Past ERWP Projects

Junior Field Naturalists' Summer Camp
The Elbow River Summer Day Camp is run out of the Bragg Creek area for one-week in July and one-week in August. The dates for 2006 are July 10th to 14th and August 14th - 18th. It offers a week outdoors along the Elbow River for 9 - 12 years olds. The children spend the days observing nature and doing real science with qualified experts in the field of environmental science. The camp features special workshops each day giving the children an opportunity to learn from experts such as fish habitat biologists from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, expert anglers from Trout Unlimited and, water quality specialists from The City of Calgary Waterworks. This is a high quality summer camp emphasizing water science education, observation skills and respecting nature.  

Moose Mountain Dialogue - Bragg Creek Environmental Coalition has been in dialogue with Shell and Husky for several years in a partnership effort to minimize development operations near Bragg Creek. The result is several changes to operations and the introduction of programs that benefit the environment. Read about it here in a presentation (PDF 861KB) given to the Bow River Basin Council in December 2004.

Cattle Setback Program - Farmers of the Elbow Watershed (FEW) are dedicated to improving water quality and the natural landscape of the Elbow River watershed by expanding the current infrastructure of farm fences and water supplies for cattle. This new program will allow local ranchers to access funds for fencing projects that isolate cattle from direct access to water areas, thereby reducing the risk of environmental problems. Not to be underestimated is the concurrent benefit of protecting areas of natural habitat in the Elbow watershed.

A Cattle Setback Fund has been established and contributions can be made through the Bow River Basin Council. A charitable donation receipt will be provided.  

Alberta Community Development
Kananaskis Country is improving erosion control in the McLean Creek Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Zone in a project together with Husky Energy and Friends of the Kananaskis. Crossings are being improved on a prioritized basis considering the impact on fish. The goal is to significantly reduce siltation that results when off-highway vehicles ford the creeks and stir up sediment. Building small bridges or improving fords are the main actions. The majority of the work was completed in summer and fall 2003. Phases of the project will continue in subsequent years. View PowerPoint slide show of new bridge construction. McLean Creek Tour Members of the ERWP took part in an educational tour and a small restoration project in the McLean Creek area in June 2003. Click here to see photos of the event (PDF 570 KB). Also available is a report measuring the impact of off-highway vehicles fording a creek in the OHV Zone Turbidity Monitoring in Howard Creek (PDF 1.5 MB). 

Glencoe Golf and Country Club operates its own water treatment facility to supply treated drinking water to its clubhouse and to nearby residents. The club also employs a fulltime environmental coordinator to fulfill proactive environmental project goals including, for example, retrofitting the irrigation system to use less water, monitoring runoff from their site into the adjacent Elbow River and acting upon the results. For more information see Glencoe Golf & Country Club website.

The University of Calgary Environmental Science Projects in the Elbow Watershed