|
Watershed News and Views Winter 2021
|
|
|
|
Winter at Police Point Park, Medicine Hat, South Saskatchewan River. Photo credit: Paula Munro.
In this newsletter
|
|
|
Beavers: Watershed Engineers
|
|
|
|
Beavers are a keystone species - a species that helps define an entire ecosystem. Without that keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether. And there are few animals that can fundamentally alter the landscape the ways beavers can; that’s why they are sometimes referred to as "ecosystem engineers".
Read our latest article to learn more about beavers, their habits, and their habitat, and why many scientists think we need to re-examine our relationship with beavers and learn to appreciate them as stewards of healthy watersheds.
|
|
|
|
SEAWA always welcomes motivated volunteers to participate in our committees, outdoor events, and restoration field work. Get valuable experience and fresh air with SEAWA! We are currently looking for a few volunteers, learn more on our website.
|
|
|
Wetlands, Water, and Plants
|
|
|
|
|
Soft stem bulrush, Seven Persons Creek shoreline. Photo credit: Marilou Montemayor.
|
|
|
Written by Marilou Montemayor.
February 2 is celebrated annually as World Wetlands Day. For this year, 2021, the theme is Wetlands, Water and Life. In Southeastern Alberta, wetlands are commonly called sloughs. Sloughs are either marshes or shallow open water in our grassland natural region; they are water bodies surrounded by land.
Wetlands are important components of the vast network of surface water bodies on the landscape such as rivers and creeks, lakes, and springs, and they are closely linked to groundwater. Surface water and groundwater are connected to each other in a number of ways. Wetlands are key to slowing the flow of rushing surface runoff from melting snow and rain, help stabilize surface and groundwater supplies, and thereby help minimize the impacts of floods and drought. The other benefit to this intervening function is the trapping of contaminants which helps in keeping water of good quality. Wetland plants provide a place for fish to spawn, waterfowl and other birds to nest, and other small organisms (macroinvertebrate) to thrive. Vegetation provides surface roughness or resistance to flowing water or lake waves and thus protects shorelines from eroding as well as slowing down or moderating the effect of water forces. A wetland is a self-sustaining ecosystem such that there is a food web and an ongoing nutrient cycling in operation. Wetland vegetation also stores carbon and thus contributes to the global initiative of reducing carbon emissions.
|
|
|
|
Cattails, Connaught Pond shoreline, Medicine Hat. Photo credit: Marilou Montemayor.
|
|
Shallow open water bodies, while often undervalued, are critically important because they are the first water bodies that thaw in the spring. They provide valuable habitat and food sources for the spring arrival of millions of migrating waterfowl. Many of these waterfowl stay for the whole season, but others are just making a stop-over, and eventually proceed to the vast marshes of the southern Arctic where they stay until their fall migration. Southeast Alberta is part of the Prairie Pothole Region that hosts millions of waterfowl each year: Outdoor recreation is enabled by wetlands and waterfowl.
Marshes usually have a water source, either a spring or a shallow water table. In urban areas, man-made marshes are created to impound stormwater. Marsh shorelines are usually teeming with common wetland plants such as cattails and bulrushes, and sedges in the less saturated zone of the shoreline.
In addition, shallow shorelines of streams and lakes may develop into shoreline wetlands; these are formed on the saturated zone of a wider riparian area. A riparian area is the land between the water body and the upland. It may include a shoreline wetland, but not always, and farther away from the shore, are zones of sedges and other non-woody plants, shrubs, and trees.
|
|
|
|
Hard stem bulrush, Medicine Hat College pond. Photo credit: Marilou Montemayor.
|
|
Wetland loss as a result of various human activities has long been a concern. Educational campaigns, restoration programs, and government policies are in place to promote conservation and minimize further loss. The status of wetlands across the prairies for the period 2001-2011 has been studied by Environment and Climate Change Canada in partnership with Prairie Habitat Joint Venture. There is a plan to continue this work and track the next decade.
