Protection of YEG’s only source of drinking water on Council agenda
The North Saskatchewan River and its watershed are of vital importance to our city as it is Edmonton's only source of drinking water. There are 28,000 square kilometers of land upstream of Edmonton that drain into the North Saskatchewan River watershed.
Our City Council has a significant role in protecting the watershed for Edmontonians as well as communities downstream that are impacted by activities within the city’s municipal boundaries. On November 4, Council’s Utility Committee will discuss a report on the status of the North Saskatchewan River Regional Plan.
A Regional Advisory Council for the North Saskatchewan Region was appointed by Cabinet in 2014 and provided 69 recommendations to the Government of Alberta on the development of the North Saskatchewan River Regional Plan. The Province has been reviewing input on these recommendations since Summer 2018.
This item is follow up to a Utility Committee discussion in August 2021 on the potential impact on our drinking water from four provincially approved coal mining projects. Five percent of the North Saskatchewan watershed upstream of the City of Edmonton is currently held by coal leases, and poses a risk to source water, aquatic ecosystem health, and industrial and agricultural users if development occurs.
If you would like to speak at Utility Committee, register by contacting the City Clerk at city.clerk@edmonton.ca or 780.496.8178. You can read the reports on agenda item 7.2 at https://pub-edmonton.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=ee57006d-ac80-4b8e-bc8d-45f99eb031d4&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English&Item=23&Tab=attachments
Learn about labyrinths and walk the Turtle Rock Effigy
Located in Louise McKinney Riverfront Park, east of the Edmonton Convention Centre and south of the main parking lot, you will find the Turtle Rock Effigy. This effigy/labyrinth was created in 2010 by Leah Dorion as part of The Works Art and Design Festival.
You are meant to enter the labyrinth thinking of a problem. As you walk through the labyrinth, the twists and turns will guide you through thought so that when you step out, you will have come to a conclusion. The Turtle Rock Effigy is a marriage of the traditional Indigenous turtle symbol and Celtic labyrinths. Leah Dorion did this to mirror the relationship between Canada’s Indigenous Peoples and European settlers.
Emberwood is hosting a guided labyrinth walk at this location from 4-6pm on November 5. Labyrinths are not mazes, there are no tricks or dead ends. They are meditative walks, used for contemplation, meditation and relaxation. They are great for people who wish to meditate but can’t sit still. Information and registration at https://www.emberwood.ca/solos/labyrinth
Remote cameras monitor wildlife in river valley and ravines
Since 2018 the City of Edmonton and the University of Alberta have worked together to create WildEdmonton, a project that uses remote cameras to monitor wildlife presence and abundance throughout our city. The project is working to identify areas of valuable wildlife habitat so that future planning and development projects will know where animals live and how they move around.
Remote cameras are especially useful for monitoring the presence, location, and abundance of mammals of all sizes, ranging from squirrels to moose. It’s also helpful for cities to know more about where interactions between humans and wildlife are likely to occur so we can take steps to reduce the impact on both.
Habitat loss, fragmentation, and human disturbances threaten wildlife populations and biodiversity on a global scale. Protecting biodiversity in urban areas can be done by making sure we protect natural areas and maintain natural connections that help wildlife move around Edmonton and the surrounding area. More at
https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/environmental_stewardship/wild-edmonton
Big Lake and Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park
Patrick writes “When I was a boy, my Dad and his buddies had a hunting cabin at the southern edge of Big Lake. We used the cabin during duck-hunting season and there were lots of fun family times from spring snowmelt to late fall. Quicksand is a magnet for kids who like to prowl around in the bush. Our patch of quicksand was downslope and northwest of the cabin. I climbed lots of trees. I was a city kid but loved the bush. Ultimately, I became a Forester.
The cabin was located on the corner of a farm field, at the north end of what is now 231st Street. Just east of what’s now Lakeshore Estates. Sometime in the early 60s, an arsonist torched the cabin. With Google Maps, I see there’s still a farm field there.”
Former railway bridge downstream of Hwy 15 bridge.
Comment or contribution
Please note that articles may not reflect the position of NSRVCS. River Valley News is meant to be a clearinghouse for the wide variety of opinions and ideas about Edmonton’s River Valley. Email river valley photos, event information, comments, or questions to nsrivervalley@gmail.com
Sincerely yours,
Harvey Voogd
North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society
780.691.1712