WaterNEWS Official Magazine of the Canadian Water Resources Association
Vol 35 • No. 3
Fall 2016
A Bellwether of Climate Impacts to Come? Un précurseur des impacts climatiques à venir?
contents Up Front
President’s Message / Message du président ........................................ 4/5
Feature
Conference Wrap Up Montreal 2016 / Le congrès de Montréal 2016 en rétrospective............................................................... 7
Profile Article
The Bow River Basin Council / Le Bow River Basin Council.........................10
Technical Article
Lake Winnipeg: A Bellwether of Climate Impacts to Come? / Le lac Winnipeg : Un précurseur des impacts climatiques à venir? ..........17 Everybody should have to live with a holding tank... Ramblings of an old water guy ..............................................................22 Canadian Water Resources Association Water Management Award of Excellence................................................23 Citizen Volunteer “Scientists” Help CoCoRaHS & Canada Daily provide the Precipitation Data needed by many interested organizations:...................26
Branch Reports
Buyer’s Guide Hoskin Scientific..............................IFC KGS Group....................................OBC Robinson Consultants....................... 13 XCG Environmental Engineers and Scientists.................................. 13
WaterNEWS is published quarterly by the:
Canadian Water Resources Association
Project WET Report..................................................................................14 British Columbia......................................................................................27 Alberta....................................................................................................28 Saskatchewan.........................................................................................29 Ontario....................................................................................................30 Quebec...................................................................................................32
From the CWRA
Coming Events.........................................................................................24 CWRA Executive......................................................................................35
Please return undeliverables to: 176 Gloucester Street, Suite 320 Ottawa, ON K2P 0A6 Published by: Canadian Water Resources Association Editor F. A. (Rick) Ross
176 Gloucester Street, Suite 320 Ottawa, ON K2P 0A6 www.cwra.org
Senior Graphic Designer Cody Chomiak
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Official Magazine of the Canadian Water Resources Association
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From the helm By Dave Murray On Twitter at
@CWRA_Pres
Montreal: A most memorable event
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Top 5 from @CWRA_Pres 1 Montreal Conference 2 SYP Corner
3 CWRA Factoid
4 Water Issues of National Significance
5 Building CWRA Membership
“Quebec Branch made us proud to be members of CWRA.”
SYP Chapters Vancouver Victoria/Vancouver Island Edmonton Calgary Winnipeg Toronto Ottawa
New SYP co-National Coordinator Jennifer Rocard from Halifax
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or those of you that didn’t attend, the 69th CWRA National Conference in Montreal in May was one of our best yet. From the diverse content, to the high percentage of SYP delegates, to the awesome circus acrobatic troop that wowed us at the conference banquet, we are most appreciative to the Quebec Branch for all their hard work. The conference team included some senior and experienced members and student and young professionals just getting into the stride of their careers. As I said in my banquet address, it’s the passion of CWRA members about water that makes us stand out. The Quebec Branch made us proud to be members of CWRA with the caliber of the presentations and events, the networking, collaboration and outstanding learning opportunities. We are an organization of national significance, well respected and valued. We need to remember this and be confident as we move forward.
SYP Corner
SYP events and activities continue to be a highlight of CWRA. At the conference in Montreal we elected national SYP reps and co-National Coordinators to the board. Our national coordinator Greg Schellenberg (currently working at Hatch in Winnipeg) is now joined by Jennifer Rocard who resides in Halifax. Jennifer is a sessional lecturer at Dalhousie University after returning from McGill University where she earned a B.Eng. in Bioresource Engineering and an M.Eng. in Civil and Environmental Engineering specialized in water resources engineering. We are looking forward to broadening CWRA SYP activities to include Nova Scotia. CWRA goals for SYPs are to: • • •
Foster the development of SYP groups across the country and expand our SYP membership. Support SYP activities to generate activity and promote effective water management. Provide career mentoring to SYPs through mentoring programs.
If you have an idea on a new group or need help please contact
[email protected] CWRA FACTOID: SYP BEGINNINGS The first chapter of the Students and Young Professionals (SYP) was established in Waterloo in 2001. In February 2004 the CWRA National Board of Directors established a task force to promote the development of CWRA student chapters across the country. SYP Chapters are now established in many provinces and include a variety of professional disciplines. The CWRA continues to support the growth of these chapters and works to create opportunities for networking and mentoring.
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À la barre
Par Dave Murray sur Twitter à
@CWRA_Pres
Montréal : Un événement des plus mémorables 5 thèmes majeurs @CWRA_Pres
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1 Congrès de Montréal 2 Le coin des ÉJP
3 Factoïde de l’ACRH
4 Enjeux liés à l’eau d’importance nationale 5 Soutenir la croissance des adhésions à l’ACRH
« La section du Québec a fait la fierté de tous les membres de l’ACRH. » Sections ÉJP Calgary ÉJP Edmonton ÉJP Toronto ÉJP Vancouver ÉJP Winnipeg ÉJP
Nouvelle coordonnatrice nationale des EJP, Jennifer Rocard d’Halifax
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our ceux d’entre vous qui n’étiez pas présents, le 69e congrès national de l’ACRH tenu à Montréal en mai était l’un de nos meilleurs à ce jour. Depuis le contenu diversifié, jusqu’au pourcentage élevé de délégués ÉJP, en passant par la troupe acrobatique du cirque qui nous a ébahis lors du banquet du congrès, nous sommes fort reconnaissants à la section du Québec pour son travail acharné. L’équipe du congrès comprenait des membres de longue date et expérimentés et des étudiants et jeunes professionnels qui en sont à leurs premières armes dans leur carrière. Comme je l’ai fait remarquer dans mon allocution au banquet, c’est la passion des membres de l’ACRH à propos de l’eau qui nous distingue. La section du Québec a fait la fierté des membres de l’ACRH, vu le calibre des présentations et des événements, le réseautage, la collaboration et les occasions d’apprentissage remarquables. Nous sommes une organisation d’envergure nationale, très estimée et très valorisée. Il ne faut surtout pas l’oublier, puisque cela contribuera à alimenter notre confiance en nous dans toutes nos démarches à venir.
Le coin des ÉJP
Les événements et activités des ÉJP continuent de faire partie des principaux volets de l’ACRH. Au congrès de Montréal, nous avons élu au conseil d’administration des représentants EJP nationaux et des co-coordonnateurs nationaux. À notre coordonnateur national, M. Greg Schellenberg (qui travaille actuellement à Hatch à Winnipeg), vient se joindre Mme Jennifer Rocard, qui réside à Halifax. Jennifer est chargée de cours à temps partiel à l’Université Dalhousie, depuis son retour de l’Université McGill, dont elle a obtenu un baccalauréat en génie des bioressources et une maîtrise en génie civil et en génie de l’environnement, avec spécialisation en génie hydro-économique. Nous avons hâte d’étendre les activités ÉJP de l’ACRH à la Nouvelle-Écosse. L’ACRH poursuit les objectifs suivants pour les ÉJP : • Encourager le développement des groupes d’ÉJP dans l’ensemble du pays et accroître le nombre de membres parmi les ÉJP. • Soutenir les événements des ÉJP visant à générer de l’activité et à promouvoir la gestion efficace de l’eau. • Offrir un mentorat professionnel aux ÉJP par le biais de programmes de mentorat. Si vous avez une idée à nous soumettre à propos d’un nouveau groupe ou si vous avez besoin d’assistance, veuillez communiquer avec
[email protected] FACTOÏDE DE L’ACRH : DÉBUTS DES ÉJP La première section des Étudiants et jeunes professionnels (ÉJP) a été établie à Waterloo en 2001. En février 2004, le conseil d’administration national de l’ACRH a mis sur pied un groupe de travail pour promouvoir l’essor des sections régionales des étudiants de l’ACRH dans l’ensemble du pays. Les sections ÉJP sont maintenant établies dans de nombreuses provinces et englobent diverses disciplines Suite à la page 6
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The first chapter of the Students and Young Professionals was established in Waterloo in 2001.
professionnelles. L’ACRH continue de soutenir la croissance de ces sections et s’efforce de créer des occasions de réseautage et de mentorat.
CWRA EXPLORES WATER ISSUES OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE Canada does not currently have overarching national water governance that could facilitate effective cross-Canada responses to current and emerging water challenges of national significance. In a landmark paper written by CWRA’s Rob de Loe in 2008, he stated that the benefits of such an approach are significant such as: • Creating the ability for Canada to consistently and effectively respond to concerns regarding climate change. • Creating a platform for increased stakeholder participation and accountability; enhance environmental protection and a strong foundation for economic productivity. • Creating a national capacity to respond to crises. • Being well-positioned to meet growing international expectations. • Developing greater public acceptance and support for water management decisions. Our mid-term meeting in Ottawa, January 2017 will explore these issues in collaboration with other water groups. Be there and be wet! BUILDING CWRA MEMBERSHIP Membership in CWRA has changed over the years but the strength and power of our organization continues. Since most activities of CWRA happen at the branch level that is the place to start to build and grow our membership. I met a biologist I have worked with the other day and when he asked what I was up to I told him about CWRA and what great stuff we do and at the end of the conversation he said “maybe I should be a member.” I quickly sent him the link to sign up. If each member of CWRA could look at their contact list and call one person that they think would benefit we could double our membership. So don’t be shy, if you don’t ask you’ll never know.
If each member of CWRA could look at their contact list and call one person that they think would benefit, we could double our membership.
La toute première section des Étudiants et jeunes professionnels a été établie à Waterloo en 2001. L’ACRH EXPLORE LES ENJEUX LIÉS À L’EAU QUI REVÊTENT DE L’IMPORTANCE À L’ÉCHELLE NATIONALE Le Canada ne dispose pas à l’heure actuelle d’une structure de gouvernance générale de l’eau pour l’ensemble du pays, laquelle structure pourrait faciliter des réponses pancanadiennes efficaces aux enjeux actuels et naissants qui sont liés à l’eau et qui revêtent une importance nationale. Dans une étude qui a fait date, rédigée en 2008 par M. Rob de Loe de l’ACRH, ce dernier a fait valoir que les bienfaits d’une telle approche sont considérables, notamment les avantages suivants : • Créer la capacité pour le Canada de répondre de manière systématique et efficace aux préoccupations entourant le changement climatique. • Créer une plateforme visant à accroître la participation et la responsabilisation des intervenants; améliorer la protection de l’environnement et jeter des assises solides pour la productivité économique. • Créer une capacité nationale nous permettant d’intervenir en cas de crise. • Être bien positionné afin de répondre aux attentes internationales croissantes. • Encourager une plus grande acceptation et un meilleur soutien du public quant aux décisions entourant la gestion de l’eau. À notre réunion à mi-parcours qui se tiendra à Ottawa en janvier 2017, nous nous pencherons sur ces enjeux en collaboration avec d’autres groupes. Soyez présents et n’hésitez pas à vous mouiller! SOUTENIR LA CROISSANCE DES ADHÉSIONS À L’ACRH La composition des membres de l’ACRH a changé au fil des ans, mais la vitalité et la puissance de notre organisation demeurent les mêmes. Puisque la plupart des activités de l’ACRH se déroulent au niveau des sections, c’est par là qu’il faut commencer à soutenir la croissance de nos membres. L’autre jour j’ai rencontré un biologiste avec qui j’ai travaillé. Lorsqu’il m’a demandé comment les choses allaient de mon côté, je lui ai parlé de l’ACRH et de nos formidables réalisations. À la fin de notre conversation, il m’a dit : « Je devrais peut-être devenir membre ». Je lui ai aussitôt fait parvenir le lien pour l’inscription. Si chaque membre de l’ACRH pouvait jeter un coup d’œil à sa liste de contacts et appeler ne serait-ce qu’une seule personne pour qui l’adhésion à l’ACRH serait avantageuse, nous pourrions alors doubler le nombre de nos membres. À quoi bon hésiter! Posez la question… qui ne risque rien n’a rien!
Si chaque membre de l’ACRH pouvait jeter un coup d’œil à sa liste de contacts et appeler ne serait-ce qu’une seule personne pour qui l’adhésion à l’ACRH serait avantageuse, nous pourrions alors doubler le nombre de nos membres. 6 WaterNEWS
Conference Wrap Up Montreal 2016
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he 69th annual national conference was held in downtown Montreal at the historic Hotel Bonaventure - a perfect setting to exchange ideas based on the conference theme: Water Management at All Scales: reducing vulnerability and increasing resilience. Roughly 700 delegates attended the three-day conference. President Dave Murray spoke passionately about the need for national coordination to create sustainable and comprehensive flood protection and drought resilience. His efforts have led to an invite by Natural Resources Canada, the federal department responsible for producing updated flood-mapping guidelines, for CWRA members to contribute comments and expertise to the latest draft of guidelines set for publication later this year. The Board of Directors meeting was held one day before the conference began. Here are some highlights: Continued on page 8
Le congrès de Montréal 2016 en rétrospective
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e 69e congrès national annuel a été tenu au centre-ville de Montréal, à l’Hôtel Bonaventure historique – le décor idéal pour échanger des idées axées sur le thème du congrès : L’eau à toutes les échelles : réduire la vulnérabilité et augmenter la résilience. Plus ou moins 700 délégués ont pris part au congrès de trois jours. Le président Dave Murray a parlé avec passion du besoin d’une coordination à l’échelle nationale afin de favoriser une résilience durable et complète en matière de lutte contre les inondations et les sécheresses. Ses efforts ont mené à une invitation de la part de Ressources naturelles Canada, le ministère du gouvernement fédéral responsable de la création de lignes directrices à jour en matière de cartographie des inondations. Cette invitation a été lancée aux membres de l’ACRH afin de les inviter à formuler des commentaires et à apporter leur expertise à l’égard de la toute dernière ébauche des lignes directrices dont la publication est prévue plus tard cette année. Suite à la page 8
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ELECTIONS Four new national directors were accepted: Jeff Hirvonen (ON), Nicholas Kehler (MB), Jaime Hogan (SASK), and Laurie Tollefson (CANCID).
