The future of water in a era of climate change will be among the topics presented during an eight-day free symposium at Red Deer Polytechnic.
RDP, Council of Canadians and Red Deer Naturalists have joined forces to present the free symposium, called "Water for 2050," which begins on Wednesday and wraps up on Sept. 25.
"Water for 2050 is intended for individuals, industries and organizations concerned about the future availability of water in the Red Deer/South Saskatchewan (River) Basin in light of increasing demands and predicted changes in climate," says a description of the talks and a Water Ceremony to be held at Fort Normandeau on World Rivers Day on Sept. 22.
"Increasing demands on water resources and future sources such as river flows and groundwater are becoming less dependable due to climate change and other factors. As more users compete for the same resource, shortages, conflicts, and environmental degradation are inevitable."
Presentations will be held in RDP's Room 2601. To register, go to the Water for 2050 Facebook page. For those who cannot attend in person a Zoom link is available there as well.
The presentation schedule is:
• Sept 18
6 p.m. – Kevin VanTighem - Sponge or Sieve? How land use in the west country will determine tomorrow’s water security.
7 p.m. – Richard Schneider, Nature Alberta, The Big Picture - How Prairie Ecosystems Will Change Under a warmer Climate
• Sept. 19
6 p.m. – John Pomeroy, Global Water Futures - predicting river flows, adapting to Alberta's uncertain future
7 p.m. – Bill Mackay – Water in Alberta 2050: An Historical Perspective
• Sept. 20
6 p.m. – Bob Sandford, United Nations University - Redeeming Tomorrow: Canada In a Warmer World
7 p.m. – open
Sept. 21
Open
Sept. 22 (World Rivers Day)
10:00 a.m. – Fort Normandeau, Urban Aboriginal Voices Society, World Rivers Day celebration - smudge, water ceremony, songs and more...
Sept. 23
6 p.m. - Trout Unlimited Canada - better ways to store water on the landscape
7 p.m. - Donald Selby, Wetland / Waste Land | A Conservation of Change Documentary, emerging conflicts in the Canadian prairies over the apparently-conflicting needs of wetlands and agriculture.
Sept. 24
6 p.m. – Francine Forrest, Watershed reporting and planning in a changing environment – WPAC roles, state of the Red Deer River watershed report
7 p.m. - open
Sept. 25
6 p.m. – Cheryl Bradley, Friends of the Oldman, SAGE – Consider the River in Water and Watershed Management
7 p.m. – Summary comments/ open forum?
