Albertans who care about protecting the Bow River, its aquatic ecosystems, and Bow Valley natural areas still have the opportunity to weigh in on the proposed Horseshoe Lands development at the extended public hearing on April 12, 2007 at 7 pm at the Exshaw Community Hall. Or contact politicians now and oppose the development until water availability and wastewater removal options are fully evaluated. Water decisions need to come before land decisions.

See below for contacts and concerns...

Ed Stelmach, Premier
E-mail: premier@gov.ab.ca

Ted Morton, Minister of Sustainable Resource Development
E-mail: ted.morton@assembly.ab.ca

Hector Goudreau, Minister of Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture
E-mail: hector.goudreau@assembly.ab.ca

Janis Tarchuk, MLA, Banff-Cochrane
E-mail: janis.tarchuk@assembly.ab.ca

Kevin Taft, Leader of the Opposition
E-mail: kevin.taft@assembly.ab.ca

Dr. David Swann, Environment Critic
E-mail: david.swann@assembly.ab.ca

Brian Mason, NDP Leader
E-mail: brian.mason@assembly.ab.ca

Serious concerns about water quality and quantity of the Bow River and the cumulative impact of the Horseshoe Lands development on the Bow Valley Provincial Park and other nearby protected areas mean the Government of Alberta and the MD of Bighorn need to ensure water supply and wastewater removal licences are in place prior to approving this development. Important considerations for their decisions include:

1. Development impacts of a town with 5600 people on the edge of the Bow Valley Provincial Park at the mountain entrance to the Bow Valley on the former Seebe townsite.

2. Effects on water quality downstream to Calgary as a result of discharge of sewage effluent and contamination by stormwater.

3. Water shortages for the community during low-water years due to downstream allocation commitments if the Bow River is the primary water source.

4. Negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems of the Bow River, especially if withdrawals are only evaluated in the context of annual discharge flows on the river rather than weekly river flows, particularly during the months of low flows.

5. Recognition that groundwater is emerging as an important resource as basins become highly allocated and growth continues; therefore stronger understanding and protection of groundwater sources is crucial for future generations and aquatic ecosystems and to respond to climate change. The existing population may require this water in future years and leave little water for new communities.

6. Approving aquifer use by this development only after a broadly scoped (temporally, spatially, etc.), holistic, and science-based analysis that takes these concerns and new information into consideration.

7. Recognition that a regional water and wastewater system could lead to further expansion of development on the north side of the Bow River and in the region when the Bow Valley is already overloaded with major ongoing development in Canmore, and new or expanded development approved for Dead Man's Flats, Rafter Six Guest Ranch Resort, and the Stoney Nation casino on the Trans Canada Highway at the junction of Highway 40.

8. The broad cumulative impact of such a system must be considered carefully. Alberta Environment should conduct a broad public assessment for such a system because the implications are more far reaching than this one development.

9. Cumulative impacts of human use on the already stressed natural environments of the Bow Valley Provincial Park, Bow Valley Wildland Park including the Mount Yamnuska area, and the Kananaskis Valley.

10. Damage of a significant amount of a very sensitive watershed ecosystem.

11. Disturbance to wildlife movement and habitat.

12. Disturbance of active nests of migratory birds as protected under the Migratory Bird Convention Act.

Background

The new town proposed for the Horseshoe Lands would occupy land formerly owned by TransAlta Utilities Ltd. on the banks of the Bow River below the mouth of the Kananaskis River. A small portion of it was the site of the village of Seebe, home to a small number of TransAlta employees. The village was closed in August 2003 and most of the buildings removed.

Development of the Horseshoe Lands is being proposed by Moondance Land Company and a numbered Alberta company owned by the Stoney Nakoda Nation. It would accommodate up to 5600 people, with 2900 residential units, as well as commercial and industrial facilities. It is proposed for a natural region that is already being impacted by the growing cumulative effects of development and human use.

Concerns related to water supply and quality

The Draft Area Structure Plan for the Horseshoe Lands development estimates the amount of water needed to service the development to be 2400 m³ per day with approximately 1900 m³ per day returned to the water as effluent. This amount is similar to filling up to10 Olympic-sized swimming pools every day.

The developers have submitted two licence applications to Alberta Environment for the withdrawal of 2800 m³ per day on average from the Bow River. While these applications were submitted prior to the recent moratorium on new water licences for the Bow River, they are subject to the new Water Conservation Objectives.

The alternative source of water is withdrawal from Exshaw's deep aquifer, which is estimated to be about 650 metres deep. No provincial government testing has been done to prove that there is sufficient water for Exshaw's anticipated growth and for the Horseshoe Lands development. Thus the development has no approved water supply.

The Horseshoe Lands development would put more wastewater effluent into the Bow River and generate polluted storm water. Even if state-of-the-art (tertiary) treatment is applied, treated effluent is still polluted water, and with the additional effect of stormwater, the Bow River would become contaminated. Development of a regional system to remove and treat wastewater from multiple communities could further intensify this effect.

Drinking water from the Bow River downstream to Calgary and the ecological health of the Bow Valley are at risk and should be the concern of all Albertans.