Some university programs offer wetlands ecology and management as a one-term course. If you are interested in learning more about wetlands on your own, you can download a textbook in pdf format for free; just google "wetlands mitsch and gosselink pdf". An online course on Alberta Wetland Policy basics is available from SALMTEC. Field courses are available from Aquality. SEAWA has also published a booklet of wetland and riparian plants of Southeastern Alberta, it is accessible here.
|
|
|
|
It helps keep us safe - please don’t litter. Photo credit: Marilou Montemayor
|
|
|
Disposable Face-mask Litter
Submitted by Paula Munro.
Hello All! Hoping you are staying safe and optimistic! 2020 was undoubtedly a trying year. As we continue to face challenges in our daily lives, we are reminded just how important the natural landscape is to us, and why it is so important that we continue to fight to conserve our environment. While lockdowns and restrictions have kept us from our regular indoor spaces, the great outdoors have become a sanctuary for more people. It is the one place still accessible to most of us to recharge our bodies and minds. Many recognize the joy and peace only nature can provide. Unfortunately, with more people moving through our wild and green spaces, we see a greater increase of garbage. Disposable, single use items such as face masks and gloves are on the rise globally since the beginning of the pandemic, and many of us who do regular litter walks and cleanup throughout the Medicine Hat area have noticed a larger volume in the amount of added waste. With this in mind, let’s aim to do our part to limit and properly dispose of all our garbage and pet waste. As we enjoy the beautiful scenic paths and amazing views throughout our city let’s encourage others to do the same, to help keep it clean and beautiful for all to enjoy.
|
|
|
A chemical-free lawn
Submitted by Terry Lawson.
Twenty-seven years ago, I decided to stop using chemicals in my yard and garden. I always hated using any form of herbicide, pesticide, or non-organic fertilizer so I felt relieved and happy with the decision. My knowledge of these products came from my father. He was the farm bulk fertilizer and chemicals manager for the Coop in a small town in Saskatchewan during the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. During this time period numerous chemicals were introduced onto the market. My dad would often express concern about what the long-term effects of these products would be.
|
|
|
|
Weed control is one of the main reasons that people turn to chemicals. We are told that digging out as much of the roots system as possible is crucial to successful weed elimination. This method is very time consuming and can seem overwhelming if you have a yard full of weeds. I was fortunate enough to know a horticulturalist. While we were transplanting tomatoes for a school sale, she instructed us to avoid damaging the stem. She explained that you can damage the leaves but if you damage the stem the root cannot get nutrients and the plant will die. I adopted that principle and have found it to be an easy way to control weeds. Parts of my yard were full of creeping bellflower. Every day I would go out for about one hour and rip out the plant close to the ground hoping to damage the stem. Every year I would see a large reduction in the amount of bell flower. Today I have very few bell flowers in my yard.
I’m very happy I have chosen chemical-free methods in my yard and garden, not only is it good for the environment it has been good for me. I found picking weeds to be a great stress release after a hectic day of work and also, I can easily walk 10,000 steps or more a day taking care of my yard.
Photo above: Terry Lawson’s chemical-free lawn. Photo credit: Terry Lawson.
|
|
|
|
Exciting News!
Have you checked out SEAWA's new website? We're quite proud of it!
Go and take a quick look, we'll wait ...
|
|
|
|
Harvesting skunkbush stems for propagation at Connaught pond, Medicine Hat.
Photo credit: Ben White.
|
|
|
Propagating native trees and shrubs in winter
Written by Marilou Montemayor.
There were quite a few Chinook days in December 2020 and January 2021 with maximum temperatures of single digit Celsius, and it was refreshing to be outdoors during this time of COVID pandemic restrictions. Even more delightful was the chance to harvest some cottonwoods and skunkbush stems for propagation by the sunny office window and at home. This summer (once the plants have had a chance to grow) we plan to plant them at some of our four riparian restoration sites. From last year’s experience we learned that cottonwood stems grown during the winter indoors had better survival the following winter in the field than those grown outdoors during the spring. Those grown indoors in winter had 2-3 months more of growth period than those grown outdoors in the spring, making them more resilient to winter stress when transplanted in the field.
