Red Deer River Watershed Alliance

10/07/2026

10/07/2026

Calling all landowners!
Don’t forget to register before October 13th, 2026, for this comprehensive field day with a free lunch provided!

All landowners, farmers and ranchers are encouraged to register and participate in this event where we will be learning about the importance of wetland, w**d, and grazing management.
Hope to see you there, on October 16th from 11 - 4:30 PM!

09/29/2026

The Red Deer River Watershed Alliance is excited to announce the release of the Wetlands and Riparian Areas chapters of our 2026 State of the Watershed Report!

Our 2009 State of the Watershed Report is being updated to reflect current conditions across the Red Deer River Watershed. The 2026 edition provides a comprehensive overview of conditions at both the basin-wide and watershed management zone scales. Chapters are being released throughout the year, and we’ve already shared the Surface Water Hydrology and Surface Water Allocation chapters. Now, we’re turning our attention to two incredibly important components of the watershed: Wetlands and Riparian Areas.

The new chapters provide an interactive overview of wetland distribution across the basin and summarize riparian condition assessments covering more than 12,000 kilometres. Riparian areas were evaluated using both field-based methods, conducted by Cows and Fish, and satellite-based methods, conducted by Fiera Biological Consulting.

Why does this matter? Wetlands and riparian areas are incredibly valuable. They provide a wide range of ecosystem services and benefits that both people and wildlife rely on.

Some of these ecosystem services and benefits include:

🐟🦆Fish and wildlife habitat provision
🌱Sediment retention
🌊Water quality improvement
💧Groundwater regulation
🌤️Climate change mitigation
🌀Flood and drought resilience

Bringing attention to these important areas and the ecosystem services they provide is essential to maintaining a healthy river and resilient watershed.

We’re very excited to share these important findings and extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to this work and chapter.

Wetlands: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/5f2b1abf647f42ba8279176b1e6c29ac/page/Wetlands-

Riparian Areas: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/5f2b1abf647f42ba8279176b1e6c29ac/page/Riparian-Areas

09/03/2026

We are excited to announce the new date for our Wetlands and Farming Field Day. Join us on October 16th, 2026 where you will learn about practical tools and resources available for managing wetlands through Alberta’s increasingly unpredictable weather. Along with hearing from representatives from Cows and Fish, Red Deer River Watershed Association, ALUS, The County of Lacombe, and the Nature Centre to help manage and protect wetlands on your farm while supporting wildlife, improving water quality, and building resilient landscapes.

This workshops includes indoor presentations and an outdoor tour. Topics will include: Riparian health within the Red Deer River Watershed, Drought impacts and wetland resilience, W**d management challenges in wetland basins, and Stewardship programs and funding opportunities available to landowners.

Register before October 13th to secure your spot through our website under the calendar of events tab!

08/27/2026

📣 The Red Deer River Watershed Alliance (RDRWA) would like to hear your thoughts on watershed governance.

If you live in the Red Deer River basin, please take a few minutes to complete our anonymous survey. Your feedback will help inform the 2026 State of the Watershed Report and support our ongoing work to advance watershed planning, management, and stewardship.

Let your voice be heard and help shape the future of our water!

Complete the survey here: https://forms.gle/dXyZrWfWXYQ9tXtc9

The deadline for this survey is Monday, August 31, 2026.

08/11/2026

Meet your local rural neighbours at Open Farm Days from August 15-16!

Find out more information here:

Meet your rural neighbours in this province-wide open house. Visit farms, try unique culinary experiences, share stories & see demonstrations.

07/15/2026

06/24/2026

📘 New Content Added: Dickson Dam in Surface Water Hydrology

We've expanded our Surface Water Page of our State of the Watershed Report with new content on Dickson Dam. Look under the Major Infrastructure section for updates.

Learn about the dam's role in river regulation, flood mitigation, water storage, and its significance within the Red Deer River Basin's surface water management system. This addition provides valuable context on how major hydraulic infrastructure influences watershed hydrology and water resource operations.

06/22/2026

To help address the risks of flooding and drought due to climate variability and population growth, Environment and Protected Areas (EPA) are conducting a study to assess the feasibility of constructing a new dam and water storage reservoir on the Red Deer River near Ardley.

EPA would like to invite you to an upcoming engagement session where information about the study will be shared and there will be opportunities for questions and discussion.

EPA are hosting both an in-person and an online engagement session:

In-person: Tuesday, July 14 from 6:00-8:00pm
Holiday Inn & Suites Red Deer South, 33 Petrolia Drive, Gasoline Aly E, Red Deer County
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/ardley-reservoir-study-engagement-tickets-1991944687181?aff=oddtdtcreator

Online: Thursday, July 16 from 1:30 – 3:30pm
Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uJ9-A2w3RoWdpyPs8FVnmw #/registration

Visit the online engagement page at alberta.ca/ardley-reservoir-study-engagement to find all opportunities to share your thoughts on the study. EPA invite your feedback through the online survey by July 30, 2026.

For more specific information, please visit the study webpage at alberta.ca/ardley-reservoir-scoping-and-feasibility-study. Please subscribe for further email updates on the webpage.

If you have any questions, please contact: [email protected].

Join this online engagement session to learn more about the reservoir and dam options being studied on the Red Deer River.

06/22/2026