La réunion du conseil d’administration a été tenue un jour avant le début du congrès. En voici les points saillants :
MAJOR POLICY DECISIONS Revised Branch bylaws were approved for Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta. B.C., Newfoundland and Quebec were recognized as continuing branches until 2017 and at that time are requested to have revised By-Laws or Terms of Reference for approval at the January 2017 mid-term meeting. The 75th AGM will be held in Ottawa in 2022. Project WET agreement was ratified to 2019. NEW SERVICE DELIVERY FRAMEWORK A new service delivery framework is being developed that will ensure CWRA can deliver member services in a concise and efficient manner. Feedback was received from the Board of Directors along with a member survey. The goal is to have a clear direction forward that modernizes services and delivers effective communications to members and the public. A summary of the discussion at the board meeting has been adapted from Board of Directors meeting minutes: - More work needs to be done to move the framework forward. - The strategic plan should be revisited and determine how it fits within the model. - Further definition of the roles and responsibilities of the ED positions is needed - especially with regards to Communications and Fundraising. - The balance between technical and policy support for the organizations needs to be better understood. - Deliverables and targets need to be better defined. COMMUNICATIONS INITIATIVES Branches are encouraged to create new opportunities to engage members and create webinar events. Branches are asked to choose a topic and write about it for distribution in CWRA’s weekly e-newsletter, Water News, and webinars. FLOOD GUIDELINES PRESENTATION BY NRCAN Yvan Desy (NRCan) presented information to the board and discussed the intent to produce technical guidelines. He invited CWRA to contribute their expertise. These efforts are ongoing. BLUE SKY SESSION Eric Blais presented an overview on Flood Risk mapping and Ute Holweger presented an overview on the status of the National Water Strategy Blueprint. Day one of the conference opened with keynote speaker Simon Courtenay, from the Canadian Water Network. He discussed the future of hydrological sciences in Canada and current events like algal blooms in our freshwater lakes (Lake Winnipeg, Lake Erie), the 2015 prairie drought, and the implications of Fort McMurray fires. Successful outcomes of these events are directly impacted by decisions made by water resources managers. The “new normal” is an increase in frequency of extreme events and we need to act now to be prepared to evaluate and respond. Courtenay was clear that students are an integral part of the solution. Continued on page 9
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ÉLECTIONS Quatre nouveaux administrateurs nationaux ont été acceptés : Jeff Hirvonen (Ontario), Nicholas Kehler (Manitoba), Jaime Hogan (Sask.) et Laurie Tollefson (CNCID). PRINCIPALES DÉCISIONS STRATÉGIQUES Des règlements administratifs révisés ont été approuvés pour les sections de l’Ontario, du Manitoba et de l’Alberta. Le statu quo est maintenu pour les sections de la Colombie-Britannique, de TerreNeuve-et-Labrador et du Québec jusqu’en 2017. Ces sections devront alors disposer d’un mandat ou de règlements administratifs révisés et les faire approuver à la réunion à mi-parcours de janvier 2017. La 75e AGA aura lieu à Ottawa en 2022. L’accord entourant le Projet WET a été ratifié et sera en vigueur jusqu’en 2019. NOUVEAU CADRE DE PRESTATION DE SERVICES Un nouveau cadre de prestation de services est en voie d’élaboration. Grâce à ce nouveau cadre, l’ACRH devrait être en mesure de fournir des services aux membres de façon rapide et efficace. Nous avons obtenu une rétroaction du conseil d’administration, de même que les résultats d’un sondage mené auprès des membres. L’objectif consistait à dégager une orientation précise en vue de la modernisation des services et de l’établissement de communications efficaces à l’intention des membres et du public. Un sommaire des discussions qui se sont déroulées à la réunion du Conseil a été adapté à partir du procès-verbal rédigé à la réunion du conseil d’administration : - Davantage de travail doit être accompli pour l’avancement du cadre. - Le plan stratégique doit être réexaminé et il faut déterminer de quelle manière ce plan s’inscrit dans le modèle. - Il convient de définir plus en profondeur les rôles et les responsabilités des postes de haute direction – tout particulièrement en ce qui a trait aux communications et à la collecte de fonds. - L’équilibre entre le soutien technique et le soutien stratégique pour les organisations doit être mieux compris. - Les éléments livrables de projet et les cibles doivent être mieux définis. INITIATIVES DE COMMUNICATION Les sections sont encouragées à créer de nouvelles occasions de participation des membres et à créer des événements de type webinaire. Les sections sont invitées à choisir un thème et à rédiger des articles à l’égard de ce thème en vue de leur distribution dans le bulletin trimestriel de l’ACRH, À propos de l’eau, de même que pour les webinaires. Présentation sur les lignes directrices en matière d’inondation de RNCan M. Yvan Desy (RNCan) a présenté des renseignements au conseil d’administration et a discuté de l’intention de produire des lignes directrices techniques. Il a invité l’ACRH à mettre son expertise à contribution. Ces efforts se poursuivent. Suite à la page 9
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Courtenay went on the say that students and young professionals need the right tools before they can become engaged, before they can ask the right questions, and before they can develop long-term, sustainable solutions to these national challenges. Courtenay believes there are two components to success: mentorship and training in integrated research. Students and young professionals need experienced professionals who are willing to devote time and energy to impart knowledge and skills they have learned in their own careers. Students also need the opportunity to engage with like-minded individuals from different backgrounds. Creating platforms for cross-industry communication is vital to producing the best possible outcome.
You can’t manage what you can’t measure – Peter F. Drucker Courtenay’s address was followed by an exciting, information-packed three days of meetings, workshops, networking opportunities, banquets and concurrent sessions. Quebec Branch held its annual general meeting during the conference in which four returning or new National Directors were appointed: Gilles Rivard, André St-Hilaire, Audrey Maheu and Ammar Taha. CWRA FUTURE MEETINGS SCHEDULED 2017 Midterm Board and workshop: Ottawa January 26 – 28 2017 70th AGM & Conference: Lethbridge June 5 – 8 2018 Midterm: Atlantic Canada, New Brunswick a possibility 2018 AGM & Conference: Victoria, BC 2019 Midterm: Manitoba (?) 2019 AGM & Conference: Atlantic Canada preferred, Newfoundland a possibility.
SÉANCE DE DISCUSSION « SANS FRONTIÈRES » M. Éric Blais a fait un survol de la cartographie des zones exposées aux inondations et Mme Ute Holweger a présenté un survol de l’état du plan directeur de la Stratégie nationale de l’eau. La première journée du congrès a commencé par le discours de l’orateur principal, M. Simon Courtenay, du Réseau canadien de l’eau. Il a abordé l’avenir des sciences hydrologiques au Canada ainsi que les événements actuels tels que la prolifération d’algues dans nos lacs d’eau douce (lac Winnipeg, lac Érié), la sécheresse des prairies en 2015 et les répercussions des incendies de Fort McMurray. Les décisions prises par les gestionnaires des ressources hydriques influent directement sur les résultats positifs entourant ces événements. La « nouvelle norme » consiste en une hausse de la fréquence des événements extrêmes et nous devons agir dès maintenant si nous voulons être prêts à évaluer et à intervenir. M. Courtenay a tenu à préciser que les étudiants font partie intégrante de la solution. M. Courtenay a également fait valoir que les étudiants et les jeunes professionnels ont besoin d’outils appropriés afin de pouvoir s’engager, afin de pouvoir poser les bonnes questions et afin de pouvoir mettre au point des solutions durables et à long terme à ces défis nationaux. M. Courtenay est d’avis que deux éléments sont essentiels au succès : le mentorat et la formation dans le domaine de la recherche intégrée. Les étudiants et les jeunes professionnels ont besoin de professionnels expérimentés qui sont disposés à consacrer temps et énergie à la transmission des connaissances et des compétences qu’ils ont acquises tout au long de leur carrière. Les étudiants doivent aussi avoir la chance de créer des liens avec des personnes aux vues similaires provenant de différents milieux. Il est essentiel de créer des plateformes pour la communication entre les industries afin d’aboutir aux meilleurs résultats possibles.
Si vous ne pouvez le mesurer, vous ne pouvez pas le gérer – Peter F. Drucker Le discours de M. Courtenay a été suivi de trois jours passionnants de réunions, d’ateliers, d’occasions de réseautage, d’un banquet et de séances simultanées, à caractère hautement informatif. La section du Québec a tenu son assemblée générale annuelle pendant le congrès, au cours duquel quatre administrateurs nationaux ont été nouvellement élus ou réélus : Gilles Rivard, André St-Hilaire, Audrey Maheu et Ammar Taha. CALENDRIER DES RÉUNIONS À VENIR DE L’ACRH 2017 – Réunion du Conseil à mi-parcours et atelier : Ottawa, du 26 au 28 janvier 2017 – 70e AGA et congrès : Lethbridge, du 5 au 8 juin 2018 – Réunion à mi-parcours : Canada atlantique, le NouveauBrunswick étant envisagé 2018 – AGA et congrès : Victoria, C.-B. 2019 – Réunion à mi-parcours : Manitoba (?) 2019 - AGA et congrès : Le Canada atlantique est l’option privilégiée, peut-être à Terre-Neuve.
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The Bow River Basin Council Figure 1 – Bow Basin photo courtesy Mike Murray
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he need for and provision of clean abundant water brings us together as a community, provides food for our tables, energy for our homes, and opportunities for our recreation. In Alberta, 33% of the population relies directly on the waters of the Bow River Basin. This represents over 1.3 million people and is increasing. Yet the Bow River Basin represents only 4% of Alberta’s landmass and 3% of its surface water supply. The Bow River Basin Council (BRBC) is a multi-stakeholder, charitable organization dedicated to conducting activities for the improvement and protection of this precious resource. In particular, we focus on the quality and quantity of groundwater and surface water, and the care and conservation of riparian areas. We concern ourselves with the effects of human activity and land use on water resources, and the state of aquatic ecosystems. The over 340 members of the Council include municipalities, corporations, individuals, First Nations, government, Irrigation Districts and non-governmental organizations. Funding for the Council is contributed by Foundations, corporations, government grants, and caring individuals. THE BRBC ENVISIONS A FUTURE WHERE… the waters of the Bow River Basin are conserved and protected as a fragile and unique resource, and recognized as our lifeline. Multiple uses are balanced, ensuring the needs of all stakeholders are met, while maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Continued on page 11
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Le Bow River Basin Council Figure 1 – Photo du bassin de la rivière Bow – avec l’autorisation de M. Mike Murray
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’approvisionnement en eau propre et abondante, tout comme nos besoins en la matière, nous rapprochent en tant que collectivité. Un tel approvisionnement nous permet de mettre de la nourriture sur nos tables, de procurer à nos demeures l’énergie dont elles ont besoin et de profiter de diverses activités récréatives. En Alberta, 33 % de la population compte directement sur les eaux du bassin de la rivière Bow. Cela représente plus de 1,3 million de gens et ce pourcentage ne cesse d’augmenter. Pourtant, le bassin de la rivière Bow ne représente que 4 % de la masse terrestre de l’Alberta et 3 % de ses réserves d’eau de surface. Le Bow River Basin Council (BRBC) est un organisme philanthropique multipartite voué aux activités d’amélioration et de protection de cette précieuse ressource. Nous mettons l’accent plus particulièrement sur la qualité et sur la quantité des eaux de surface et des eaux souterraines et sur le soin et la conservation des zones riveraines. Nous nous préoccupons des effets de l’activité humaine et de l’affectation des sols sur les ressources en eau et sur l’état des écosystèmes aquatiques. Les quelque 340 membres et plus du BRBC comprennent des municipalités, des sociétés, des particuliers, les Premières nations, le gouvernement, les districts d’irrigation et les organismes non gouvernementaux. Le financement du BRBC provient des Fondations, des sociétés, des subventions gouvernementales et de bienveillants particuliers. Suite à la page 11
Figure 2 – Map of the Bow Basin (Alberta) Figure 2 – Carte du bassin de la rivière Bow (Alberta)
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To realize this vision, the BRBC seeks out projects that will make a lasting contribution to improved water quality. There is always a wealth of good ideas from which to choose. We recognize the importance of fostering the improvement and protection of the Bow River watershed for multiple uses.
