The SSRP gives direction to the Alberta ministries about Land and Water management from Airdrie/Water Valley, south to the US border. It was the first Regional Plan completed and it now requires an update to be relevant. The AWA, PA, and angling groups have already had some input into the plan directly, but the review will hinge significantly on public feedback. The SSRP also helps shape the plans for the rest of the province, so even if you don't reside in this area, it does affect recreation elsewhere.
We river recreation users have an opportunity to influence this process by filing in the below survey. You can choose to answer the first six questions, or the full 50 question survey. Below are some suggested answers, but feel free to paraphrase or add your own spin. The more similar answers that they receive, the more likely we will be able to affect change.
River Access, Facility Management, River Safety, & Water Management are the areas that we would like to affect change.
Survey Link: https://your.alberta.ca/ssrp-review/surveys/south-saskatchewan-regional-plan-10-year-review
Background info for the Survey: https://www.alberta.ca/south-saskatchewan-regional-plan-review-engagement
Suggested Answers:
Q1 Vision
Add - Land and Water to the Vision
"Albertans, industry, governments and aboriginal* peoples work together to share the responsibility for stewardship of the land, water, and the resources in a way that ensures current needs are met without compromising opportunities for future generations.
Q4 - Relevancy of Strategic Directions
...promoting the regions' unique cultural heritage and natural land & water.
Q6 - Effectiveness of Strategic Directions
Economic - Add Battery to renewables; consider consumer time-of-day electricity pricing; Implement Water Trails. Couple Tourism and Outdoor Recreation as an economic driver.
Outdoor Recreation - Deliver long-term public access to recreational water (assess public access and improve); Deliver education (water safety); Manage Recreation areas to ensure quality outdoor recreation (In-river facilities need consistent supporting facilities. ie Kananaskis Whitewater, Harvie Passage, Boulder Run)
Biodiversity - Include waterbodies. Nowhere in this section are lakes and rivers considered.
Conservation Areas - more access for a variety of outdoor recreation (paddling, angling, climbing); Ensure tourism offerings are protected (river flows, river access)
Water - There is a need for GOA to regulate river flows more closely now that industry only wants to generate power at peak pricing (this affects tourism, recreation, angling, river health).
Community Development - Anytime projects are happening near a water body, there should be consideration of how to make access better for recreation and tourism (bridges, dams, flood protection, etc).
-- Q7 to Q50 OPTIONAL --
Q9
They are Relevant. They have not all been effective.
Q11
Add Batteries to renewables - helps balance wind/solar load for peak times.
Consider consumer time-of-day electricity pricing - optimize renewables consumption
Q13
Implement Water Trails - Paddling/rafting should play a bigger role in Alberta Tourism. They need structural support to realize the potential. Access, maps, signage.
Optimize in-river tourism assets - Provide amenities and management plans for Kananaskis Whitewater, Harvie Passage Whitewater Park, Boulder Run, and more in the works.
Q22
Connectivity of ecosystems - Land and water
Q26
Access can be improved - particularly river and lake access
Implement Water Trails - Paddling/rafting should play a bigger role in Alberta Tourism. They need structural support to realize the potential. Access, maps, signage.
Optimize in-river tourism assets - Provide amenities and management plans for Kananaskis Whitewater, Harvie Passage Whitewater Park, Boulder Run, and more in the works.
28
Water needs to be considered in the Biodiversity Objective. It does not stand alone.
Flood and drought mitigation needs to be evaluated with a biodiversity lens as well. Flattening yearly peak flows may have a detrimental impact on river ecosystems
30
More regulatory tools are needed to ensure flows meet the needs of Albertans. The Water Act does not allow the minister or director to direct flows, despite language in the Act and Dam Licenses to that affect.
31
Water quantity needs to be evaluated on a more granular (hourly) level. Days/weeks/months is not sufficient.
Water Ecosystem health needs to be evaluated using biologic indicators (fish, invertebrates, etc)
32
Biologic indicators
35
When planning and construction is happening near a water body, water recreation infrastructure should be considered.
36
Protect current experiences and work with expert partners (provincial sport and rec orgs) to expand offerings.
38
More recreation supporting land use plans, like the West Bragg Creek Trails Master Plan, (lower) Bow River Access Plan, etc.
39
Find a way to consolidate consultation so that the Indigenous peoples capacity can meet the volume of requests
41
Implement the above strategies.
42
Ensure continuity of action amongst municipalities. Look for ecosystem connectiveness and social connectedness generally.
44
More collaboration between jurisdictions, and GOA departments.
46
Biodiversity has overlap with water. A water indicator should be part of Biodiversity
Water Quality needs a biological indicator
Water Supply needs more granular indicators for recreation and biodiversity
Outdoor Recreation - more user data is needed. Volume and quality of experience.
47
After 10 years, it is pretty clear that it needs a major edit. Population, energy, and social patterns have seen a significant shift that needs to be addressed.
48
Land and Water need to be considered side by side as the physical part of Alberta.
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