We encountered the problem of ‘dieback’ on the cottonwood, "sergeant poplar", that we ordered from a commercial nursery. They are sensitive to freezing. Limbs freeze and their bark cracks and peels (frost crack), then the affected limb dies. During summer they are prone to a leaf disease that we control with a homemade fungicide. Their buds open later and their leaves begin to fall (senescence) earlier compared with the established cottonwoods in the area. We learned that it is better to propagate cottonwood stems obtained from the branches of native trees growing within our local surroundings.
|
|
|
|
Cottonwood stems being propagated in the kitchen. A good time to harvest stems is during a chinook in late January. Photo credit: Marilou Montemayor.
|
|
|
Crucial to riparian restoration in our semi-arid climate is the planting of native shrubs that have low water requirements such as silver sagebrush and skunkbush. These are not available from commercial nurseries. We also collected silver sagebrush seeds for propagation.
Our propagation activity is on a very small scale because of limited window space in the office and homes of volunteers. If anyone is interested and has a sunny window, you can help us grow one or two cottonwoods in your home until the end of April. By May, we can collect them and continue to grow them outdoors until they are planted into our riparian restoration sites in early August. Thank you in advance.
|
|
|
Flowering Rush
Written by Ben White.
Flowering rush was originally introduced to North America in the 1890’s for use as a garden ornamental. Unfortunately, it has since become an invasive species, causing significant ecological and economic damages. It is even regarded as one of five invasive plant species to have a major ecological impact on Canadian ecosystems on a national level.
Growing up to 1.5 metres tall, with roots as deep as 4 metres, it is a rather large plant. Flowering rush can be identified by its long, sword-like leaves, and umbel of white to pink flowers. When it is not flowering, it can appear visually similar to cattails. In addition to being very deep rooted, the plant is also rhizomatous, allowing it to form dense monotypic stands, and making eradication challenging. Flowering rush tends to grow in shallow, slow moving or still waters, such as those found in shoreline wetlands of rivers, ponds, and lakes. It is well adapted to both semi-aquatic and fully aquatic conditions, being able to grow while partially or completely submerged.
In these areas it can push out native vegetation and wildlife as it spreads and forms dense stands. In many cases, flowering rush also occurred alongside other invaders such as purple loosestrife, further contributing to invasive species issues. This plant also contributes to reduced water availability, which is very problematic when it occurs in irrigation reservoirs and canals. This poses a significant threat in drought prone regions such as Southern Alberta, where water demand for irrigation is quite high.
|
|
Flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus)
Flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus) is a perennial aquatic plant native to Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. While it is named as a rush in English, flowering rush is in fact not a true rush, and Butomus umbellatus is the sole species in the Butomaceae family.
Photo by Ivar Leidus - Own work: CC BY-SA 3.0 Wikipedia Commons
|
|
|
In Ontario, flowering rush is the target of a large scale management plan around the Great Lakes region, as it has become a significant issue there. In Alberta, the plant is considered "Prohibited Noxious", meaning it is to be controlled should a population be identified. In the Medicine Hat area, several populations are known to exist along the banks of the South Saskatchewan River, often in difficult to access areas.
SEAWA asks anyone who sees flowering rush growing to photograph it if possible, and submit sightings to the Alberta EDDMapS app for invasive species reporting. Our staff would also appreciate any information you can share about flowering rush growing in the area.
Additional information on the flowering rush and other invasive species can be found at:
Alberta Invasive Species Council
B.C. Invasive Species Council
Government of Alberta
Government of Alberta, Fisheries and Wildlife Management Information System (FWMIS)
|
|
|
Water Quality and Quantity Reports
A new publication from SEAWA is now available on our website. "Water Quality of Seven Persons Creek at Two Riparian Restoration Sites" provides a review of data collected during water sampling of Seven Persons Creek in 2018. Available here!
Additional information about water quality can be found at: Five Year Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Plan and Status of Surface Water Quality in the South Saskatchewan Region.
The February Water Supply Outlook report from Alberta Environment and Parks is now available. View it by opening the menu and selecting "Water Supply".
|
|
|
|
A patch of moss at the opening of a natural spring. Still green, even in January!
Photo credit: Ben White.
|
|
|
Spring in January
Written by Ben White.