LE BRBC ASPIRE À UN AVENIR OÙ… les eaux du bassin de la rivière Bow sont conservées et protégées en tant que ressource fragile et unique et sont reconnues comme constituant notre réseau vital. L’équilibre est assuré entre les utilisations multiples afin de veiller à ce que les besoins de toutes les parties prenantes soient comblés, tout en favorisant le maintien d’un écosystème sain.
The projects in which we become involved range from restoration activities, raising public awareness, developing water management plans and support for water quality monitoring. For example, since 2008 the BRBC has provided over $675K in funding to support stewardship programs and projects. The BRBC looks for opportunities to leverage both contributions and expenditures through extensive volunteer commitment and support. Two Core project areas include: 1. State of the Basin Report (Environmental Condition Reporting) The aim is to develop a method for providing reliable information to guide water management decisions and to increase public awareness. Thus improving our overall understanding of the Bow River watershed. 2. The Bow Basin Watershed Management Plan (Integrated Watershed Management Planning) The BBWMP is intended to conserve and manage landscape features within the watershed that are necessary for sustained water quantity and quality and healthy aquatic ecosystems by; recommending changes in public policy, practice and regulation, education and awareness programs; and, providing advice for proactive, voluntary action by land, water and resource managers.
Pour concrétiser cette vision, le BRBC est en quête de projets qui apporteront une contribution durable à l’amélioration de la qualité de l’eau. Il existe toujours une mine de bonnes idées parmi lesquelles choisir. Nous reconnaissons combien il est important d’encourager l’amélioration et la protection du bassin versant de la rivière Bow pour les utilisations multiples. Les projets dans lesquels nous nous sommes engagés vont des activités de remise en état au soutien à la surveillance de la qualité de l’eau, en passant par les initiatives visant à accroître la sensibilisation du public et l’élaboration des plans de gestion de l’eau. Par exemple, depuis 2008, le BRBC a octroyé un financement de plus de 675 000 $ afin de soutenir les projets et les programmes d’intendance. Le BRBC est à la recherche d’occasions lui permettant de tirer parti à la fois des contributions et des dépenses grâce à un vaste soutien et à un engagement bénévole généralisé.
A VITAL RESOURCE … Fed by numerous tributaries, the Bow River drains an area of approximately 25,000 square kilometers. From its source at Bow Lake in the
Voici deux des principaux volets du projet : 1. State of the Basin Report (Rapport sur l’état du bassin) / Environmental Condition Reporting (Rapport sur les conditions du milieu) Le but consiste à concevoir une méthode visant à fournir des renseignements fiables dans le but d’orienter les décisions relatives à la gestion de l’eau et d’accroître la sensibilisation du public, pour ainsi améliorer notre compréhension globale du bassin de la rivière Bow.
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Official Magazine of the Canadian Water Resources Association
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Rocky Mountains of Banff National Park, it flows 645 kilometers south and east to join the Oldman River west of Medicine Hat to become the South Saskatchewan River. En route the Bow flows through alpine regions and mountain foothills to the semi-arid short-grass prairie. Along the way it replenishes groundwater and supplies local utilities. The Bow is also source water to three large irrigation districts. It provides hydroelectric power, while at the same time supporting a worldclass sport fishery. Some of these demands, and others, have markedly increased over time and must be met from a limited water supply.
2. BBWMP - Plan de gestion du bassin versant de la rivière Bow (Planification de la gestion intégrée de l’eau par bassin versant) Le BBWMP a pour mission de conserver et de gérer les caractéristiques du paysage terrestre à l’intérieur du bassin versant qui sont nécessaires afin d’assurer la quantité et la qualité de l’eau ainsi que le maintien d’écosystèmes aquatiques sains. Le tout repose sur la recommandation de modifications aux politiques publiques, aux pratiques et aux règlements, de même qu’aux programmes d’éducation et de sensibilisation, et sur la formulation de conseils en vue d’une action proactive et volontaire de la part des gestionnaires de ressources hydriques et terrestres ou autres ressources.
AND FOR GENERATIONS TO FOLLOW… Skipping rocks, floating home-made boats and splashing around in a local river…these are things we all have done. We have all been rejuvenated by rivers, refreshed from a rain shower on a hot summer day, and soothed by the flowing of water. These experiences ignore boundaries and transcend cultural differences. The BRBC hopes to preserve these experiences for the children of today and their children, and indeed, generations yet to come. Although the river and its tributaries are ever changing, our care and attention today will ensure that future generations inherit a healthy and robust watershed. By collaborating in this effort, the BRBC will help to protect our rivers…and our future. SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES… A river begins as a trickle and becomes stronger with every added drop of water. The evolution of an organization occurs in much the same way. Nourished by volunteers, donors, and staff members, the BRBC list of accomplishments continues to grow. Membership in the BRBC steadily increases each year with more and more individuals, municipalities, and corporations seeing value in the work we are doing. Here are a few of the projects that we have successfully completed, bringing us ever closer to realizing our vision. State of the Watershed (Environmental Condition Reporting) – On-line 2016 Flood Mitigation Discussion Paper - Bow River Basin Council Submission to the Government of Alberta 2014 BBWMP (2012) - Focus: Land Use, Headwaters, Wetlands, Riparian Lands, Water Quality 2012 Web-based State of the Watershed (including a Summary Booklet) 2010 BBWMP Phase 1 – Water Quality Objectives 2008 BRBC State of the Basin Report 2005 Protecting Riparian Areas: Creative Approaches to Subdivision Development in the Bow River Basin. 2002. Guidebook to Water Management: Background Information on Organizations, Policies, Legislation, Programs and Projects in the Bow River Basin. 2002. Discovery Channel selected the Bow River as one of Canada’s Great Rivers. March 2002. For Information on the BRBC please go to: http://www.brbc.ab.ca/
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UNE RESSOURCE VITALE… Alimentée par de nombreux affluents, la rivière Bow draine une surface d’environ 25 000 kilomètres carrés. Depuis sa source au lac Bow dans les Rocheuses du parc national de Banff, elle coule sur 645 kilomètres au sud et à l’est pour aller rejoindre la rivière Oldman à l’ouest de Medicine Hat et devenir ensuite la rivière Saskatchewan Sud. Sur son parcours, la rivière Bow traverse des zones alpines et des piémonts jusqu’aux prairies semi-arides et à herbes courtes. Au passage, elle réalimente les nappes souterraines et elle approvisionne les localités, au chapitre des services publics. La rivière Bow est également la source d’eau de trois grands districts d’irrigation. Elle fournit l’énergie hydroélectrique, tout en soutenant une installation de pêche sportive de classe mondiale. Certaines de ces demandes, et d’autres encore, ont augmenté de façon marquée au fil du temps et elles doivent être comblées à même des réserves d’eau limitées. ET POUR LES GÉNÉRATIONS À VENIR… S’amuser à lancer des galets à la surface de l’eau, monter à bord d’embarcations de fabrication artisanale et patauger dans une rivière locale…ce sont toutes des activités auxquelles nous nous sommes adonnés. Nous avons tous été revigorés par l’eau fraîche des rivières, rafraîchis au gré des averses par une chaude journée d’été et apaisés par le bruit de l’eau qui coule. Ces expériences ne connaissent pas de frontières et transcendent les différences culturelles. Le BRBC espère préserver ces riches expériences pour les enfants d’aujourd’hui et pour leur progéniture, et même pour les générations à venir. Bien que la rivière et ses affluents se métamorphosent sans cesse, les soins et l’attention que nous y accordons aujourd’hui feront en sorte que les générations futures hériteront d’un bassin versant robuste et sain. En collaborant à cette initiative, le BRBC contribuera à protéger nos rivières…et notre avenir. JALONS IMPORTANTS… Une rivière prend naissance en tant que mince filet et gagne en intensité avec chaque petite goutte d’eau qui vient s’y greffer. L’évolution d’une organisation se fait à peu près de la même manière. Alimentée par des bénévoles, des donateurs et des membres du personnel, la liste des accomplissements du BRBC ne cesse de s’allonger. Le nombre de membres du BRBC croît de façon constante année après année et de plus en plus de particuliers, de municipalités et de sociétés valorisent le travail que nous accomplissons. Voici quelques-uns Suite à la page 13
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des projets que nous avons menés à bien, ce qui nous rapproche encore plus de la concrétisation de notre vision.
Protecting Riparian Areas: Creative Approaches to Subdivision Development in the Bow River Basin. 2002.
État du bassin versant (Rapport sur les conditions du milieu) – En ligne 2016
Guidebook to Water Management: Background Information on Organizations, Policies, Legislation, Programs and Projects in the Bow River Basin. 2002.
Flood Mitigation Discussion Paper – Présentation du Bow River Basin Council au gouvernement de l’Alberta - 2014 BBWMP (2012) - Focus: Land Use, Headwaters, Wetlands, Riparian Lands, Water Quality 2012
Le « Discovery Channel » a choisi la rivière Bow comme étant l’une des rivières importantes du Canada. Mars 2002. Pour obtenir des renseignements sur le BRBC, veuillez consulter le site : http://www.brbc.ab.ca/
Web-based State of the Watershed, including a Summary Booklet (État du bassin versant sur le Web, y compris un livret sommaire) 2010 BBWMP Phase 1 – Water Quality Objectives (Objectifs de qualité de l’eau) 2008 BRBC State of the Basin Report (Rapport du BRBC sur l’état du bassin) 2005
• Hydrology & Hydraulics • Water Supply
Toronto • Kitchener • Kingston Edmonton •
Halifax • Cincinnati
• Municipal Infrastructure • Wastewater & Water Treatment • Groundwater & Surface Water Investigations • Source Water Protection
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Official Magazine of the Canadian Water Resources Association
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Project WET Facilitator Leadership Workshop, Nestlé Waters Canada Head Office, Aberfoyle, Ontario July 12-14, 2016 By Lizabeth Nicholls, National Education Coordinator
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ifteen new Ontario Facilitator candidates successfully completed the recent three-day Ontario Project WET Facilitator Leadership Workshop. The workshop was planned since September 2015 by Project WET Canada with active involvement and sponsorship from Nestlé Waters Canada (NWC). CWRA-Ontario Branch Liaison, Karen Hofbauer was directly involved since February 2016 in identifying key water issues and recruiting guest speakers. The four previously qualified and experienced Ontario Project WET Facilitators were actively involved in delivery of the new Project WET 2.0 learning activities and Facilitator Leadership Sessions. Speakers included Professor Onita Basu, with Carlton University, whose presentation was Global Waters, Global Issues; Stephanie Shifflett, with the Grand River Conservation Authority, who presented on Watershed Management and Allocation; Karen Hofbauer, CWRAOntario who presented on the topic Floodplain Management and Flood Control, and Dr. Andreanne Simard, NWC, who presented on Groundwater. Two field tours rounded out the workshop: Heather Yates hosted a tour at the City of Guelph Water Services and Sam Gordon, Factory Manager of the Guelph Factory, toured the candidates through the Nestlé Waters Canada production facility.
“‘Just got home, and am now attempting to empty my email IN box--your ones have been the best of the bunch. I look forward to staying in touch. Best wishes all--and THANK YOU for getting us together, Lizabeth, and for your sponsorship, Andreanne!” Diane Lawrence, Kingston. “I second the comments about the wonderful people! Great workshop, super materials…Thank you for all the planning you did for the facilitator workshop. What a fantastic group of people, and a great start to really growing Project WET in Ontario!” Christine Tippett, Ottawa DAY ONE, JULY 12, 2016
Here are some of the comments from the participants after the workshop. “(I) just wanted to send a big THANK YOU for such an awesome three days!! Chris and I had to head out quickly so we didn’t get to say goodbye to everyone – It was so wonderful to meet all of you and I cannot wait to start developing our People Learning Network! The diverse knowledge and experience our team brings is so empowering and exciting – I can’t wait to learn from all of you.” Catherine Millar, Ottawa. “I also wanted to express how wonderful it was to meet you all and that it was an incredible learning experience! Thank you all once again and really looking forward to working with you all.” Billy Jo Reid, Orangeville.
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Erin Colontino, Grimsby, Chris Tippett, Ottawa, Billie Jo Reid, Orangeville and Kimberlee Henderson, Toronto, calculate relative volumes of sea water versus fresh water in the activity from Project WET, A Drop in the Bucket.
Catherine Millar, Ottawa, Amanda Malenica, Cambridge, Jen Hancox, Kitchener and Rob Ridley, Orangeville, prepare a bar graph representing the relative proportions of fresh and salt water found on earth in the activity A Drop in the Bucket.
Project WET Leadership Candidates move through water cycle stations at the random toss of a die in the Project WET Activity, Incredible Journey. Diane Lawrence, (centre) one of the workshop co-leaders, monitors the participants’ progress through the stations.
Bonnie Anderson leads Facilitator Candidates in Project WET Activity 8-4-1, One for All, a learning activity where the participants role play watershed stakeholders.
‘Stakeholders’ have to cooperate to secure the water container with an elastic band and ropes, representing the cooperation that has to exist among stakeholders on a watershed.
Participants maintain even pressure on the ropes holding the elastic band around the water container as they move through the obstacle course, representing various challenges to water management like low water conditions, flooding, and environmental water needs.
