Alberta’s Eastern Slopes form part of the headwaters of two of Canada’s major watersheds. Increased land-use is having an impact on water quality and aquatic ecosystems.

There is a need for more monitoring to establish both baseline conditions, and to measure change.

An opportunity exists for Living Lakes Canada to facilitate local organizations and volunteers to work together to develop a community-based water monitoring (CBWM) program to better understand the health of the aquatic ecosystems they depend on.

This pilot project will provide the foundation to implement a long-term, large-scale, collaborative biomonitoring program.

The short term changes the project will deliver include capacity building through outreach to cross-sector collaborators along the eastern slopes sub-watersheds, including the Upper Peace, Smoky, Upper Athabasca, North Saskatchewan, and South Saskatchewan.

Participants will be invited to join an informative webinar series to increase water literacy, learn about biomonitoring, and the STREAM project. Those interested will be invited to participate in monthly meetings with a goal to align water quality monitoring efforts by addressing capacity and training needs to prepare for Phase II.

Photo Credit: Bruce Kirby