Welcome to the Milk River Watershed Council Canada

The Milk River watershed is a unique watershed located in the most southern part of Alberta. It is unique, known not just for its dry climate, extraordinary landscapes and diverse plant and wildlife communities but also for the direction in which the Milk River flows. The Milk River is the only watershed in Alberta that drains south to the Gulf of Mexico. Alberta shares the Milk River watershed with the province of Saskatchewan and the State of Montana, U.S.A.

Water shortages are not uncommon in the Milk River watershed. As the problem of water scarcity continues to grow, proper water and watershed management is critical. The Milk River Watershed Council Canada is committed to working with government and non-government agencies, other non-profit organizations, industry and Milk River watershed residents to effectively manage watershed resources.

Anyone living and/or working in the Milk River watershed is invited to participate. Please browse through our website and see how you can get involved in the many exciting activities of the MRWCC!

Contaminated water advisory issued for Milk River at Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park - July 22, 2016

“Due to elevated levels of fecal coliforms currently present in the waters of Milk River, Alberta Health Services (AHS) is advising the public not to swim or wade in the Milk River at Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park. The public is also advised not to drink this contaminated river water, as water-borne organisms, including fecal coliforms, can cause vomiting and diarrhea Elevated levels of fecal coliforms were detected during routine testing of Milk River water at Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park. At current levels, skin, ear and eye infections can result from any contact with Milk River water in the vicinity of Writing on Stone Park”.- From Alberta Health Services. For more information on the advisory click on the link below:

http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/news/Page13319.aspx

The Milk River Watershed Council Canada (MRWCC) extensively monitors a number of sites along the Milk River and its tributaries for water quality concerns. The MRWCC also conducts research and facilitates stewardship projects to address water quality concerns when appropriate. Recent work completed by the Council in partnership with Alberta Agriculture on fecal source tracking has determined a significant proportion of the standard coliform testing total coliform counts comes from wildlife, particularly cliff and bank swallow colonies found along the Milk River that often number in the thousands this time of year when young ones are active but still returning to the nesting sites. Another phenomena unique to the Milk River is the presence of naturalized guttural bacteria that thrive in the milky waters and sands of the Milk River that express in higher numbers during lower flow periods. Currently, research is being conducted to see if there is a correlation between high fecal counts and bacteria that cause risk to human health. Initial results are showing no such correlation.

Recreational users of the Milk River should always take precaution to reduce exposure to raw water such as:

Using shower facilities directly after recreating;
Never drinking untreated surface water;
Not entering the river if you have exposed wounds or sores, or a compromised immune system.

More information on the MRWCC monitoring work and the fecal source tracking study can be accessed on the links below:

Water Quality Monitoring

Microbial Source Tracking of Fecal
Coliform Bacteria in the Milk River

Funding Available For Stewardship Implementation

Attention Milk River Watershed Residents and Producers!

The Milk River Watershed Council Canada (MRWCC) has secured funding for Milk River residents and producers through the Watershed Restoration and Resiliency Program (WRRP) to initiate a riparian restoration and stewardship program.

Funding is available to residents and agricultural producers located along the North Fork Milk River (Reach1) and the Milk River Gravel-Bed Reach (Reach3). Producers in other areas of the watershed will be considered based on project merit, and can include sites on tributaries of the Milk River such as Red Creek and Breed Creek. The targeted projects will improve riparian health of the Milk River and build resiliency to both flood and drought impacts within the watershed, as well as potentially improve water quality.

The MRWCC has formed a WRRP Project Review Committee which is responsible for selecting applicants based on merit and funding eligibility. Please note that funding is available on a first come first serve basis.

Please apply as soon as possible, as we are currently looking for shovel ready projects that meet the objectives of the program.

Please download the following documents to access:

Funding Guidelines

Terms of Reference

Application Forms - AEP WRRP

Application Form - ARD Growing Forward 2 Agricultural Watershed Enhancement Program

Letter of Agreement

For more information please contact mary@mrwcc.ca or 403-647-3808

The Milk River Watershed Council Canada Receives Core and Project Funding From the Government of Alberta - Alberta Environment and Parks

The MRWCC recently received a grant of $284,000 from Alberta Environment and Parks to help carry out watershed planning and management activities for the fiscal year 2016/17.

The MRWCC is a non-profit, multi-stakeholder organization that strives for a watershed where community well-being is supported by a vibrant economy and sustained by a healthy, functioning environment that will endure as a legacy for future generations.

The Government of Alberta (GOA) has supported the MRWCC since its inception in 2005. This support has enabled the Council to carry out core operations and partially fund watershed projects. The MRWCC wishes to thank the GOA for this continued support.

Alberta Conservation Association Grant Received

The Milk River Watershed Council Canada (MRWCC) is pleased to announce that it received a $10,000 grant from the Alberta Conservation Association through their Conservation, Community and Education Grants program. This funding will be used to promote and enhance the youth engagement program within the Milk River watershed. The MRWCC would like to thank the ACA for their support in ensuring the continuation of youth education!