Nestlé Waters Canada hosted the recent Project WET Ontario Facilitator Leadership Workshop at their facilities Here, Facilitator Candidates cooperatively carry their water container under the pipeline structure carrying water from the well head into the Guelph factory. Official Magazine of the Canadian Water Resources Association
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In this Project WET learning activity, Storm Water, participants use duct tape on sponges to represent buildings and developments that could potentially prevent infiltration of storm runoff water.
New Project WET Ontario Facilitators and Workshop Leaders come together as a personal learning network at the conclusion of the three day workshop on Thursday, July 14, 2016. L-R Back Row: Chris Tippett, Ottawa, Billy Jo Reid, Orangeville, Paul Hackl, Toronto, Julie Gagnon, Guelph, Erin Colontino, Grimsby, Kimberlee Henderson, Toronto, Liz Jankowski, Toronto, Erica Lagios, Sudbury, Jen Hancox, Kitchener, Amada Malenica, Cambridge, Andreanne Simard, Aberfoyle, Lizabeth Nicholls, Regina, Saskatchewan. L-R Front Row: Bonnie Anderson, Cheltenham, Diane Lawrence, Kingston, Erin Hamilton, Kingston, Teresa Rigg, Acton, Sarah Larocque, Windsor, Erica Nickel, Toronto, Catherine Millar, Ottawa, Mollie Winter, Elk Lake and Rob Ridley, Orangeville.
Sponges are joined to make a continuous watershed. Water is poured on the ‘landscape’ to simulate an above average rainfall event. Afterwards, sponges are wrung out to compare how differently developed ‘landscapes’ handled the storm water runoff.
Photo Credits: Activity Photos, Lizabeth Nicholls, Group Photo, Daryl Morgan.
Projet WET Canada – Prix 2016 Lizabeth Nicholls, coordonnatrice nationale de l’éducation
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rojet WET Canada a été heureux de souligner le travail préparatoire d’un groupe de bénévoles lors du congrès annuel récent de l’ACRH qui s’est tenu à Montréal. M. Ed Dean et Mme Audrey Maheu ont annoncé conjointement le Prix 2016 du Projet WET Canada, décerné à Valérie Ouellet, section des EJP-Québec de l’ACRH, et à André St-Hilaire. Le groupe a travaillé en collaboration pour insuffler un souffle au projet et pour mettre au service du projet son expertise technique et linguistique, afin d’encourager et de soutenir l’équipe du Projet WET Canada dans la création du Projet WET, Module 1 destiné aux élèves francophones et aux élèves des programmes d’immersion en français. Au cours de la période de 2010 à 2015, les membres de la section EJP-Québec (Étudiants et jeunes professionnels) de l’ACRH ont aidé à évaluer les activités et à cerner le contenu canadien français qui serait nécessaire afin de rendre les activités du Projet WET plus pratiques à la fois pour les enseignants et pour les jeunes du Canada. Mme Valérie Ouellet, présidente sortante de l’ACRH – section EJPQuébec, a été la force motrice derrière l’organisation de l’atelier
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de leadership des facilitateurs du Projet WET, qui a eu lieu les 25 et 26 février 2011, en partenariat avec le ROBVQ, c’est-à-dire le Regroupement des organismes de bassins versants du Québec. M. André St-Hilaire, président sortant de l’ACRH à l’échelle nationale, a encouragé et soutenu le Projet WET Canada dans ses efforts de collecte de fonds. M. St-Hilaire était signataire autorisé en juin 2013 pour le renouvellement et la mise à jour de l’accord international Projet WET entre la Fondation du Projet WET, qui a son siège aux États-Unis, et l’ACRH. Cet accord a contribué à l’adoption de l’entente détaillée relative au droit d’auteur, nécessaire à la mise en œuvre du travail préparatoire final. Le Projet WET Canada est redevable à ce groupe de bénévoles qui a travaillé d’arrache-pied afin d’assurer le développement de la version française du programme Projet WET pour le Canada.
Technical.Article
Lake Winnipeg:
Le lac Winnipeg :
Algal blooms wash ashore on a beach on Lake Winnipeg
Prolifération d’algues emportées sur les rives d’une plage du lac Winnipeg
Un précurseur des A Bellwether of Climate Impacts to impacts climatiques Come? à venir? R.W. Sandford EPCOR Chair, Water & Climate Security, United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment & Health
R.W. Sandford EPCOR Chaire de recherche, Sécurité de l’eau et du climat, Institut universitaire des Nations Unies pour l’eau, l’environnement et la santé
I
I
t appears we keep crossing threshold after invisible threshold with respect to changes in Earthly hydrological, biological and climatic interactions. And even though we know that this will result in step-like changes in the conditions we rely upon for the hydro-ecological-climatic stability that is the very foundation of our social, economic and political stability, we appear to be able to identify these thresholds only after we have already crossed them. The latest thresholds we have discovered we may have crossed are symbolized by the changing condition of Lake Winnipeg. At 25,514 square kilometres, Lake Winnipeg is the sixth-largest lake in Canada. Its watershed is a huge basin that straddles four Canadian provinces and two US states. While not a transboundary water body in its own right, the lake’s major source is the Red River, which flows northward out of the United States.
l semblerait que nous ne cessions de franchir seuil invisible après seuil invisible en ce qui a trait aux changements dans les interactions terrestres, qu’elles soient de nature hydrologique, biologique ou climatique. Et même si nous savons que cela résultera en des changements par étages dans les conditions sur lesquelles nous comptons pour la stabilité hydro-écologiqueclimatique, qui est le fondement même de notre stabilité sociale, économique et politique, il semblerait que nous n’arrivions à repérer ces seuils seulement une fois que nous les avons déjà franchis. Nous venons de découvrir que les tout derniers seuils que nous avons peut-être franchis sont symbolisés par la condition changeante du lac Winnipeg.
The urgency of meaningful action to address the deteriorating ecological condition of Lake Winnipeg, and the threat it poses to the economic health of surrounding communities, is accelerating. . The scale of the
Avec ses 25 514 kilomètres carrés, le lac Winnipeg est le sixième grand lac du Canada. Son bassin hydrographique est un immense bassin qui chevauche quatre provinces canadiennes et deux États américains. Bien qu’il ne s’agisse pas d’un plan d’eau transfrontalier de plein droit, la principale source du lac est la rivière Rouge, qui s’écoule vers le Nord à partir des États-Unis.
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Official Magazine of the Canadian Water Resources Association
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problem appears to be growing both in extent and complexity. Algal blooms as large as 17,000 square kilometres in area are now appearing in the lake, Members of Manitoba’s Lake Friendly Alliance have been tracking what has happened to Lake Winnipeg in the barely two years since the Alliance was formed in an effort to better understand eutrophication and other threats to lakes, streams and rivers in Manitoba.
L’urgence d’une action constructive en vue de s’attaquer à la détérioration de la condition écologique du lac Winnipeg, et à la menace que celle-ci pose à la santé économique des collectivités avoisinantes, se fait de plus en plus pressante. Le problème semble prendre de l’ampleur, tant au chapitre de l’étendue que de la complexité. Des proliférations d’algues qui s’étendent sur une surface allant jusqu’à 17 000 kilomètres carrés ont envahi le lac. Les membres de l’Alliance Lake Friendly du Manitoba ont suivi les changements que le lac Winnipeg a subis au cours des deux années à peine qui ont suivi le jour où l’Alliance a été formée dans le but de mieux comprendre l’eutrophisation et les autres menaces qui pèsent sur les lacs, sur les cours d’eau et sur les rivières du Manitoba.
Renowned scientists such as University of Alberta’s Dr. David Schindler and the University of Saskatchewan’s Dr. John Pomeroy have demonstrated that the basin has in fact crossed an invisible hydro-climatic threshold into a new hydro-meteorological regime. While the western part of the basin has gotten drier and is delivering less water and nutrients, and the eastern part has done the reverse. In this part of the basin it appears we can expect more frequent large-scale flooding that will mobilize more nutrients, not just into Lake Winnipeg but into all of Manitoba’s like water bodies. Manitoba is not alone in facing the problems associated with algal blooms . Independent research identified the presence of harmful cyanotoxins such as those that have appeared in algal blooms in Lake Winnipeg in 246 lakes across Canada. While recognized as a regional problem for the past 50 years, eutrophication is clearly becoming an issue nationally. Zebra mussels were then discovered in both the Red River and Lake Winnipeg, a development that will complicate every effort to restore the health and maintain the biodiversity of the big lake and similar water bodies throughout southern Manitoba. It did not help the reputation of the province when an international fisheries watchdog agency later proclaimed to the world that because of what it perceived as poor fisheries management, consumers should not buy fish from Manitoba’s largest lakes.
Technical.Article
The urgency of dealing more quickly with the Lake Winnipeg situation was further brought home in early December of 2015 when the newsletter of the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation published satellite images of the unprecedented extent and long duration of algal blooms in that nearby lake system. The presence of such large algal blooms in Lake of the Woods, in addition to reports of the return of eutrophic conditions in Lake Erie and other Great Lakes after decades of successful remediation, make it clear that the problem may be more widespread than we thought. What happened next confirms this.
Des scientifiques renommés comme M. David Schindler de l’Université de l’Alberta et M. John Pomeroy de l’Université de la Saskatchewan ont démontré que le bassin a en fait franchi un seuil hydro-climatique invisible pour passer à un nouveau régime hydrométéorologique. La partie ouest du bassin s’est asséchée et apporte une moins grande quantité d’eau et d’éléments nutritifs. Par contre, c’est tout à fait l’opposé pour la partie est. En effet, dans cette partie du bassin, il semblerait que nous pouvons nous attendre à de plus fréquentes inondations à vaste échelle qui mobiliseront davantage d’éléments nutritifs, non seulement dans le lac Winnipeg mais dans tous les plans d’eau semblables du Manitoba. Le Manitoba n’est pas la seule province à faire face aux problèmes associés aux proliférations d’algues. Des recherches indépendantes ont révélé la présence, dans 246 lacs à la grandeur du Canada, de cyanotoxines nocives semblables à celles qui sont apparues dans les efflorescences algales du lac Winnipeg. Bien qu’elle ait été reconnue en tant que problème régional au cours des 50 dernières années, l’eutrophisation est manifestement en train de devenir un problème à l’échelle nationale. La moule zébrée a ensuite été découverte à la fois dans la rivière Rouge et dans le lac Winnipeg, un développement qui viendra compliquer le moindre effort déployé en vue de restaurer la santé et de maintenir la biodiversité du grand lac et des plans d’eau semblables dans tout le sud du Manitoba.
If that were not enough, further research has demonstrated that lake temperatures in Canada appear to be warming at double the global average. We
Cela n’a certes pas aidé la réputation de la province lorsqu’un organisme international de surveillance des pêches est ensuite venu proclamer haut et fort qu’en raison de ce que l’on percevait comme une piètre gestion des pêches, les consommateurs devraient s’abstenir d’acheter du poisson provenant des lacs les plus grands du Manitoba. L’urgence d’agir et de réagir plus rapidement à la situation du lac Winnipeg est devenue encore plus apparente au début de décembre 2015 au moment de la publication dans le bulletin de la Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation d’images satellites révélant l’ampleur sans précédent, et de la longue durée, des proliférations d’algues dans le réseau de lacs avoisinant. La présence d’une si vaste prolifération d’algues dans le lac des Bois, ajoutée aux constatations du retour des conditions eutrophiques dans le lac Érié et dans d’autres Grands Lacs après des décennies de remédiation réussie, prouvent hors de tout doute que le problème pourrait être plus répandu qu’on l’aurait cru. Ce qui s’est produit par la suite vient le confirmer.
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Hard on the heels of the Lake of the Woods report, a global survey of hundreds of the Earth’s lakes, published in Science, revealed that climate change is causing lakes to warm faster than the oceans or the air around them. One reason is that warmer winter temperatures are producing less ice on lakes that normally freeze over. Reduced ice coverage in turn increases the amount of sunlight lakes absorb. These rising temperatures will not only exacerbate problems associated with eutrophication, but may also speed the conversion of carbon-rich organic matter in lake sediments into methane and carbon dioxide, gases that once released into the atmosphere exacerbate global warming.
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can all see where this is heading. No lake in Canada will be safe much longer from the combined effects of impacts we have brought about by changes in land-use and cover, the intensification of agricultural practices in Canada and changes in the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere globally.
Tout juste dans la foulée du rapport du lac des Bois, une étude mondiale portant sur des centaines de lacs dans le monde entier, publiée dans Science, a révélé que le changement climatique amène les lacs à se réchauffer plus rapidement que les océans ou que l’air qui les entoure. Une raison à cela tient au fait que les températures d’hiver plus élevées entraînent la réduction de la glace sur les lacs, qui en temps normal seraient censés geler. Cette réduction de la surface de glace en retour fait augmenter la quantité de lumière du soleil qu’absorbent les lacs. Ces températures à la hausse ne feront pas qu’exacerber les problèmes associés à l’eutrophisation, mais elles pourraient aussi précipiter la conversion de la matière organique riche en carbone, qu’on trouve dans les sédiments des lacs, en méthane et en dioxyde de carbone, des gaz qui, une fois relâchés dans l’atmosphère, exacerbent le réchauffement de la planète. Comme si cela ne suffisait pas, d’autres recherches ont démontré que les températures des lacs au Canada semblent se réchauffer deux fois plus que la moyenne mondiale. Nous pouvons voir où tout cela nous mène. Aucun lac du Canada ne demeurera sûr encore bien longtemps étant donné les effets combinés des impacts que nous avons provoqués en raison des changements touchant l’utilisation des terres et la couverture terrestre, de l’intensification des pratiques agricoles au Canada et des changements dans la composition de l’atmosphère terrestre à l’échelle mondiale.
