The Red Deer River Watershed Alliance is once again looking for public input as it engages in the development of a comprehensive watershed plan.
“We want to hear from the community,” said the group’s executive director Gerald Aldridge, “We also want to have a conversation with stakeholders — What are you doing in the watershed now and how can we work together in the future to implement the watershed plan?”
As part of a process that started in 2010 and is scheduled to wrap up next year, the alliance is having four background technical reports produced, from which an Integrated Watershed Management Plan will be created. Two of the four have already been produced — on surface water quality and wetlands, riparian areas and land use — and the latest focuses on surface water quantity and groundwater resources.
The final report, expected to be compiled in early 2014, will deal with terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity.
Parts of the report are very technical but others are more general, and Aldridge said any and all feedback is welcomed.
“We encourage everybody to take a look at it. I think within the document everybody is going to find something that they’ll want to provide input on. ... They’re all things we’ll take into consideration.”
Input can be provided online at www.rdrwa.ca, where the draft report can also be found. The alliance is also holding three public and stakeholder workshops next week in Central Alberta to discuss the latest report.
The workshops will be held in Red Deer on Tuesday, Sundre on Wednesday, and Drumheller on Thursday. Each runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Pre-registration is encouraged, as lunch will be served at each session. Aldridge said more than 20 people have already registered for the Red Deer event.
To register for the workshops, visit www.rdrwa.ca, phone 403-340-7379 or email iwmp@rdrwa.ca.
The alliance is a multi-sector, non-profit organization promoting the good use and proper management of water within the Red Deer River watershed.