country. Because the headwaters capture and convey such a significant volume of water for downstream use, source water protection is an essential water security strategy for communities and industry in the basin.
The South Saskatchewan River basin, which includes the Red Deer River watershed, is expected to face serious water resource stresses linked to a changing climate (Kienzle and Mueller, 2010; Schindler and Donahue, 2006). Studies indicate that streamflow regimes along the Eastern Slopes are already changing through reduced winter snowfall and earlier spring snowmelt (Farr et al., 2018). Projected increases in temperature and shifts in the timing and form of precipitation may also further alter the volume, consistency, and quality of streamflow generated in the headwaters (ibid). Protecting these “water towers” is critical for the water security of communities downstream, to reduce vulnerability to extreme events like flood and drought, and to ensure there is enough quality water for drinking water, for agriculture, for industry, and for nature.
For those seeking to learn more about watershed health generally, we encourage you to consult the RDRWA’s technical
reports
which address issues including water quality, land use, water quantity, and biodiversity across the entire basin.
|
|
NEXT STEPS
Managing for the cumulative effects of development and all activities on the environment at a regional level will require a thoughtful and coordinated effort among all partners. We all have a role to play, and it is our hope that this information will help community members as you make up your own minds about the proposal.
The Red Deer River Watershed Alliance has been invited to participate at a stakeholder consultation session for Bighorn Country on February 8
th
in Red Deer. The Government of Alberta is also still consulting through an online survey until February 15
th
, 2019. We will keep our members updated with any information as it becomes available.
CONTACT
Jeffrey Hanger
Executive Director
403.340.7379
REFERENCES
Aquality, 2009. Red Deer River State of the Watershed Report. Red Deer, AB: Aquality Environmental Consulting Ltd. Report prepared for the Red Deer River Watershed Alliance. Available: http://www.rdrwa.ca/node/59
F
arr. D., Mortimer, C., Wyatt, F., Braid, A., Loewen, C., Emmerton, C., and Slater, S. 2018. Land use, climate change and ecological responses in the Upper North Saskatchewan and Red Deer River Basins: A scientific assessment. Government of Alberta, Ministry of Environment and Parks. ISBN 978-1-4601-4069-7. Available at: open.alberta.ca/publications/9781460140697
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