Soil conservation and health – keeping soil and water on the land and carbon in the soil – is our only hope. What we need is another green revolution – but this time focused also on soil health as a means of mitigating and adapting to extreme weather events such as droughts and floods and on the ability of healthy soils to pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and to capture and store it in the vast agricultural landscapes we are going to need to create a sustainable future.
Moins de deux mois après que l’on ait annoncé que les températures des lacs partout dans le monde allaient augmentant, un rapport encore plus alarmant révélait que les proliférations d’algues gagnaient aussi les océans de toute la planète. En février 2016, des chercheurs de l’Alaska œuvrant auprès de la National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration des États-Unis ont annoncé que plus de 900 mammifères marins de l’Arctique, ayant été capturés ou étant décédés après s’être échoués, présentaient des toxines algales chez les espèces prédatrices, notamment les baleines boréales, les otaries à fourrure et les loutres de mer. Ces poisons neuraux – acide domoïque et saxitoxine – sont mortels en doses élevées et ont été trouvés dans 13 espèces de mammifères marins dans des habitats allant du sud-est de l’Alaska jusqu’au nord, aussi loin que dans les mers de Beaufort et des Tchouktches. Les chercheurs ont été surpris par de telles constatations. Selon l’une des principales scientifiques du domaine des pêches de la NOAA, Kathi Lefebvre, citée dans un article de Ryan Schuessler publié en février 2016 dans le Washington Post : « Nous ne nous attendions pas à ce que ces toxines soient présentes dans le réseau alimentaire à des niveaux suffisamment élevés pour qu’il soit possible de les détecter chez ces prédateurs ». Cependant, cette découverte en dit long et permet d’expliquer ces étranges décès au sein de la vie marine dans l’Arctique, y compris le décès de plus de 30 baleines en Alaska en 2015 et de milliers d’oiseaux qui ont commencé à s’échouer sur le rivage dans le golf du Prince William en janvier 2016. Les eaux de l’Arctique se réchauffent et la glace de mer fond. L’exposition accrue à la lumière du soleil accélère la croissance des algues et cette prolifération d’algues s’accompagne de cyanotoxines mortelles. Les chercheurs ont fait valoir que leurs études apportaient de nouvelles preuves selon lesquelles les températures plus élevées des océans permettent aux algues de proliférer et de s’étendre
Continued on page 20
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What is presently being missed here, however, are the larger implications. Rather than control our own swelling numbers, humanity instead mounted a green revolution. With the goal of feeding our growing billions, we over-fertilized the world – but wastefully. If Canada is to survive climate change and sustain its prosperity through its long established capacity to feed an ever-expanding global population, we must avoid self-terminating agricultural practices. We forget that agriculture is the foundation of our civilization. By way of the green revolution agriculture has already saved us once; now we need agriculture to save us again not just from the unintended consequences of the first agricultural revolution but from the real threats of further population growth, water insecurity and climate instability. What we need is another agricultural revolution – one in which society agrees to pay farmers not just for crops but for perpetuating critical Earth system functions over the ever-expanding lands now under agriculture globally.
Official Magazine of the Canadian Water Resources Association
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Less than two months after it was reported that lake temperatures worldwide were rising, an even more alarming report offered evidence that algal blooms are also expanding in the world’s oceans. In February 2016, researchers in Alaska with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that more than 900 samples from Arctic marine mammals that were either harvested or died while stranded revealed algal toxins in predator species including bowhead whales, fur seals and sea otters. These neural poisons – domoic acid and saxitoxin – are deadly in high doses and were found in 13 marine mammal species in habitats from southeastern Alaska to as far north as the Beaufort and Chukchi seas. Researchers were surprised by the findings. According to one of the lead NOAA fisheries scientists, Kathi Lefebvre, quoted in a February 2016 Washington Post story by Ryan Schuessler, “We did not expect these toxins to be present in the food web in high enough levels to be detected in these predators.” But the discovery goes a long way to explain strange marine life die-offs in the Arctic, including the death of more than 30 whales in Alaska in 2015 and thousands of dead birds that began washing ashore in Prince William Sound in January 2016. Arctic waters are warming, sea ice is melting. The greater exposure to sunlight accelerates algal growth and with algal blooms come deadly cyanotoxins. The researchers noted that their study added further evidence that warming ocean temperatures are allowing algal blooms to extend into Arctic ecosystems, with significant consequences for communities that rely on the sea for food and livelihood.
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What we need is another green revolution – but one this time focused on increasing productivity certainly, but also on the integration of water, food and climate security at the basin scale. Canada should be a leader in that revolution. There is no reason that revolution can’t start here.
aux écosystèmes de l’Arctique, ce qui a des répercussions importantes sur les collectivités qui dépendent de la mer à la fois pour leur alimentation et pour leurs moyens de subsistance.
Bob Sandford is the EPCOR Chair for Water Security at the United Nations University Institute of Water, Environment & Health. He is the author of Storm Warning: Water and Climate Security in a Changing World and co-author, along with former BC Deputy Minister of Environment, Jon O’Riordan of The Climate Nexus: Water, Food, Energy and Biodiversity in a Changing World. Both books were published by Rocky Mountain Books late in 2015. REFERENCES Orihel, D. M., D. F. Bird, M. Brylinsky, H. Chen, D. B. Donald, D. Y. Huang, A. Giani, D. Kinniburgh, H. Kling, B. G. Kotak, P. R. Leavitt, C. C. Nielsen, S. Reedyk, R. C. Rooney, S. B. Watson, R. W. Zurawell, and R. D. Vinebrooke. 2012. High microcystin concentrations occur only at low nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratios in nutrient-rich Canadian lakes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 69:1457– 1462. [This article was selected by the editor for a press release, and was the “most-read” article in this journal in 2012.] O”Riordan,, J. Sandford, R.W. 2015, The Climate Nexus: Water, Food, Energy and Biodiversity in a Changing World, Rocky Mountain Books, Victoria, B.C. Sandford. R.W., 2011, Saving Lake Winnipeg. Rocky Mountain Books, Victoria, B.C. Sandford, R.W., 2015, Storm Warning: Water and Climate Security in a Changing World, Rocky Mountain Books, Victoria, B.C. Schindler, David W. and Vallentyne, John R., The Algal Bowl: Overfertilization of the World’s Freshwaters and Estuaries. The University of Alberta Press, 2008. Find reference to the American Geophysical Research Letters report “Climate Change Rapidly Warming the World’s Lake” here: http://phys.org/news/2015-12-climate-rapidly-world-lakes.html
Technical.Article
Find reference to “NASA study finds Earth’s lakes are warming” here: http://phys.org/news/2010-11-nasa-earth-lakes.html#nRlv Find reference to paper in Nature “Lakes Warm Worldwide” here: http://www.nature.com/news/lakes-warm-worldwide-1.19034 Also see ”Earth’s Lakes Are Warming Faster Than The Oceans And Atmosphere” here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/earths-lakes-warming-faster_ us_567480f9e4b0b958f656c66e See American Geophysical Union report on “Climate Change Rapidly Warming World’s Lakes” here: https://news.agu.org/press-release/climate-change-rapidly-warmingworlds-lakes/ Continued on page 21
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Ce qui nous échappe ici, cependant, ce sont les retombées à plus vaste échelle. Au lieu de chercher à contrôler la croissance de ses propres populations, l’humanité a opté pour une révolution verte. Afin de nourrir des milliards de personnes dont le nombre ne cesse de croître, nous avons surfertilisé la planète, en faisant fi du gaspillage. Si le Canada souhaite survivre au changement climatique et assurer sa prospérité grâce à sa capacité établie de longue date de nourrir une population mondiale sans cesse croissante, nous devons éviter les pratiques ou les modèles agricoles non durables. Nous oublions que l’agriculture est la pierre angulaire de notre civilisation. Grâce à la révolution verte, l’agriculture nous a déjà sauvés une fois; aujourd’hui nous avons besoin que l’agriculture nous sauve une fois encore, non pas seulement des conséquences involontaires de la première révolution agricole, mais également des véritables menaces associées à la croissance démographique, à l’insécurité liée à l’eau et à l’instabilité du climat. Ce dont nous avons besoin c’est d’une autre révolution agricole suivant laquelle la société accepte de payer les agriculteurs non pas seulement pour leurs récoltes mais aussi parce qu’ils perpétuent les fonctions essentielles du système terrestre à la grandeur des terres agricoles qui ne cessent de gagner en importance à l’échelle mondiale. Santé et conservation des sols – notre seul espoir consiste à conserver le sol et l’eau dans les terres et le carbone dans le sol. Ce dont nous avons besoin c’est d’une autre révolution verte, mais cette foisci axée également sur la santé du sol en tant que moyen d’atténuer les événements météorologiques extrêmes et de s’y adapter, notamment les sécheresses et les inondations, et aussi axée sur la capacité des sols sains d’extraire le dioxyde de carbone de l’atmosphère et de le capturer et de l’emmagasiner dans les vastes paysages agricoles dont nous aurons besoin afin de créer un avenir durable. Ce dont nous avons besoin c’est d’une autre révolution verte, axée cette fois-ci sur une hausse de la productivité, bien entendu, mais aussi sur l’intégration de la sécurité alimentaire et de la sécurité de l’eau et du climat à l’échelle du bassin. Le Canada devrait être à la tête de cette révolution. Il n’existe aucune raison pour laquelle nous ne pourrions pas lancer cette révolution ici-même. M. Bob Sandford est titulaire de la chaire de recherche EPCOR, Sécurité de l’eau, à l’Institut universitaire des Nations Unies pour l’eau, l’environnement et la santé. Il est l’auteur de l’ouvrage Storm Warning: Water and Climate Security in a Changing World et coauteur, conjointement avec l’ancien ministre adjoint de l’Environnement de la Colombie-Britannique, M. Jon O’Riordan, de l’ouvrage The Climate Nexus: Water, Food, Energy and Biodiversity in a Changing World. Les deux ouvrages ont été publiés par Rocky Mountain Books vers la fin de 2015. Suite à la page 21
Continued from page 20
See the AAAS report on the Earth’s lakes are warming faster than its air here: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/12/earth-s-lakes-are-warming-faster-its-air On the subject of increasing warming in northern lakes see “On Thin Ice: Big Northern Lakes Are Being Rapidly Transformed” here: http://e360.yale.edu/feature/on_thin_ice_big_northern_lakes_are_ being_rapidly_transformed/2933/ For the report on “Great Lakes are warming twice as fast as the oceans” see here: https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/study-great-lakesare-warming-twice-as-fast-oceans/61251 For the research paper on the “Prevalence of algal toxins mammals foraging in a changing arctic and subarctic environment” by Kathi Lefebyre et al see the journal Harmful Algae, Volume 55, May 2016, Page 13-24 at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/ S1568988315301244
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O”Riordan,, J. Sandford, R.W. 2015, The Climate Nexus: Water, Food, Energy and Biodiversity in a Changing World, Rocky Mountain Books, Victoria, B.C. Sandford. R.W., 2011, Saving Lake Winnipeg. Rocky Mountain Books, Victoria, B.C. Sandford, R.W., 2015, Storm Warning: Water and Climate Security in a Changing World, Rocky Mountain Books, Victoria, B.C. Schindler, David W. and Vallentyne, John R., The Algal Bowl: Overfertilization of the World’s Freshwaters and Estuaries. The University of Alberta Press, 2008. Vous trouverez ici le rapport de Geophysical Research Letters (États-Unis) « Climate Change Rapidly Warming the World’s Lake » : http://phys.org/news/2015-12-climate-rapidly-world-lakes.html Vous trouverez ici l’article “NASA study finds Earth’s lakes are warming” : http://phys.org/news/2010-11-nasa-earth-lakes.html#nRlv
Vous trouverez ici l’article dans Nature “Lakes Warm Worldwide” : http://www.nature.com/news/lakes-warm-worldwide-1.19034 Voir aussi : ”Earth’s Lakes Are Warming Faster Than The Oceans And Atmosphere” : http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/earths-lakes-warming-faster_ us_567480f9e4b0b958f656c66e Voir ici le rapport de l’American Geophysical Union “Climate Change Rapidly Warming World’s Lakes” : https://news.agu.org/press-release/climate-change-rapidly-warmingworlds-lakes/ Voir ici le rapport de l’AAAS - Earth’s lakes are warming faster than its air here: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/12/earth-s-lakes-are-warmingfaster-its-air Au sujet du réchauffement des lacs dans le nord, voir : “On Thin Ice: Big Northern Lakes Are Being Rapidly Transformed” : http://e360.yale.edu/feature/on_thin_ice_big_northern_lakes_are_being_ rapidly_transformed/2933/ Voir ici le rapport “Great Lakes are warming twice as fast as the oceans” : https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/study-great-lakes-arewarming-twice-as-fast-oceans/61251 Pour le document de recherche “Prevalence of algal toxins mammals foraging in a changing arctic and subarctic environment” par Kathi Lefebyre et al., voir la revue Harmful Algae, volume 55, mai 2016, pages 13 à 24 à : http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568988315301244 Official Magazine of the Canadian Water Resources Association
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REFERENCES / BIBLIOGRAPHIE Orihel, D. M., D. F. Bird, M. Brylinsky, H. Chen, D. B. Donald, D. Y. Huang, A. Giani, D. Kinniburgh, H. Kling, B. G. Kotak, P. R. Leavitt, C. C. Nielsen, S. Reedyk, R. C. Rooney, S. B. Watson, R. W. Zurawell, and R. D. Vinebrooke. 2012. High microcystin concentrations occur only at low nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratios in nutrient-rich Canadian lakes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 69:1457–1462. [Cet article a été sélectionné par le rédacteur en chef pour un communiqué et a été l’article le plus lu de cette revue en 2012.]
