Annual Report 2015-2016

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

John A. Ross

After 11 years of operation there seems to be more than ever to do for the Milk River Watershed Council Canada. We continue to roll out our Integrated Watershed Management Plan (IWMP) and are getting resounding support from the Counties and Government.

We continue to promote our Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program (WRRP), which aims to initiate targeted riparian restoration and stewardship projects within the watershed. If you have a shovel ready project in mind, please let us know.

We continue to hold educational tours such as canoe and hike tours for anyone to attend, informing residents and visitors of the unique environment and challenges of our watershed. We also provide coordination of Youth Range Days, which is a popular event that teaches our future residents about the land we live on, with strong support for local agricultural societies and our municipal partners.

In 2015 we experienced the second lowest snowpack on record at the headwaters of the Milk River above the Sherburne Reservoir. This led to zero natural flow of the river during the months of July and August, which means 100% of the water was diverted out of the St. Mary River, causing a deficit balance in our water usage according to our International Agreement with the U.S. This is the first time this has happened in 100 years. The IWMP identifies the need for an on-stream storage solution below the Milk River Forks site that will prove essential for future allocation and management of our most precious resource. This will help with flood and drought mitigation, as well as secure water for municipalities, reduce bank erosion, increase the potential for irrigation and green power generation, and also enhance in-stream flow needs for fish habitat and riparian function.

We couldn’t accomplish any of this without our dedicated Board Members and our staff, Tim Romanow, our Executive Director, Mary Lupwayi, our Program Coordinator and our Educational Outreach Coordinator, Kathryn Romanchuk, who continues to forge ahead with education outreach programming.