In January, chinook winds created several weeks of very mild temperatures in Southern Alberta. SEAWA staff took advantage of this to get out into the field to gather some on-the-ground information. While visiting Saamis Archaeological Site located below Medicine Hat’s Saamis Teepee they observed some interesting local hydrology and physical geography. While examining various draws, gullies, and coulees, they were able to identify several springs, and reflect on the importance of these features to the landscapes of Southern Alberta.
Springs are locations where groundwater begins to flow onto the land surface and they tend to occur where there are steep changes in elevation. Often a spring can be found high on a slope, surrounded by water-loving vegetation such as mosses, cattails, trees, and shrubs. Because springs originate from groundwater, they will generally flow year-round. In areas with relatively warm winters, some plants around springs may even stay green during the winter! This is the case with one particular stream above Saamis Archaeological Site, where a thick bed of moss remained green even in January.
Because of these unique characteristics, springs are incredibly important. They create small oases in regions with rather dry conditions, such as the semi-arid prairie. This is important not only for plant life, but for animal wildlife as well. The moist conditions around a spring allow for larger vegetation, such as trees and shrubs, to occur further away from larger bodies of water such as creeks, rivers, ponds, and lakes. By creating a sort of micro-climate, the spring allows for a number of birds, insects, mammals, and amphibians to spread further across the prairies. This is also beneficial for migratory animals that may search for sheltered areas with lots of resources.
In short, springs are unique little oases on the dry prairie, and perform several very valuable functions. They are very important for biodiversity and water supply, and should be taken care of the same as any other source of water.
|
|
Annual Teacher's Convention
On February 18 and 19, the Southern Alberta Teachers Convention took place in an online format. In a typical year, SEAWA would have a table set up at the physical location of the convention; however, the virtual format of 2021 did not allow this. Instead, the convention featured an online display where all the exhibitors would appear on a webpage to be viewed by the public. Each exhibitor could choose what was displayed on their page, from basic information to links for virtual meetings. SEAWA’s display included some information about the organization and a link to our video, ‘Prairie Shores’. While the pandemic limits opportunities for in-person outreach, it is good that there are virtual options available.
|
|
|
Riparian education through Art
Submitted by Martha Munz Gue.
SEAWA Art Gallery 2019 - 2021
What began as a one-day event for Alberta Culture Days at the end of September 2019 continued for 16 months, and in that time, approximately thirty local artists shared their works in the gallery. The space was donated by the owner of the Arcade Plaza. It is now rented so, as of January 31, 2021, the gallery is closed.
A new demographic was introduced to SEAWA and the riparian restoration projects through the gallery. The juxtaposition of the art and the science around the theme of water created a unique ambiance. A big thank you to all who participated either by showing their work or by visiting the gallery! Once the pandemic is over we may pop up in another space - who knows!?
|
|
|
Artists show their work for feedback right after their en plein air painting event.
Connaught pond, Medicine Hat. Photo credit: Marilou Montemayor.
|
|
|
Outdoor Painting 2020
SEAWA Artists will resume their perches by shorelines in Medicine Hat in May, when the sun brings back the birds. In 2020 artists painted beside the College Pond and by Connaught Pond on Sunday afternoons. This is a wonderful way to enjoy others at a distance and to be creative outdoors during the pandemic. Any member of SEAWA, the Hat Art Club, or the general public is welcome to join in. Contact the SEAWA office or Martha at 403-526-2226 to confirm time and place. Participants bring their own sit-upon, art supplies, and water, and paint to their heart's content.
|
|
|
Figure 1: Transect pathways of the vegetation inventory at Connaught pond, Medicine Hat,
May 27, 2020.
|
|
|
Effects of Russian Olive trees on Native Shrubs at Connaught Pond, Medicine Hat
Written by Hannah Sabatier and Ben White.
Southeast Alberta Watershed Alliance (SEAWA) has been restoring riparian areas in the Medicine Hat area since 2018. Part of that work is studying how to control invasive species such as the Russian olive tree. The Russian olive tree has been sold as an ornamental and shelterbelt plant for many years and has become a locally invasive tree to the Medicine Hat area.
