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8TuesdayJune252013ByRENEFRANCOEURMembersoftheMightyPeaceWatershedAllianceMPWAoneofAlbertasnewestwatershedplanningandadvisorycouncilsarepreparingtobeginacom-prehensivetwo-yearreportonthestateofthewatershedwhichcoversaboutonethirdoftheprovince.Thereport-asnapshotofthePeaceSlaveRiverwaterbasinscondition-willbeacollectionofsciencelocaltraditionalknowledgeandpublicconcernaboutwild-lifewaterdrinkabilityandwaterlevels.MPWAheldanopenhouseinpartnershipwithWoodBuffalosPeace-AthabascaDeltaEcologicalMonitor-ingProgramPADEMPinFortSmithforthersttimelastWednesdaytointroducetheorganizationtothecom-munityandhearlocalcon-cernswithregardstotheSlaveRiver.Questionsfromthedozenpeopleattendingtheopenhouserangedfromtheed-ibilityofmuskrattofrack-ingsimpactongroundandsurfacewater.MPWAanon-protorga-nizationdesignatedbytheprovincialgovernmentastheofcialWatershedPlanningandAdvisoryCouncilforthebasinundertheAlbertaWaterActsWaterforLifeStrategyalsometwithFirstNationsgroupsinFortSmith.Eventhoughourjuris-dictionendsattheborderwhatwehearfrompeopleinFortSmithcanreectwhatweneedtodoinourpartofthewatershedasyougetthewaterwesenddownstream...Itspeakstohowwereallinterconnectedandinterde-pendentonthebasinAdamNorrisMPWAswatershedcoordinatorandWednesdayskeynotespeakersaid.CollaboratingwithothermonitoringorganizationsThereport-therststeptoaccomplishingthegroupsmission-isjustabouttogetunderwaywithakickoffplan-ningmeetingscheduledfornextweekNorrissaid.FollowingthereleaseofthereportMPWAwillprogresstodevelopinganintegratedwatershedmanagementplanwhichwillpromotebene-cialwaterpracticesandbet-terwaystotolessenhumanimpactsonthewatershed.Themanagementplanwillthenhelpthegroupmakepol-icyrecommendationstotheAlbertagovernment.thisframeworkiscurrentlyunderway.Aftermakingpolicyrecom-mendationsMPWAwouldthentakeonanexpandededucationalandmonitoringroleNorrissaid.StuartMacmillanPADEMPschairpersonalsogaveabriefpresentationonPADEMPsworkinclud-ingthemonitoringofdrylandinthewetlandsandannualoodinginthedelta.Wehaventseenaoodsince1997andbeforethatitwas22yearswithoutafloodMacmillantoldtheaudience.Traditionalknowledgeholderstellusitwasonceabouteveryeightyearsorso.Macmillanalsoaddressedtheextensivemuskratsur-veyingPADEMPdoesasthemuskratisaindicatorspecies.Theyrespondquicklytochangesinthedeltaandcantellusalotabouttheconditionoftheecosystem.Theyreculturallyimportant.Theyplayacentralroleinthedietspiritualityoflocalpeopleandprovidematerial...Trappingmuskratalsomain-tainsaculturalconnectiontotheland.PADEMPoneofmanymonitoringprogramsintheareawasestablishedin2008inresponsetogrowingcon-cernsaboutexpandingde-velopmentsuchashydropulpandpapermillsoilandgasexplorationandclimatechange.Itismadeupof10Aborig-inalgroupssixfederalpro-vincialandterritorialgov-ernmentsandtwoothernon-governmentalorganizations.CouncilcompilingSlavePeacewatershedreportMightyPeaceWatershedAlliancetomakepolicyrecomendationsEnvironmentWatershedsOurmissionoverallistomonitorcumu-lativeeffectsfromlandusepracticesandindustrytoaddressthesethroughpoliciesandeducationandnallytoworktosupportwatershedstewardshipinthefuture.AdamNorrisMPWAswatershedcoordinatorsuchasPADEMPwillhelpwhenitcomestofactsandnumbersforthereportNor-risadded.OrganizationslikePADEMPdoalotofdatacollectionsowewanttocollaboratetakethatandputittogetherwithwhatwevecollectedrst-handfromlocalpeoplesobser-vationsandquestionshesaid.Ourmissionoverallistomonitorcumulativeeffectsfromlanduseprac-ticesandindustrytoad-dressthesethroughpoliciesandeducationandnallytoworktosupportwatershedstewardshipinthefuture.Thesepolicieswouldaf-fectwaterlicensesandwith-drawalsNorristoldTheJournal.Forexamplehowmuchwatertheygivecertaincompaniesorcertaincitiesorwhatever.Thatwillbeaf-fectedbywhatwepresentinourplan.Theyvealsotoldusitwillbetakenupinthelanduseframework.TheprovincebeganaLand-useFrameworkin2008callingforaseparatedevelopmentplanforeachofthesevennewlandusere-gionsincludingtheLowerAthabasca.ThethirdandnalphaseofpublicconsultationonPhotoReneFrancoeurRhondaClarke-GauthierleftBobCameroncentreandAdamNorrisoftheMightyPeaceWatershedAlliancemakeastopinFortSmithtotalkaboutwaterconcernsandnetworkwithmembersofWoodBuffalosPeace-AthabascaDeltaEcologicalMonitoringProgram.