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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Reefs made from trees could help restore biodiversity, study finds
The Guardian
Reefs made from sunken trees can help restore biodiversity in degraded marine habitats, scientists have found. It is estimated that coral reefs support about 25% of all marine life. They provide housing, food and areas to spawn for millions of marine species and are the backbone of maintaining the aquatic life cycle. Click here to continue reading
Epcor tackles flooding mitigation as climate change challenges Edmonton’s water supply
CBC News
Edmonton’s utility company, Epcor, plans to start building a concrete wall and berms around parts of its water treatment plants at Rossdale and E.L. Smith — both in the North Saskatchewan River floodplain — to help protect the region’s water supply. Construction on the flood mitigation project is slated to start next year with a budget of $65 million, with about $22 million coming from the federal and provincial governments. Click here to continue reading
Stormwater biofiltration increases coho salmon hatchling survival
Science Daily
A relatively simple, inexpensive method of filtering urban stormwater runoff dramatically boosted survival of newly hatched coho salmon in an experimental study. That’s the good news for the threatened species. The bad news: unfiltered stormwater killed almost all of them. Click here to continue reading
Wet and humid P.E.I. summer has left some grain growers in ‘lots of hurt’
CBC News
Grain growers on Prince Edward Island have seen better years, but some haven’t seen very many worse than this one. At Meadowbrook Farms in Winsloe, David Mol was using the sunshine on Thursday to cut a field of Helena milling wheat ahead of another torrential weather system forecast for Saturday and Sunday. Click here to continue reading
City of Lethbridge lowers lake to prepare for goldfish mitigation
CTV News
A portion of Ermineglen Road was closed Wednesday in order to lower the water at Chinook Lake. There will be no through traffic between 122 and 163 Emineglen Road, which is the intersection leaving Ermineglen Road through to Kodiak Boulevard, until September 15. The closure is because the city is preparing to mitigate the goldfish population, which is an invasive species that has been introduced into Alberta lakes, ponds and waterways. Click here to continue reading
Wetaskiwin water bills show estimation correction
The Wetaskiwin Times
Wetaskiwin residents have been wondering what’s been going on with their water bills. While not all customers were impacted, several Peace Hills Utilities Inc. customers saw an increase or decrease in their water consumption on the July bills. Click here to continue reading
Stettler county council says AgriRecovery program will fight drought
East Central Alberta Review
The County of Stettler is calling on the Government of Alberta to bring back a popular and effective agriculture program that the municipality feels will address the effects of drought on its producers. The discussion was held at the Aug. 9 regular meeting of council. Click here to continue reading
Solar powered irrigation: A game-changer for small-scale farms in sub-Saharan Africa
Science Daily
A new study finds that standalone solar photovoltaic irrigation systems have the potential to meet more than a third of the water needs for crops in small-scale farms across sub-Saharan Africa. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: China bans Japanese seafood after Fukushima wastewater release
The Guardian
Japan has begun discharging more than 1m tonnes of tainted water into the Pacific Ocean from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in a move that has prompted China to announce an immediate blanket ban on all seafood imports from Japan and sparked anger in nearby fishing communities. Click here to continue reading
Alta. irrigators cautioned as water levels worsen
The Western Producer
Alberta is elevating its water shortage rating to Stage 4 of its five-level conservation and management system as municipalities and irrigation districts are stressing the need not to waste any of the resource because of the conditions along the South Saskatchewan basin. Click here to continue reading