Some reasons why the Russian olive spread quickly are: they produce a large amount of fruits and are dispersed easily by birds and moving water (streams, canals, or stormwater), are nitrogen-fixing, thrive in a semi-arid environment, and have very few natural predators or diseases to keep their population in check. Furthermore, because the Russian olive is increasing in abundance so quickly, they have been choking out the native vegetation in the area.
|
|
|
Figure 2: Russian olive trees and saplings vs. number of native species, Connaught Pond,
Medicine Hat.
|
|
|
On May 27, 2020 we conducted transect surveys around the perimeter of Connaught pond (Fig. 1), Medicine Hat to determine the effects of Russian olive saplings and trees on the native shrubs. We placed 25m transects from the water’s edge, spaced at 30m apart, with a total number of 25 transects. Woody vegetation (shrubs and trees) that was within 1m of each transect was recorded. Russian olive trees that had a diameter greater than 10 cm a meter from the ground surface were considered trees and less than 10 cm diameter were seedlings and saplings. Fig. 1 shows the transect pathways that were taken around the pond. We recorded plant height and number of plants, for each species within each transect.
|
|
|
|
Figure 3: Hannah Sabatier and Alexi Nelson noting plant counts in a transect, Connaught Pond, Medicine Hat, May 27, 2020. Photo credit: Meike Wege.
|
|
|
Results:
Native shrubs consisted of western snowberry, rose, saskatoons, thorny buffaloberry, golden currant, and silver sagebrush. Shorelines were primarily colonized by cattails. Of the parameters measured, we found a negative relationship between Russian olive and native species (linear regression), i.e. the number of native species decreased with increased number of Russian olive trees (Fig. 2). There was not a significant relationship between the total number of all native shrubs vs. the total number of Russian olive trees. This can be explained by the growth behaviour of western snowberry (dense patches) and rose that were able to grow close to the Russian olive trees.
|
|
Celebrating the Environment
|
|
|
|
World Water Day
World Water Day, celebrated globally on March 22 every year, is an opportunity for people to recognize and celebrate their water resources. In the SEAWA watershed, we are lucky to have easy access to clean drinking water, and an adequate supply for agriculture, recreation, and numerous other uses. If you’d like to learn about your local water resources, please check out some of SEAWA's publications and other information on the SEAWA website.
To learn more about World Water Day in a global context, consider visiting the World Water Day website. You may also want to register for their forum on Water Source Security taking place on March 22.
|
|
|
One of Medicine Hat’s stormwater retention ponds, near Ranchlands. Photographed Sept. 23, 2020.
Photo credit: Ben White.
|
|
|
|
"Adopt-a-Pond!"
In honour of World Water Day, the SEAWA Communications Committee has started an "Adopt a Pond" project. This initiative encourages individuals or groups in Medicine Hat to "adopt" one of the 16+ manmade ponds in the city (storm ponds, reservoirs, etc.). Adopters would visit their pond every week or two and clean up litter, report invasive species, and enjoy being outdoors. Two ponds have already been claimed! If you are interested in taking part in this initiative, send an email to executive@seawa.ca and let us know!
|
|
|
Ice fishing on another Medicine Hat pond: Connaught Pond in December 2020.
Photo credit: Ben White.
|
|
|
|
Earth Day
April 22 is Earth Day. On this day people around the world take time to be conscious of the effects they have on the environment, and consider ways of improving their environmental awareness. Many many events and projects take place on Earth Day every year, and SEAWA likes to get in on the action. For Earth Day 2021, SEAWA is planning a shoreline clean up of garbage and invasive species at our Connaught Pond restoration site. We invite volunteers to contact us about participating in this event. We will circulate further details of this event through our social media on Facebook and Twitter closer to the date. To learn more about Earth Day, and find out what sorts of things you can do to increase your environmental awareness, visit the Earth Day website.
|
|
|
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030
|
|
|
|
SEAWA 2020 summer students Alexi Nelson and Hannah Sabatier, and Ben White, intern providing plant care after mowing was done by Larry Paik. These native shrubs were planted in April 2019 at Seven Persons Creek Yeast riparian restoration site. Photo credit: Marilou Montemayor.
|
|
|
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 is a global effort aimed at restoring the planet and ensuring One Health for people and nature. The Decade unites the world behind a common goal; preventing, halting, and reversing the degradation of ecosystems worldwide. Forests, grasslands, croplands, wetlands, savannahs, and other terrestrial to inland water ecosystems, marine and coastal ecosystems, and urban environments - all of them are in dire need of some level of protection and restoration. Learn more about the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration here and here.