Everybody should have to live with a holding tank……Ramblings of an old water guy
I
was recently thinking about my experiences living with a “holding tank” to manage my sewage. A holding tank for those who are not familiar with rural sewage practices is simply a large tank that holds the household sewage until a hauler pumps it into a truck and hauls it to the treatment plant or sewage lagoon. What started me thinking about it was that we had the final hookup for a new low pressure sewer system. This got me wondering about how things will change, my neighbours and I no longer have to worry about “how much room is there in the tank”. I came to the conclusion that most people don’t think enough about their sewage treatment and because they don’t think about sewage treatment they don’t think about their water usage. I know that I didn’t when living in the city where drinking water and sewage services were provided. The reason given for moving our rural area to a sewer system is that it’s good for the environment. I have to wonder why this is better than a holding tank. How can you improve on a system where all liquid waste goes in the tank and is hauled by truck to a sewage treatment plant? When I questioned municipal officials it was then explained to me, in a condescending tone, that people cheat. Of course people try to cheat, that why there are regulations, and if they are enforced fewer people cheat. Of course that would require an investment on the part of government for personnel to enforce regulations….but I digress. A properly installed holding tank collects all liquid waste from your household and places it in a tank holding about 5,700 litres of waste. With the average Canadian water consumption of 250 litres per day, one person would fill the tank in about 23 days. An unscientific survey of neighbours (those I know weren’t cheating) indicated that their consumption was somewhat less than 100 litres/person/day. The reason is quite simple. The holding tank provides immediate feedback on your water use habits, probably better than a water meter. It is a major cause of concern when the tank is full and nobody can use the facilities. As a result people on holding tanks are constantly checking on “how much room is there in the tank”. Most people also live by the old axiom “if it’s yellow, let it mellow - if it’s brown, flush it down”. When you took a shower it was a short shower. You constantly checked the level in the tank or installed a level alarm so you didn’t get caught short, especially if guests were expected. The septic truck driver became someone you wanted as your friend, in case you need to call him when the level becomes critical at the start of a long weekend. The low-pressure sewer system is the next step up from having from having a holding tank because it simply pumps off the liquid that’s in the tank. You still have to pump out solid waste annually. Sewage
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charges will be a flat quarterly rate, since water is supplied from a well and there are no meters. The most common comment I heard most before the sewers were installed was “Won’t it be wonderful when we can flush and forget”. The problem with that is the forgetting part. We don’t think about how much water we use because it’s simply goes away when we pull the plug or push the handle. When you have a holding tank water use is always on your mind because you have a limited capacity before you have to call the guy with the truck. For most people on systems where you don’t have to call the guy with the truck, it’s generally out of sight and out of mind. Installing sewers, even low pressure sewers is very expensive and human nature being as it is everybody will want to get the most out of their contribution to the cost of constructing and operating the system. More than one person has told me how they are looking forward to flushing every time they go, using the jetted tub that was rarely used or putting in the biggest rain shower head that they can find to get the most out of the new system. So what have we accomplished? We have taken a conservation minded community that was very aware of their water consumption and potentially turned them into a community that does not know or care about their water consumption or the volume of sewage they produce. There are still many communities in Canada where potable water is supplied but not metered. More than 23 years ago I attended a Workshop on “Municipal Water and Wastewater Pricing, Every Drop Counts - A National Conference on Water Conservation”. We still have a long way to go. Approximately 1/3rd of Canadians have water supplied without meters. Even the City of Toronto, one of the oldest municipally owned water utilities in the country, is in the final stages of a program to install water meters at all homes and businesses. It may strike people as odd that I am a little nostalgic about my holding tank, but it made me think about my behavior. It made me search out the Australian dual flush toilet before they became common and the low flow shower head that still gave enough pressure. It gave me an excuse to remind people to not let the water run excessively, after all, “we are on a tank”. In spite of the fact that I didn’t pay for water, it made water consumption important. Which brings me back to my original premise. Everyone should have to live with a holding tank, even for just a short while, to remind ourselves how lucky we are to have the services we do and maybe think about our water use just a little more.
Canadian Water Resources Association - Water Management Award of Excellence WHAT WILL BE THE PROCESS? Stage 1 - Submission of an entry form, fee and one-page abstract describing the project. Finalists will be notified of their selection to be showcased at the conference (Stage 2).
T
he CWRA Water Management Award was created to recognize CWRA members and their organizations for outstanding projects that will make a significant contribution in the protection and wise management of Canada’s water resources.
Stage 2 - Conference showcase of award finalists Submission of no more than a 10-page project summary. Project must adequately describe the project objectives, intent, constraints, challenges, accomplishments, and unique/outstanding elements, etc.
WHAT WILL BE THE PURPOSE FOR THE AWARD? To showcase projects that have demonstrated a commitment to the protection and wise management of Canada’s water resources.
A display board will be required from each finalist to be displayed during the conference. The display board poster will be mounted on foam core board or equivalent. Maximum (length + width) dimensions not to exceed 72” in total (i.e., 36” x 36” or 40” x 32”).
To showcase projects that would educate and stimulate awareness and understanding of Canada’s water resources and the recognition of the high priority and value of water. To raise awareness of CWRA to members and non-members. WHAT WILL BE THE CRITERIA FOR CONSIDERATION FOR AWARD? The award is open to any study or project that has demonstrated a commitment and innovation in the protection and wise management of Canada’s water. Projects must be located in the host province for the National Conference. If project is a watershed-related study that crosses provincial boundaries, the project proponent/owner must be in the host province. The award is open to organizations and requires that at least one core project team member be a CWRA member in good standing and that at least one core project team member attend the conference to accompany the submission. Project must have been completed within the past two years of the award application deadline.
Judging would take place by the host conference organizing committee awards subcommittee. If members of the awards committee work for organizations that have submitted projects for consideration, these members shall abstain from the judging of their respective organization’s submissions. Award winners will be given recognition during the awards presentation at the National Conference (May or June), a recognition page (8” x 10”) to be published in the CWRA WaterNews, a physical award and award certificate. TIMELINES / DEADLINES: Entry form, abstract and project summary due February 1. Notification of finalists to be made by the Awards Committee by approximately April 1. Electronic submission (PDF) of display boards to be sent to the Awards Committee by May 1. Display boards to be delivered by the proponent to the conference venue no later than the conference opening. Winning submission will be announced and award presented during the conference evening banquet.
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CWRA News and Events 21-22 September 2016 ACZISC Meeting #78, St. John’s, NL CANADA 24-28 September 2016 WEFTEC.16 New Orleans, LA USA 26-27 September 2016 Natural Channel Systems Conference www.naturalchannels.ca 27-30 September 2016 - Under Western Skies 2016 Mt Royal College, Calgary, Alberta, CANADA 4-7 October 2016 Western Canada Water 2016 Annual Conference “Honouring the full circle” Telus Convention Centre, Calgary, AB CANADA 5-7 October 2016 WaterSmart Innovations Las Vegas, NV USA 9 – 13 October 2016 IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition 2016, Brisbane - Australia 26-28 October 2016 Aquatech Mexico Mexico City, Mexico 1-4 November 2016 NALMS Symposium - Science to Stewardship: Balancing Economic Growth and Lake Sustainability in Banff, AB. 30 October-2 November 2016 Water Infrastructure Conference & Exposition, Phoenix - Arizona (USA) 2-3 November 2016 7th International Conference and Exhibition on Water, Wastewater & Environmental Monitoring (WWEM) 2016 Telford, England - United Kingdom 6-10 November 2016 International Water Conference San Antonio, Texas 13-16 November 2016 CWWA National Water and Wastewater Conference Toronto ON Marriott Eaton Centre
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6 -12 November 2016 2nd World Irrigation Forum and 67th IEC, Chiang Mai, Thailand http://www.worldirrigationforum.net 7-10 May 2017 Ontario’s Water Conference & Trade Show. Niagara Falls, ON 11-15 June, 2017 AWWA ACE17 Philadelphia, PA 8-14 October 2017 68th IEC and 23rd ICID Congress on Irrigation and Drainage, on the theme: Modernizing Irrigation and Drainage for a new Green Revolution, Mexico City, Mexico E-mail:
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected] 29 April - 2 May 2018 Ontario’s Water Conference & Trade Show Niagara Falls, ON 11-15 June 2018 AWWA ACE18 Las Vegas, NV 12-17 August 2018 69th IEC and Local Congress on Irrigation and Drainage, Saskatoon, SK. CANADA 5-8 May 2019 Ontario’s Water Conference & Trade Show. Ottawa, ON CWRA Webmaster CWRA is currently looking for a qualified individual to manage implementation, coordination and branding of the CWRA websites and Google Apps account. This individual will be responsible for content management, and will develop, maintain and enforce policies and protocols for website content in cooperation with the CWRA Website Committee. The successful applicant will possess technical programming skills that include knowledge of Joomla and experience in website and page design. Preference will go to those individuals who are bilingual and have a good understanding of the CWRA organization. For more information go to the CWRA website at www. cwra.org
UPCOMING WEBINARS Alberta Lunch ‘n Learn Webinar Series Seminar 1 Near Real Time Water Data Management – From Field to Phone | September 29, 2016 12:00 MDT Shelley Morris, Team Lead, Groundwater, Water Supply and Soil Contamination Alberta Environment and Parks. This presentation will feature a 30 minute discussion on how the near real water supply data is acquired from the field monitoring stations through to the public Alberta River Basins webpage and phone app. Other data sets used in the department will be briefly discussed and where they can be found. Q&A section to follow. Visit the CWRA website to register. Saskatchewan Webinar Series Starting this fall, the Saskatchewan CWRA branch will be offering a series of webinars with speakers from around the province. CWRA members will receive discounted rates. Check the weekly CWRA e-newsletter or follow us on Facebook or Twitter for dates and topics. The Raven Hydrological Framework Workshop Instructed by James R. Craig, CSHS Executive member, lead developer for the Raven framework and the Canada Research Chair in Hydrologic Modelling and Analysis at the University of Waterloo. Learn how to use the Raven Hydrological Modelling Framework. It’s a flexible and user-friendly software tool for simple and complex watershed models that enables the user to customize their model to different landscapes in Canada, and contains a suite of diagnostic tools for assessing and improving model quality. Practitioners, consultants, researchers, and organizations for flood and reservoir forecasting, climate change impact assessment, regional water resource planning activities, and research applications currently use Raven across Canada. Users include BC Hydro, TransAlta, New Brunswick Ministry of the Environment, Alberta WaterSmart, and the National Research Council. For more information, visit http://www.civil.uwaterloo.ca/ jrcraig/Raven/Main.html CSHS Short Course Physical Principles of Hydrology Kananaskis Valley, Alberta January 10 - 21, 2017 This ten-day field course examines the physical principles and processes that govern hydrology, with special reference to Canadian conditions.
The deadline to register is December 1, 2016. Go to www.cwra.org for more information and to register. CSHS Branch Rep Meetings (Quarterly) If you would like to participate or have ideas for the next meeting, let your branch president or CSHS rep know. Not sure who it is? Check the CWRA branch webpages. January Mid-Term Board Meeting and Workshop – Ottawa, Ontario Planning is underway for the mid-term meeting and workshop in Ottawa, Ontario. The planning committee is developing some exciting ideas for topics and presenters. Check the CWRA website at www.cwra.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates on speaker announcements and details as they become available. 70th CWRA AGM and National Conference Water: A Continental Asset - Water observes no political or ideological boundaries. Lethbridge, Alberta 4-7 June 4 – 7, 2017 For more information, please visit the conference website at http://www.cwra.org/en/branches/alberta/ab-news 69th Annual International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage – International Executive Council Meeting and Regional Conference Saskatoon, Saskatchewan August 12 -17, 2018 Hosted by CWRA and CANCID Waterlution’s Great Waters Challenge CWRA is a prize partner in this important event that is designed to showcase the deep connection that lies between our water and our identity as Canadians— from indigenous traditional knowledge to western practices. Throughout the game, we will look for ways to celebrate our great waters leading up to Canada’s 150th anniversary on July 1, 2017. By discovering many stories about our water’s past, we can better understand how it will influence our future. Registration closes October 3, 2016. For more info go to www.waterlution.org World Water-Tech North America Toronto, Ontario October 18 – 20, 2016 Early bird registration is over but CWRA members are eligible for registration discount of up to $300. Go to www.worldwatertechnorthamerica.com for more information or to register.
