Southern Alberta water crisis addressed in new documentary

In the face of Southern Alberta’s growing water crisis, the Livingstone Landowners Group has developed the film documentary “Dried Up, What Now?”

The documentary is being launched on March 23 at a public showing in Pincher Creek to help raise awareness of the impact of declining water levels in the region and spur discussion on solutions.

Southern Alberta is experiencing a severe drought, compounded by a warmer winter and a lower snowpack than normal. The Oldman Reservoir is only 30% full and the river systems feeding it are flowing¸ at lower levels than normal, heightening concerns about a worsening drought this summer.

Since last August, the MD of Pincher Creek has been forced to truck in raw and potable water to its water treatment plant to serve several small communities in the region as water levels in the dam are below normal intake levels.

“Water security in southern Alberta is an ongoing concern given the heavy demands of multiple users in a historically water scarce region,” said LLG president, Norma Dougall. “What we are seeing now is impact of gradual changes over the years that have made us less able to manage with reduced water flows.”

Tree ring studies have shown that drought is not new to SW Alberta with previous periods of sustained drought interspersed with long stretches of higher flow levels. However, the demand for water has continued to increase year-over-year as a result of Alberta’s growing population, increased agricultural demands and current and proposed development and disruption in the sensitive headwaters region.

“Dried UP, Now What” will explore these factors and discuss possible mitigation strategies and solutions. The video presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session led by the film producers, Yvan Lebel and Kevin Van Tighem.

The Livingstone Landowner’s Group represents landowners, residents and supporters concerned with land stewardship and the sustainability of land uses and ecosystems along the southern Eastern Slopes.