1 / 28

The Beaver Creek Watershed Group

The Beaver Creek Watershed Group. Driven by Nature, Powered by Producers. Presented and prepared by Dixon Hammond coordinator for the BCWG. Where Is Beaver Creek?. Located in the Porcupine Hills of Southwestern Alberta. It runs through four jurisdictions

pules
Download Presentation

The Beaver Creek Watershed Group

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Beaver Creek Watershed Group Driven by Nature, Powered by Producers Presented and prepared by Dixon Hammond coordinator for the BCWG

  2. Where Is Beaver Creek?

  3. Located in the Porcupine Hills of Southwestern Alberta • It runs through four jurisdictions • Beaver Creek is a major tributary of the Oldman river.

  4. The BCWG Why It All Began

  5. Beaver Creek Is a Unique Creek • Approximately 22 miles long • Drops in elevation from 5600ft to 3400ft • Helps to sustain near 40 ranches, farms and dwellings • Provides for many recreational activities • Recently is becoming home for new people • Water supply is dependent upon springs

  6. Historically • Thick brush • Wildlife • shade • Good fish habitat • Excellent camping • Water made it to river more years than not.

  7. Recently • Drought • Fewer trees and shrubs • Fewer large fish • Poorer water quality • Some wild life no longer present • Lower two thirds of the creek bone dry

  8. What do you mean I can’t graze the snot out of this?

  9. Land Owners Began Talking • Reminiscing • Wondering what the real problem was. • High water • Drought • Too many livestock • Beaver damage • A combination of all

  10. Where Do We Start?

  11. Goal Setting “You don’t want to be driving down the scenery looking at the road! You need to look to where you want to go and ride to it.” Simple cowboy logic. Kevin Poll

  12. What Should Be Done? How should we do it? We truly were stuck for the answers. Only Consensus: do something collectively.

  13. PARTNERS COMMUNITY RIPARIAN PROGRAM ALBERTA CONSERVATION ASSOC. DEPT. OF FISHERIES AND OCEANS COWS AND FISH M.D. OF PINCHER CREEK SOUTHWEST ALBERTA CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP ALBERTA ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE ALBERTA SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT OLDMAN RIVER BASIN WATER QUALITY INITIATIVE

  14. Projects Completed • 10 off stream water developments • 1 Cow herd wintering site relocation • 1 Ranch plan • An education component

  15. Volunteer Action • Volunteered time to develop projects • Most ranchers will do the work for nothing • Bottom line: largest cash expenses were paid for • Landowners were excited

  16. Challenges Yet to Face • Water Quality • Additional Recommendation reports • More Funding Requests • More water projects • One more jurisdiction to bring on side • Education: Focusing on good riparian health and promoting it

  17. Hints to Our Success • WE approached Agency/Industry • WE are committed and have cooperation • WE formed a working group • WE keep things private and confidential • WE still hold the reins

  18. What Keeps Us Going • The volunteer effort of this group is second to none. • We know we have a stronger voice together than separate. • The benefits are for everyone • The real driving force Behind us is……

  19. Our Replacements

  20. Driven By Nature

  21. Photo credit goes to Lorne Fitch Michael Gerrand Kelly Cooley Scott and Edwina Hammond Myra Hammond Bill and Dale Lillico David Glass and Heidi Eijgel Further information: contact Beaver Creek Watershed Group C/O Dixon Hammond Box 2909 Pincher Creek AB. T0K 1W0 LXBarranch@hotmail.com 403 627 2801 Credits This slide show dedicated to the memory of David MacLean

More Related