Please follow SEAWA’s riparian restoration activities on our website.
|
|
From our Friends and Partners
|
|
|
|
Check out Alberta Parks’ new online education portal, Nature Source! It contains lots of information about Alberta’s natural beauty, and is a great resource for learning the importance of environmental stewardship.
|
|
|
|
Grasslands Naturalists cross-country skiing.
Photo Credit: John Slater, Grasslands Naturalists.
|
|
|
Grasslands Naturalists
Submitted by by Martha Munz Gue.
The Grasslands Naturalists Issues Committee has been active throughout the pandemic. Their current focus is on invasive species and the protection of native grasslands and associated riparian areas. At the request of planners in the Parks and Recreation Department, a Case for Conservation of Grasslands was written and shared with city employees whose "jurisdiction" includes the coulees, grasslands and riparian areas of the city and nearby areas. Volunteers flagged invasive buckthorn for removal by city crews, and approximately 20 "scenic views of grasslands" have been identified for photographers and artists to enjoy, and shared with the public through a website yet to be produced. Many of these views can be seen on the weekly Neighbourhood Nature Walks. Members receive an email notice of the time and location of the nature walks a day or two before the walk. The Sagebrush Chronicle, the newsletter of Grasslands Naturalists, can be viewed online on the Grasslands Naturalists website, or picked at the Nature Centre at Police Point Park.
|
|
|
Oldman Watershed Council: Coal Mining Perspectives
With all the talk about coal in the past few months, the Oldman Watershed Council (OWC) has published a lot of good, apolitical information about coal mining in the Eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. Their watershed includes several areas that are slated for coal development, or could be in the future, so this issue is one with which they are familiar.
The OWC has a number of publications and blogs on their website regarding coal mining, and they have also been involved in the review process for one particular coal project, the Grassy Mountain project. We would encourage anyone who is interested in unbiased information on the topic of coal to check out these resources from OWC:
Blogs - Part 1 and Part 2, and the
Letter to Federal-Provincial Joint Review Panel for Grassy Mountain Project
|
|
|
Contest Alert: Take the #AlbertaWatershedEd challenge!
Are you looking to learn more about Alberta rivers and watersheds, and why pollution in the headwaters is so damaging? Well, here’s your chance. Follow CPAWS on social media (@cpawssab) with the hashtag #AlbertaWatershedEd for a chance to win prizes from CPAWS and local Alberta businesses!
|
|
The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup wants to encourage people to get outside and help rid their local shorelines of litter. They are currently registering solo and small-scale cleanups on their website, shorelinecleanup.ca, and encourage anyone involved to share their experience on social media, with the hashtag #TeamShoreline. The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup will be hosting a series of webinars on March 16 to give advice on how to organize a shoreline cleanup, and how to follow pandemic guidelines while doing so. A shoreline cleanup would also be a great way to recognize World Water Day on March 22!
|
|
The Prairie Provinces chapter of the Canada in a Changing Climate: Regional Perspectives Report is available here. This report, led by Natural Resources Canada, is part of Canada’s national assessment process, Canada in a Changing Climate: Advancing our Knowledge for Action. The Prairie Provinces chapter assesses climate change impacts and adaptation in Canada’s Prairie Provinces.
|
|
Got something to say? Have an event you'd like us to share with our members?
Do you have a story you'd like to tell? Are you hosting a watershed-inspired event? Want to share it with over 600 like-minded individuals? Let us know! We're always looking for topics that might interest our members.
executive@seawa.ca
403-580-8980
|
|
P.S. SEAWA relies on an active volunteer membership. Send us an email if you are passionate about maintaining a healthy watershed!
|
|
|
|