Space is limited and fills up every year, so sign up early to guarantee your spot. Official Magazine of the Canadian Water Resources Association
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Citizen Volunteer “Scientists” Help CoCoRaHS & Canada Daily provide the Precipitation Data needed by many interested organizations:
W
hat is CoCoRaHS? Stands for Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) a non-profit organization comprised of volunteers who are measuring snow and rain in their own backyards or business locations. The CoCoRaHS Website is the only place where people can share this kind of information. It was created by Colorado State University 17 years ago; the network has been in Canada since 2011. CoCoRaHS Canada has been steadily growing with now more than 1,300+ volunteers across the country, coast to coast and the Territories. December 2015 saw the launch of CoCoRaHS Bahamas! WHAT DO OUR CITIZENSHIP SCIENCE VOLUNTEERS DO? Rain or snow, CoCoRaHS Citizenship Science Volunteer Network collects daily precipitation results, our goal is to have reports before 10am daily, so that we have maps by 10am across the nation, showing precipitation or lack of, readily available to anyone from the Open Source Public Network. Our enthusiastic band of volunteers either report via their APPs directly whist standing in front of their precipitation gauges or online later. Interestingly, their APPs typically can hold their own CoCoRaHS station data reported up to four months, so they have their own historic precipitation station report right there in their own pockets. So they can always answer those questions about the weather such as when did it rain last and how much did we get! BUT IMPORTANTLY WHY DO WE DO IT? The easy answer is the old saying is true “Rain does not fall the same on all!”, so with expensive automated stations it’s always difficult to be in the right location each time it rains or snow, so it’s difficult to get the complete ‘picture’ of precipitation across the Nation. Our solution is a “kit in a box” that can be set up easily and reporting begins the very next day.
have Provincial Coordinators, an Administrator and a National Coordinator all willing to answer any question and to provide data or maps or other supporting materials CALLING YOU OR YOUR GROUP TO JOIN US & WHY? Volunteering is rewarding Put Your data on our daily maps and into your own smart phone with the APP We even have options for accumulation reports for vacation times! “Every Drop Counts!” It’s easy to join & set up with low costs, compared with automated stations with ongoing maintenance or calibration costs CoCoRaHS, we are always looking for more volunteers to make data on our site even more accurate and show greater geographical density We have ongoing quality daily checking of data reports to ensure accurate representation Water Year Summaries are generated each year showing overview of Precipitation Recorded IF you are interested in weather data this is an additional source, set up your local group and receive ‘bulk data’ reports directly to you for your own use WHO USES OUR PUBLIC PRECIPITATION DATA? As above, our ranges of volunteers come from many different interests or industries. They also join as they use the data for their own needs; such as: weather forecasters, climatologists, hydrologists, water management, researchers, Agriculture, insurance industry, engineering, recreation, schools & many others or individuals. Take a look at this link http://www. cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=CoCoRaHS_Uses HERE’S WHAT A FEW OF OUR VOLUNTEERING GROUPS SAY ABOUT COCORAHS “The CoCoRaHS program with its standardized gauges and measurement practices develops a group of engaged and dedicated citizens who share the same vision of providing local, accurate and timely precipitation data to the public.” Kristoffer Laser, CANWARN Volunteer
It’s also worth noting amongst our supporters of groups, Environment Canada Meteorologists use the information collected daily as an additional source of quality data for verification of precipitation.
“CoCoRaHS has helped to improve our monitoring coverage. We use CoCoRaHS data to aid in tracking the pathway and variability of storm events across the watershed and for quality assurance of our automated rain gauge network.” Jeff Winzenreid, Water Resources Technician, Maitland Valley Conservation Authority
Also CoCoRaHS is the only precipitation program in Canada that operates 365 days per annum including being the only network to measure SWE – Snow Water Equivalent. So our data is important to many!
Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network 1-855-999-8858 or (519) 352-5334 ext 222 C/o Weather Innovations Consulting LP, Po Box 23005, Chatham, ON, N7L 0B1
SO HOW CAN WE RESOLVE THIS? Encourage as many other dedicated ‘Backyard weather watchers to join us’ from any background or any age Our range of CoCoRaHS volunteers include ‘professionals’ such as meteorologists, hydrologists, environmentalists, weather analysts, government groups, municipalities, utilities watersheds, conservation districts, river groups to general populations including, tornado watchers, schools and retirees to name a few To continue to increase our growing geographical density across Canada – we simply cannot have too many CoCoRaHS stations We provide training, support, encouragement and a “kit in a box” for a small cost of $30.00 We
WHAT DO I DO NEXT? Read more at our website http://www.cocorahs.org/Canada.aspx including training slide shows & videos, maps & data. Join us by registering online http://www.cocorahs.org/CanadianApplication.aspx
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Tell us your Group Name and how many kits your group would like – Toll Free 1-855-999-8858 or email
[email protected] Angie Knowles, CoCoRaHS National Lead Coordinator
[email protected]
BranchREPORT
BRITISH COLUMBIA
British Columbia Branch Update BRANCH EXECUTIVE AND NATIONAL DIRECTORS President* Michael Florendo Vice President Matthew Graham Past-President* Tamsin Lyle Finance Chair Lawrence Francois Treasurer Nikou Jalayeri Secretary Craig Sutherland
Communications SYP Chair National Director National Director
Navratna Sharma Rebecca Chaster Stephanie Smith* Stefan Joyce*
*also National Directors:
For more information please visit the CWRA Website at www.cwra.org BRANCH ACTIVITIES Priority Goal 1: Improved communications among water resources professionals. • The BC Branch has a new Communications Chair who will be working closely with branch executive and communications committee to further engage our membership • The BC Branch has a new CSHS Liaison, Arelia Werner (
[email protected]) from the Pacific Climate Impact Consortium • Members of the branch executive participated in a CSHS coordination meeting in August 2016 to identify collaboration opportunities between the two organizations • Updates to branch website (www.cwrabc.ca) planned, with potential for blog-style content and regular updates Priority Goal 2: Enhanced understanding of water and integrated water management. • Following on the success of our Branch Conference in November 2015, we are planning another great season of technical lunch seminars (Sept 2016 – May 2017), with the following topics: » Drought/Water Scarcity » Urban Forest Hydrology / Stemflow from Trees » Water Sustainability Act – POLIS » River Restoration » Water Resources Asset Management
Priority Goal 3: Increased profile for the organization. • Connections to other water related organizations: » Continued involvement with Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB), Fraser Basin Council Floodplain Committee and POLIS water leaders. » Participation of BC Branch Flood Hazard Management Committee chairs on the Fraser Basin Council Joint Program Committee for Integrated Flood Hazard Management » Member of POLIS-led “BC Water Leaders Forum”. • Collaboration opportunities with other professional organizations such as CSCE • Active and growing SYP Group activities, including: » Great Canadian Shoreline Cleaup event, held in July 2016 » Field trips and technical talks planned for Fall 2016 – Spring 2017 » Support of SYP committees and events in other areas of the province Priority Goal 5: Effective management and development of the association. • Monthly Board of Directors meetings by conference call with in-person meetings once per quarter • Very active SYP and more new board members over the past few years bode well to ensure long-term sustainability of board • Current focus on increase branch membership through increased communications and engagement with current and past members, as well as with complementary organizations such as CSCE and BCWWA Official Magazine of the Canadian Water Resources Association
27
ALBERTA
BranchREPORT
Alberta Branch Update BRANCH EXECUTIVE AND NATIONAL DIRECTORS President Rick Carnduff Vice President Peter Morgan Treasurer Robyn Andrishak Secretary Sarah Fruin Past President Andrew Chan
Andrew Chan Peter Morgan Monica Wagner Rick Carnduff
For more information please visit the CWRA Website at www.cwra.org PAST ACTIVITIES Priority Goal 1: Improved communications among water resources professionals. Priority Goal 2: Enhanced understanding of water and integrated water management. Priority Goal 3: Increased profile for the organization. Priority Goal 4: Increased role in international water management activities. Priority Goal 5: Effective management and development of the association.
Alberta Branch Events Website (Priority Goals 1 and 5) The Alberta Branch has established a permanent website address and email domains to communicate events and conferences to its members rather than to establish temporary domains specific for any event. This improves stability for individuals seeking a place to find information on branch events. For the Branch’s 2015 annual conference a link was provided for individuals to download the “guidebook” app for mobile devices and download the conference program onto their mobile device.
2016 Mid-Term Directors’ Meeting and Forum (Priority Goals 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) The Alberta Branch hosted this year’s National Mid-Term Directors’ meeting on January 30, 2016. The meeting was held in Calgary at Hotel Arts. Hotel arrangements, food and beverages and AV/IT services were organized. The branch has also organized a one-day forum to coincide with the meeting, which was held on Friday, January 29, 2015 in TransAlta’s Auditorium. The forum comprised a series of presentations from invited speakers on The Bow Basin – Top to Bottom Challenges.
PROPOSED ACTIVITIES Student and Young Professionals (SYP) (Priority Goals 1, 2 and 3) The Edmonton SYP group continues to plan regular activities. This group is co-chaired by Cody Kupferschmidt (
[email protected]) and Jeff Seaman (
[email protected]). Calgary SYP group plans to continue having Blue Drinks events. The contact person is Sarah Fruin (
[email protected]). The Board is pursuing possible contacts for Lethbridge and Okotoks.
2016 Branch Conference (Priority Goals 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) The Branch’s 2016 conference is presently underway in Edmonton on April 3-5, 2016. The venue is the Courtyard Edmonton West Hotel. The conference theme is Groundwater and Surface Water Management: Interactions, Challenges and Opportunities. A one-day pre-conference workshop was held on Sunday, April 3, 2015. The workshop was on PCSWMM/EPA SWMM5 stormwater modelling with groundwater routines. SYP also organized a tour of the zoo as part of the conference activities. Student and Young Professionals (SYP) (Priority Goals 1, 2 and 3) The Edmonton SYP regularly hosts monthly Blue Drinks events in partnership with AWWA Young Profesionals, with a regular attendance of approximately 15-20 people. Calgary SYP has held two Blue Drinks events this spring/summer at the Rose & Crown Pub.
Website link:
http://www.cwra-ab-events.org/
Lunch-N-Learn/Webinar Sessions (Priority Goals 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) Two lunch-n-learn/webinar sessions are planned in Calgary for the fall of 2016 with additional sessions in 2017. The contact people are Peter Morgan (
[email protected]) and Andrew Szoijka (
[email protected]). 2017 National Conference (Priority Goals 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) Plans are underway for the national 2017 conference in Lethbridge Alberta. The event will be held at the Lethbridge Lodge on June 4-7, 2017. The conference theme Water: A Continental Asses and contacts have been made with our counterparts in the U.S. to determine their interest in being involved in some way. A HEC-RAS workshop and Wetlands workshop are planned for the days preceding and following the conference. Several day tours are being planned along with an evening BBQ. The contact people are Rick Ross (
[email protected]) and Rick Carnduff (
[email protected]). Web Site: http://www.cwra-ab-events.org/2017conference
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BranchREPORT
BRANCH EXECUTIVE AND NATIONAL DIRECTORS Pres.: Jamie Hogan V Pres. P.Pres.: Bob Halliday Sect: Brad Uhrich Treas.: Curtis Hallberg
Golder Associates Limited Malcolm Conly Environment Canada R Halliday Associates Ducks Unlimited Canada Water Security Agency
National Directors:
Russell Boals Brian Abrahamson Dirk de Boer
For more information please visit the CWRA Website at www.cwra.org As a Saskatchewan Branch, we’ve had a quiet summer and are now shifting gears into planning our activities this coming winter. I hope that our members took some time away from work to enjoy the lake or cabin or one of the many activities happening here in the summer. My personal favorite activity this summer was midafternoon swimming from our sailboat anchored in some misc. bay to the nearest beach. Unfortunately, rivers and lakes don’t stay warm, and it is time to move onto activities that don’t involve immersion. Our province experienced a rude awakening in July when some mixture of oil and diluent leaked out of a pipeline, down into the valley, and into one of our most important rivers, the North Saskatchewan River. The response by all parties involved had to be swift and a lot of people spent many long hours dealing with this emergency and the aftermath, which is ongoing. All their efforts are to be commended. When events like this happen we see emergency plans put into action, water management becomes a verb, and budgets go out the window. Now is the time to more closely examine how secure our water supplies are, and take ownership for better protecting this resource. This coming fall-winter-spring we are planning a series of lunchtime webinars on a wide range of water resources topics. Please check back on the National CWRA website for schedule and registration details. This will be open to anyone, members or notyet members. We look forward to seeing you there! Jaime Hogan Official Magazine of the Canadian Water Resources Association
29
SASKATCHEWAN
Saskatchewan Branch Update
ONTARIO
BranchREPORT
Ontario Branch Update BRANCH EXECUTIVE AND NATIONAL DIRECTORS President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer
Steve Brown* Jeff Hirvonen* Nathan Garland Gail Faveri
Director-at-Large Past-President National Director
Dean Young Nancy Davy* Stephen Braun*
For more information please visit the CWRA Website at www.cwra.org PAST ACTIVITIES Priority Goal 1: Improved Communications among Water Resources Professionals • • A branch communication committee has been working towards regular e-blasts to Ontario members. The branch Twitter account @CWRAONT has been used to promote and tweet about events. Information for the weekly national e-blasts has been provided. • Representatives of CSHS (Ferdous Ahmed) and CANCID (Rebecca Shortt) have been participating in Branch Board meetings. • The 2015-2016 ON Branch Mentorship Program continued into the summer. Group networking events, one-on-one mentoring pairs, and peer mentoring meetings were well attended and informative for both mentors and mentees! • On August 22, 2016, an “Evening of Recognition and Celebration” event was held to recognize the contributions of Bob Metcalf (for the CWRA in general and the ON Branch in particular), Meg Olson (the recipient of the CWRA National SYP Award) and the conclusion of the annual mentoring program. Priority Goal 2: Enhanced Understanding of Water and Integrated Water Management. • On May 5, 2016 a technical tour was conducted of the East Bayfront neighbourhood along the Toronto waterfront including
30 WaterNEWS
its innovative stormwater management system and aquatic habitat restoration features. “Tour” guides involved with the projects provided interesting insight into the design and background to the area. • ON Branch partnered with Project Wet to facilitate two events in Ontario in May and July. These workshops were targeted towards environmental educators. Priority Goal 3: Increased Profile for the Organization and Priority Goal 4: Increased Role in International Water Management Activities • CWRA ON Branch is sponsoring the 5th International Conference on Natural Channel Systems in Niagara Falls on September 26-27. Priority Goal 5: Effective Management and Development of the Association • The ON Branch mentoring program is ongoing with mentors and mentees in Toronto and the Kitchener-Waterloo areas. There has been very positive feedback on the program with strong interest from young professionals who would like to participate. • ON Branch SYP participate on the National SYP committee and are providing input to update the SYP manual. • Ontario Branch By-law review was completed and approved at the ON Branch AGM and the National AGM.
