Water News
Please note, the daily news can now be found at our new website, waterportal.ca . We will no longer be updating this page, as this website will be removed in the coming weeks. All of our content can be found at our new website, with a modern look and better functionality on all your devices.
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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Canmore, Alta., under non-essential water ban as hot temperatures cause low reservoir
CBC News
Residents and businesses in Canmore, Harvie Heights and Deadman’s Flats are facing a mandatory non-essential water ban, according to the Town of Canmore. As of Friday at 11:45 a.m., the town said Epcor is advising all residents and businesses in the three areas to stop non-essential water use. This ban includes watering lawns, gardens, trees, or shrubs, washing cars, sidewalks, driveways, or houses with water, doing laundry, and filling hot tubs or swimming pools. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: ‘A portion of paradise’: how the drought is bringing a lost US canyon back to life
The Guardian
Record dryness has restored an ecosystem under Lake Powell, the country’s second-largest reservoir. Is it time to see it as ‘a national park rather than a storage tank’? Click here to continue reading
Ecological consequences of dam collapse in southern Ukraine will be generational, experts say
CBC News
The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam was a fast-moving disaster that is swiftly evolving into a long-term environmental catastrophe affecting drinking water, food supplies and ecosystems reaching into the Black Sea. The short-term dangers can be seen from outer space — tens of thousands of parcels of land flooded, and more to come. Experts say the long-term consequences will be generational. Click here to continue reading
Extremely dry spring leaves southern Albertan farmers on the road to ‘zero production’
Global News
Crops in southern Alberta that should be green are turning brown. With little to no measurable precipitation since mid-April in areas south of Calgary, some farmers are already predicting crop losses. According to the June 6 Agricultural Moisture Situation update a warm, dry fall and spring has failed to recharge soil moisture leaving many areas facing once in 50-year lows for this time of year. Click here to continue reading
How eDNA technology is changing the game for protecting ocean species
The Guardian
Over the past decade, the use of environmental DNA – known as “eDNA” – to monitor biodiversity has surged. As animals move through their environment, they shed fragments of genetic material: skin cells, waste products and other body fluids. By extracting these minute traces of DNA from samples of water, soil or air, scientists can determine the presence and diversity of species with unprecedented accuracy, providing a snapshot of the intricacies of an ecosystem. Click here to continue reading
Richmond, B.C., unveils west coast’s first river trash skimmer
Water Canada
The City of Richmond is taking its own steps to reduce the amount of waste in waterways with the installation of a new trash skimmer in the Fraser River – the first device of its kind to be installed on the west coast of North America. Click here to continue reading
River Valley Planning Modernization Survey
City of Edmonton
We invite you to share your thoughts and ideas to help the project team REFINE the future program and opportunities for the River Valley. This survey will take 15-20 minutes to complete and will close on July 4 at 11:59pm. Click here to continue reading
Industry knew about risks of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ for decades before push to restrict them, study says
CBC News
Governments in Canada and the U.S. are now cracking down on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of more than 9,000 human-made chemicals produced since the 1940s. They have unique properties that make them heat-resistant, oil- and water-repellent and friction-resistant, and are found in products from cosmetics and take-out boxes to non-stick cookware and fire suppressants. Click here to continue reading
Dam collapse a global problem as waters may poison Black Sea, Zelenskiy says
The Guardian
The Ukrainian president said the flood waters raging through the lower Dnipro River valley brought with them sewage, oil, chemicals and possibly anthrax from animal burial sites. Click here to continue reading
Experts worry about Canadian water bomber expertise with rising demand, aging fleets
The Calgary Herald
Aviation experts say Canada is losing expertise in the manufacturing of water bombers — just as demand for them is increasing. The Canadair CL-415, a purpose-built water bomber, was last produced in 2015. That plane and its predecessor — the CL-215 — are the only water bombers used in Quebec and play major roles in the fleets of other provinces. Click here to continue reading