New Education Outreach Programs:

Interactive Online High School Courses

The Milk River Watershed Council Canada (MRWCC) is pleased to offer its interactive online course "Introduction to the Milk River Watershed, AB." It is aligned with Education Alberta's CTS 1110 Natural Resources, a one credit course under the Career and Technology Studies (CTS) Natural Resources cluster. This MRWCC course is available for html, mobile, and LMS (Learning Management System) delivery.

School Field Trips

The Milk River Watershed Council Canada and Alberta Parks are partnering to offer experiential programs that support the learning outcomes of Alberta Education. These new programs will be piloted in fall 2014 as 1.5 hour guided walks through the badlands at Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park / Áísínai'pi National Historic Site.

Click the link to view the new Education Outreach Programs for Elementary and Middle Schools: http://mrwcc.ca/index.php/get-involved/education-outreach-programs/

For further information please contact Kathryn Romanchuk at 403-647-4306

The Milk River Transboundary State of the Watershed Report - 2nd Edition

The MRWCC is please to release the 2nd Edition of the Milk River Transboundary State of the Watershed Report. This report is a significant achievement in the move towards resource management that is uninhibited by political boundaries. Resource managers in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan and in the state of Montana in the United States joined together with the Milk River Watershed Council Canada to report on the state of the Milk River watershed.

This report documents general trends in the condition of natural resources in the watershed and includes information on:

Watershed Characteristics
Socio-economic conditions
Surface water quantity and allocation
Surface water quality
Groundwater
Riparian areas and wetlands
Biodiversity
Land use
Watershed stewardship

A read only copy of the report can be accessed below. A printable version is available under Library.

Milk River Transboundary State of the Watershed Report - 2nd Edition.

Hard copies of the report are available at the MRWCC office located in the Town Office at 240 Main Street in Milk River, Counties of Warner, Cardston, Cypress, and Forty Mile. For more information please contact us at 403-647-3808 or email mary@mrwcc.ca

Production of this report was a collaborative effort by numerous stakeholders.

The MRWCC wishes to thank everyone for their contribution.

Approved Water Management Plan to be Developed for the Milk River Basin

An Approved Water Management Plan (AWMP) is a mechanism that provides direction to decision-makers regarding water allocation decisions under the Water Act, and provides assurance that the goals of the Water For Life Strategy are being achieved, including: safe, secure drinking water; healthy aquatic ecosystems; and reliable, quality water supplies for a sustainable economy.

In 2015, the Milk River Watershed Council Canada published our Integrated Watershed Management Plan, which recommends the development of an Approved Water Management Plan for the Milk River Basin with a specific focus on water allocation transfers under the provisions of the Water Act. In response, Alberta Environment and Parks agreed to the development of an approved water management to address stakeholder concerns raised over the need for secure reliable, quality water supplies to support economic development in the basin. Efforts are being made to ensure that this plan aligns with priorities of the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan and Alberta’s Water for Life Strategy. The Framework for Water Management Planning was followed in developing this plan, as described in the Terms of Reference for an Approved Water Management Plan to be developed for the Milk River Basin (Alberta) – Phase One, approved on March 17, 2016.

From March to May 2016, Alberta Environment and Parks invited stakeholders and Indigenous people from Treat 6 and Treaty 7 to provide feedback on the Draft Approved Water Management Plan for the Milk River Basin (Alberta) – Phase One. The feedback received was used to update the draft water management plan.

An open house public meeting was held on April 7, 2016 at the Heritage Hall in the Town of Milk River, Alberta. The purpose of the meeting was to provide an update on the planning process and an opportunity to gather feedback on the draft water management plan. Invitations to the meeting were sent to municipalities, Indigenous peoples and water license holders in the basin. The meeting was organized in partnership with the MRWCC.

Alberta Environment and Parks displayed posters of maps and information on water allocations and natural flows of the Milk River and the eastern tributaries (Lodge, Middle and Battle creeks). A summary was presented on the process for developing the terms of reference for the planning process based on feedback received from November to December 2015. The comment form on the draft water management plan was presented and summary notes were captured to record the verbal feedback and questions. Participants were also invited to provide written feedback on the draft water management plan through the comment form. Offers were extended to meet with stakeholders and Indigenous people in-person as needed. Feedback on the draft water management plan was accepted until May 27, 2016.

A total of 29 people attended the public meeting on April 7, 2016 including local residents, water licensees, landowners and representatives from municipalities, First Nations, the Metis Nation of Alberta, Milk River Watershed Council of Canada (MRWCC) and Government of Alberta.

If you require more information please contact Phil Boehme by email at phil.boehme@gov.ab.ca or by phone at 403-340-7195.

Terms of Reference for the Approved Water Management Plan

News

Milk River Watershed Council Canada - Integrated Watershed Management Plan (IWMP)