BranchREPORT
ONTARIO
PROPOSED ACTIVITIES Priority Goal 1: Improved Communications among Water Resources Professionals • The communication committee will focus on e-blasts, website and google calendar updates for members on upcoming events. Priority Goal 2: Enhanced Understanding of Water and Integrated Water Management • An Ontario Branch Director (Vice President, Jeff Hirvonen) is Co-Chairing the Natural Channel Systems Conference in Niagara Falls, Ontario in September 2016. Several water management organizations and environmental non-government organizations are organizing this conference. • On Friday January 27, 2017 a technical workshop will be held in Ottawa. A working group has been established to organize the workshop and logistics for the National Board Mid-Term meeting on January 28, 2017. Members of ON Branch and CSHS (Wayne Jenkinson, Erika Klyszejko and Gillian Walker) are participating on the working group. Stay tuned for more information! • The ON Branch is planning to work with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to organize a sequel to the popular floodplain management technology transfer workshop in the spring of 2017. Priority Goal 3: Increased Profile for the Organization and Priority Goal 4: Increased Role in International Water Management Activities • CWRA ON Branch is sponsoring the 5th International Conference on Natural Channel Systems in Niagara Falls on September 26-27. Priority Goal 5: Effective Management and Development of the Association • The 3rd annual ON Branch Mentorship Program will start in the fall, 2016. We will be looking for mentors, mentees and program assistants for the fall!
Official Magazine of the Canadian Water Resources Association
31
QUÉBEC
BranchREPORT
ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DES RESSOURCES HYDRIQUES
SECTION QUEBEC BRANCH EXECUTIVE AND NATIONAL DIRECTORS Gilles Rivard président / President Luc Roy vice-président/ Vice President Claude Faucher secrétaire/ Secretary André Carpentier tresorier / Treasurer André Carpentier president sortant/ Past President
André St. Hilaire Administration nationale/ National Director Ammar Taha Administration nationale/ National Director Audrey Maheu Administration nationale/ National Director Gilles Rivard Administration nationale/ National Director
For more information please visit the CWRA Website at www.cwra.org
L
a Section Québec a été des plus heureuse de recevoir tous les participants au 69e congrès annuel de l’ACRH, qui s’est tenu dans la ville de Montréal du 25 au 27 mai 2016. Le Comité organisateur profite de ce bulletin pour les remercier sincèrement. Ce congrès se voulait une rencontre pour les professionnels, les scientifiques et les gestionnaires de l’eau pour discuter autour du thème principal « L’Eau à toutes les échelles : réduire la vulnérabilité et augmenter la résilience » (Water management at all scales : reducing vulnerability and increasing resilience). Le Comité organisateur du congrès croit que cet objectif a été pleinement atteint. Le congrès s’est avéré un immense succès grâce au très grand nombre de participants provenant des diverses sphères d’activités reliées à l’eau (près de 300 personnes dont 30% d’étudiants). Ce succès est dû également à la collaboration remarquable de tous les conférenciers qui ont su motiver l’intérêt de ces participants par leurs présentations. De plus, la performance du conférencier invité (le Dr Simon Courtenay) au début et des quatre panélistes (Michel Dolbec (WSP), David Huard (Ouranos), Hervé Logé (Ville de Montréal) et Chandra Madramootoo (Université McGill) à la fin du congrès ont suscité un bel engouement sur les problématiques des ressources en eau et sur la gouvernance qui devrait leur être attribuée par les différents décideurs. La Section Québec veut également souligner la très forte présence au congrès du groupe Étudiants et Jeunes professionnels (EJP). La
32 WaterNEWS
section EJP de Montréal a fait partie du comité organisateur. Elle a d’ailleurs invité tous les participants du congrès à un événement spécial le mercredi soir dans un pub du centre-ville de Montréal. Un jeu sur le thème de l’eau était prévu oû les participants devaient négocier un plan de gestion de l’eau entre eux. Cela a été un vif succès. Les inscriptions pour le jeu marquaient «complet» plusieurs jours avant l’activité. BRAVO pour cette initiative. Dans les prochains mois, les sections EJP vont continuer la sensibilisation aux ressources hydriques par la présentation de conférences qui permettent aux participants une meilleure perspective des enjeux concernant les ressources hydriques. Comme il a été mentionné à plusieurs reprises, les membres des sections EJP constituent l’avenir de l’ACRH. La Section Québec a profité du Congrès pour tenir son assemblée générale durant laquelle les membres ont choisi les directeurs nationaux et le Conseil d’administration. Monsieur Gilles Rivard ing. (Lasalle-NHC) a alors été nommé président de la Section Québec. MERCI à nouveau pour la collaboration de chacun à la réussite du 69e congrès de l’ACRH à Montréal André Carpentier, ing, M.Sc Section Québec
BranchREPORT
QUÉBEC
ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DES RESSOURCES HYDRIQUES
Québec
SECTION QUEBEC Branch Update
L
a Section Québec a été des plus heureuse de recevoir tous les participants au 69e congrès annuel de l’ACRH, qui s’est tenu dans la ville de Montréal du 25 au 27 mai 2016. La période post-conférence s’est avérée plus tranquille puisque les directeurs et les nombreux membres qui ont participé à l’organisation et à la tenue de l’événement ont eu droit à un repos bien mérité pendant les mois d’été. Le congrès annuel a permis lors de l’assemblée générale et des discussions de corridor de faire le point sur un certain nombre d’activités et d’orientations pour la nouvelle année qui s’amorce. Plusieurs membres de la branche, dont André Saint-Hilaire à l’INRS, s’occupe de l’organisation à Québec de la septième édition d’un atelier sur l’hydrologie statistique (stahy2016.ca). L’événement d’envergure international, organisé par la commission international sur l’hydrologie statistique (ICSH) de l’association internationale des sciences hydrologiques (IAHS), se tiendra les 26 et 27 septembre prochain. Les sujets abordés incluent les méthodes statistiques et probabilistiques pour l’analyse de différents phénomènes comme les crues extrêmes et l’analyse fréquentielle de précipitations, les étiages, l’analyse spatiale des processus hydrologiques ainsi que la simulation stochastique des débits et de la précipitation.
T
he Quebec Branch was very honoured to have all the participants gathered for the 69th Annual Conference of the CWRA, which was held in Montreal from May 25 to 27 2016. The post-conference period was quiet activity-wise as the Directors and the volunteers who participated in the organization of the event had a well deserved break during the summer period. The annual conference has however enabled during the general meeting to discuss the activities and the orientations for the upcoming months. Many members of the Branch, including André Saint-Hilaire at INRS, will participate to organize in Québec the 7th edition of the Workshop on statistical hydrology (stahy2016.ca). The international event, organized by the International Commission on Statistical Hydrology (ICSH) of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS), will be held September 26 and 27. Topics include extreme flood and precipitation frequency analysis, extreme drought analysis and prediction, spatial analysis of hydrological processes such as rainfall and infiltration, stochastic simulation of hydrological processes such as streamflow and precipitation.
Dans les prochains mois, la section Étudiants et Jeunes Professionnels (EJP) va continuer la sensibilisation aux ressources hydriques par la présentation de conférences qui permettent aux
In the upcoming months, the Student and Young Professional (SYP) section will continue with activities and networking so that participants will acquire a perspective of different issues concerning water resources management. As has been mentioned many times, members of SYP are the future of CWRA and we should strive to integrate the efforts of different universities and organizations to
Suite à la page 34
Continued on page 34
Official Magazine of the Canadian Water Resources Association
33
QUÉBEC
BranchREPORT Suite de la page 33
Continued from page 33
participants d’avoir une meilleure perspective des enjeux concernant les ressources hydriques. Comme il a été mentionné à plusieurs reprises, les membres des sections EJP constituent l’avenir de l’ACRH et on visera à intégrer les efforts des différentes universités québécoises et des différentes organisations pour faciliter le réseautage. Les étudiants ou jeunes professionnels qui désirent s’impliquer dans des activités pourront communiquer avec Gilles Rivard (
[email protected]) qui les mettra en contact avec les responsables du comité EJP.
enable networking. Students and young professionals who would like to actively participate could communicate with Gilles Rivard (
[email protected]) who will put them in contact with the SYP Committee.
La branche Québec prévoit également organiser un atelier technique en mars ou avril 2017. Le thème ainsi que le site pour la tenue de l’événement seront précisés au cours de l’automne 2016. Les sujets déjà évoqués touchent notamment la gestion intégrée de l’eau à l’échelle du bassin versant, l’analyse et le contrôle de l’érosion en cours d’eau, l’adaptation aux changements climatiques pour la gestion des extrêmes hydrologiques. Les propositions quant au sujet qui pourrait intéresser les membres sont les bienvenues. Gilles Rivard, ing, M.Sc Président Section Québec
34 WaterNEWS
The Québec Branch will most probably organize a technical workshop in March or April 2017. The theme and the location for the event will be discussed during Fall 2016. Topics that have been discussed include notably: Integrated Water Management at the Watershed Scale, Analysis and Erosion Control for Urban Streams, Climate Change Adaptation to Manage Hydrologic Extremes. Other proposal that could be of interest for members are welcome. Gilles Rivard, ing, M.Sc President Quebec Branch
CWRA EXECUTIVE / DIRECTION DE L’ACRH President/Président Dave Murray, Victoria, BC President Elect/Président désigné Sean Douglas, Edmonton, AB Past President/Président sortant Ute Holweger, Winnipeg, MB Treasurer/Trésorier Ed Dean, Regina, SK Secretary/Secrétaire John van der Eerden, Vancouver, BC President CANCID/Président du CNCID Roger Hohm, Coaldale, AB Chair CSHS/Président de la SCSH Wayne Jenkinson, Ottawa, ON Executive Director/Directeur exécutif Rick Ross, Lethbridge, AB Assistant Executive Director/ Directeur exécutif Jody Rutledge, Winnipeg, MB Branch Presidents/Présidents de division B.C.: Michael Florendo Alberta: Rick Carnduff Saskatchewan: Jaime Hogan Manitoba: Eric Blais Ontario: Steve Brown Quebec: Gilles Rivard Newfoundland & Labrador: A.K. Abdel-Razek New Brunswick: Gordon Fairchild, Journal Editors/Rédacteurs de la revue Chris Spence, Regina, SK Jim Buttle, Peterborough, ON Water News Editor/Rédacteur du bulletin À propos de l’eau Rick Ross, Lethbridge, AB
Official Magazine of the Canadian Water Resources Association
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C W R A N AT I O N A L C O N F E R E N C E 2 0 1 7
Water: A Continental Asset Water is the lifeblood that binds us all together. Water observes no political or ideological boundaries and is frequently the subject of interjurisdictional discussions, disputes, court decisions and binding agreements. The 2017 Conference will explore how water has been exploited, managed, protected and shared as it crosses jurisdictional boundaries in North America. The program will address the best (and worst) approaches and solutions to interjurisdictional water management on the continent, with a view to guiding future public policy.
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