The Headwaters Alliance
- is a municipally-supported watershed stewardship group
- is supported by NSWA with extra tech and organizational help
- began in 2014 as a committee that brought together local governments in the western portion of the North Saskatchewan River watershed
- works through a Steering Committee of elected officials and a Technical Committee of municipal staff, experts, and local NGO reps
- includes representatives from nine municipalities
- Brazeau County
- Clearwater County
- Leduc County
- Parkland County
- Wetaskiwin County
- Town of Devon
- Town of Drayton Valley
- Town of Rocky Mountain House
For more information on the Headwaters Alliance check out the Headwaters Alliance Brochure or the Headwaters Alliance Strategic Plan (2021)
HEADWATERS ALLIANCE PROJECTS
The Riparian Health Action Plan began with the Headwaters Alliance
This Alliance
- wanted to boost knowledge about watershed health with noticeable community benefits
- began by tackling the data gap in riparian health by supporting local stewardship programs
- looked at riparian conditions on creeks and lakes in the Modeste and Strawberry subwatersheds
- pinpointed key areas for restoration and conservation
- the project grew into a basin-wide program
View the reports from this project:
Modeste Riparian Assessment 2018
What is Natural Infrastructure and Why does it matter?
- Natural or green infrastructure ("natural assets") includes features like wetlands, riparian buffers, and forests
- Natural features boost watershed services essential for human communities
- Services include carbon storage, water filtration, wildlife habitat, recreation, and protection from severe weather
- Researchers are now putting a dollar value on these benefits and studying the costs of losing natural infrastructure
The Modeste Natural Infrastructure Project is a team effort by ALUS Canada, the University of Guelph, and NSWA. The project:
- evaluated natural assets in the Modeste subwatershed.
- provides a framework for municipalities to create a natural asset management plan
- shows the value of investing in natural infrastructure to both public and private sectors
- resulted in a published with a framework for cost-benefit analysis and lessons for municipalities, farms, and recreation areas
Read the report or presentation here: