Lay of the Land: A survey of Alberta's watershed leaders in Alberta reports the results of a recent online and phone survey conducted by Water Matters. The survey investigated the concerns, needs and challenges of Alberta's watershed leaders who represent watershed groups or are working independently across Alberta. As an emerging not-for-profit organization focused on watershed and water resources issues in Alberta, the survey allowed Water Matters to explored its future role in Alberta's water community.

Over 50 citizen leaders representing watershed groups or working independently across Alberta with local, regional, provincial and national interests were surveyed.

Survey highlights

• Watershed leaders in Alberta are very concerned about the growing impact of land use on watersheds and want to see stronger leadership by government.
• Respondents identified the health of aquatic ecosystems as a top concern.
• Respondents considered industry, including oil and gas activities, intensive livestock operations, forestry, and mining, as a key culprit in watershed degradation.
• Respondents linked their concerns for watershed health back to actions - or lack thereof - by the provincial government.
• Twenty-one percent of watershed leaders also noted a lack of coordinated efforts between levels of government as well across government departments, from which stems the problem of isolated water and land decision making and inadequate watershed protection efforts.
• Seventy-one percent of watershed leaders felt that Albertans either have little awareness about watersheds or, if they are aware, do not act on this awareness.

Overall, the results identified many opportunities for Water Matters to collaborate for change, including engaging with Alberta's indigenous peoples, sharing information and defining shared goals with the watershed community, promoting forums for ideas exchange and campaign building, fostering capacity of small groups and providing direction on priority areas, as well as raising public and decision-maker awareness around watersheds and their protection.

Read the report

View a summary of results as a slideshow