Pincher Creek Watershed
Pincher Creek is a significant water source and is the largest tributary of any river in Southern Alberta - it runs nearly 70 km before joining the Oldman River, which flows into the South Saskatchewan River, which empties into the Hudson Bay just south of Churchill Manitoba. The Pincher Creek also runs through Thanksgiving Ranch, and it is where the story of the Watershed Group begins.
What is a Watershed?
The term watershed describes an area of land that drains down a slope and flows to where it will reach the lowest point. The water moves through a network of drainage pathways, both underground and on the surface. Generally, these pathways converge into streams, creeks, and rivers, which become progressively larger as the water moves further downstream, eventually reaching an ocean. Drainage basin or catchment basin are terms that can be used interchangeably with watershed include. When water flows out of the watershed, it is commonly referred to as a stream or river - important so that water can then be easily accessible as a vital life source.
Why We Are Working to Protect the Pincher Creek Watershed?
The connectivity of the stream system is the primary reason for doing aquatic assessments at the watershed level. Connectivity refers to the physical connection between tributaries and the river, between surface water and groundwater, and between wetlands and water. Because water moves downstream, any activity that affects the water quality or quantity can affect locations downstream. Thus, everyone living or working within a watershed needs to cooperate to ensure healthy drainage.
The Pincher Creek Watershed Group
The Pincher Creek Watershed Group formed in 2001. It’s a group of landowners who live along Pincher Creek, who have a vested interest in the preservation and sustainability of the Creek and watershed area. We recognize that the Creek as part of a highly integrated, complicated, and fragile ecosystem. Our mission is to catalyze actions that will see Pincher Creek flow through the generations that follow and as it did for our Blackfoot ancestors who preserved it for us. We're committed to maintaining the vitality of Pincher Creek and surrounding areas and driven by the understanding that the water supports our way of life, and economies and that water will become ever more critical. The Watershed Group is also supported by neighbours, townspeople, local governments, and industry partners.
The Blueweed Blitz
A considerable threat to the watershed is the noxious blueweed. It threatens not only the integrity of the watershed itself but also so many native species of plants and wildlife alike. Our annual picking event is called The Blueweed Blitz. It focuses on the eradication and control of the infamous Blueweed, a noxious invasive plant that, if left to multiply, eventually chokes out other vegetation.
Despite the watershed group being tiny in numbers, we conceived an annual weed pull to reduce/destroy the blueweed that has been so successful, it spawned several copycat events throughout the region.
Trout Unlimited Yellow Fish Road Project
The Yellow Fish Road project was an initiative of Trout Unlimited that we spearheaded in Pincher Creek. It is a program that educates and reminds residents that what gets poured into the storm drains and gutters on the streets puts the Creek at risk.
Teachers and students from Canyon and Matthew Halton Schools came together to support us in this project. They were dispatched throughout the town of Pincher Creek to mark stormwater drains with prominent yellow fish applied with paint. The yellow fish continue to remind residents to consider what they dump onto the streets of our town. Trout Unlimited has successfully changed dumping behaviours and significantly reduced the number of harmful contaminants entering storm drains and ending up, untreated, in the local creek or river.