Watershed Management in Fish Creek Provincial Park
by the Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society
If you’re reading this, you’re probably located somewhere within one of the watersheds that make up the Bow River Basin. A watershed is made up of all the land that drains into a specific river, lake, marsh, creek, or other body of water. “Our” watershed, Fish Creek, is one of the twenty sub-watersheds that makes up the Bow River Basin, and all these watersheds drain into—you guessed it—the Bow River.
“People need water and rely on water. You need water for everything— farming, food, living—anything, so it’s important to care about watersheds” – Ross Anderson, Watershed Field Coordinator.
Water is essential for life, and clean water is especially vital. That’s why it’s so important to collect and share data on watershed health. Historically, data collection in Fish Creek Provincial Park has been sparse, but we at the Friends are changing that! Together with a team of dedicated volunteers, our ecology team is examining the watershed from multiple angles, including:
- Creek health (water temperature, quality, and flow)
- Beaver activity mapping and management
- Cataloguing areas of bank erosion
- Invasive plant monitoring and removal
- And much more
By collecting data and performing large studies like the current fish inventory, we’re creating baseline measurements for our watershed. We’ll use this data to get a better understanding of the creek’s health and manage and protect the critical ecosystem that is Fish Creek for generations to come.
“Once you have all that data, and you have a better idea of what’s going on in the creek, you can manage things differently. If you find areas [that are] struggling or unhealthy, then you can focus on those to improve them” – Ross Anderson.
To learn more about the Friends of Fish Creek, or to volunteer, please visit us at www.friendsoffishcreek.org or follow us on social media: @fishcreekpp (Facebook, Instagram).
