Water News
Alberta Water News is a free, subscription-based service that provides the latest information on water news across Alberta and upcoming events.
The news is distributed weekly on Mondays via a collated email and Monday to Friday via WaterPortal social media (X was Twitter). Please note that news will not be distributed on Holiday Mondays and will be released the following Tuesday.
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Flooded streets, power outages reported in Calgary after storm passes through
Global News
A summer storm passed through Calgary on Thursday evening resulting in some streets and underpasses being flooded while downed power lines were seen in other areas. Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the city at 6:43 p.m. and said its meteorologists were tracking “a severe thunderstorm capable of producing very strong wind gusts, up to nickel-sized hail and heavy rain.” Click here to continue reading
Study: Recycling phosphorus from wastewater to grow better crops
Water Canada
Researchers are helping close the loop on the sustainability cycle with research into nutrient-enhanced biochar — a charcoal-like material made by heating recycled biomass in the absence of oxygen (a process called pyrolysis). Biomass is any living or once-living material – including plants, trees, and animal waste – that can be used as a source of energy. Click here to continue reading
Sinkholes close road in northwest Calgary
CTV News
A massive storm in Calgary on Thursday evening brought intense hail, strong winds and also enough rain to flood plenty of roads. Several small sinkholes opened up in the road at 10 Street and 13 Avenue N.W. in the wake of the storm, prompting city crews to block off the road for repairs. No one appears to have been hurt and no vehicles were damaged when the sinkhole opened up. Click here to continue reading
Mountains vulnerable to extreme rain from climate change
Science Daily
As the world warms, extreme weather events grow — and they also change. Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) found that climate change is shifting snowfall to rainfall on mountains across the Northern Hemisphere. Those surges of liquid water bring a distinct set of dangers, including floods, landslides, and soil erosion. Click here to continue reading
Pace of blue-green algae blooms in Alberta lakes so far ‘a little bit concerning,’ researcher says
CBC News
Edmonton resident Jill Hunter was surprised to find visible blooms of blue-green algae along the shore when she arrived at Astotin Lake in Elk Island National Park on Wednesday. “This seems really early,” Hunter said, after canoeing at the popular swimming and recreation area 60 kilometres northeast of Edmonton. Rolf Vinebrooke, a professor of fresh water ecology at the University of Alberta, agrees. Click here to continue reading
Manitoba Government working with municipalities to streamline legacy drainage compliance
Water Canada
The Manitoba government is responding to feedback from municipalities to help take a co-ordinated approach on bringing unlicensed drainage works into compliance and achieve best value from the licensing system, Environment and Climate Minister Kevin Klein announced today. Click here to continue reading
Proactive monitoring ensures high quality drinking water, Coquitlam
Water Canada
Thirsty in Coquitlam? Skip the bottled water and filters and enjoy top quality drinking water right from the tap. According to an annual report on the City’s drinking water, Coquitlam’s diligent and proactive monitoring and maintenance of its water system is continuing to produce safe, clean and excellent quality drinking water. Click here to continue reading
Big Lake water quality advisory ended after 5 months
Global News
Alberta Health Services announced Wednesday that it has lifted the water quality advisory issued Jan. 19 for the water of Big Lake in the Edmonton area. The lake is connected to the Sturgeon River northwest of Edmonton and west of St. Albert, bordering Parkland and Sturgeon County. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: Saved by seaweed: nuns and Native women heal polluted New York waters using kelp
The Guardian
The sisters are a part of a unique collaboration: situated on the edge of a bay, they have helped a group of women from the Shinnecock, a local Indigenous tribe, start a kelp farm in the hopes of cleaning up the pollution in their shared backyard. Click here to continue reading
Don’t wait, desalinate: A new approach to water purification
Science Daily
A water purification system separates out salt and other unnecessary particles with an electrified version of dialysis. Successfully applied to wastewater with planned expansion into rivers and seas, the method saves money and saps 90% less energy than its counterparts. Click here to continue reading