Border Paving Gravel Development Application

Hi Everybody!

Border Paving has applied to "mine" gravel out of a pit that is located very close to the headwaters of Stauffer Creek. A hearing was held on July 2nd at the Butte Hall. Don Andersen along with representatives from the Edmonton Chapter of Trout Unlimited and local land owners were in attendance.

Here is a summary of what transpired at the meeting.

Thanks for attending Don and giving us an update.

Guys,

Attended the info meeting hosted by Border Paving who are applying through the County of Clearwater for a Development Permit to mine gravel near the headsprings of Stauffer Creek.

First Impressions:

1] They do their homework.

2] They are a family business and father, daughter and son attended.

3] They circulated and talked to folks.

4] They have discussed issues with the ACA.

5] No evidence of the Fish and Game Assoc members.

6] Most of the audience was neighbours.

7] Some concerns about noise and road use.

8] Lots of people concerned about the water.

The Proposal

The land purchased has both a dry and wet gravel area. They are only applying for the dry area. Dry is defined as above the water table. Wet pits required de-watering. The wet pit effluent water is pumped to a pit which leaches  to the nearest water course. Dry pits are not near the issue as wet pits.

The land area next to the Butte Road is wet and they will be leaving it alone. If and when they ever get the hots to develop this area, please get after them.

There is another dry pit located along their south quarter section boundary. I checked out the amount of water in the pit and other than a small wet spot about 10' by 20', the pit was dry. Similarly, there is another dry pit located SE catty corner to the Border lands.

They have done some water table level sampling and maybe be doing more sampling themselves. It may also be a condition of the Development Permit.

Issues

I don't see any from a fisheries prespective. They are above the water table. If I was a neighbor, I wouldn't be all that happy. What is apparent, the pit is operated only occasionaly. Not at all in the winter. There will be an asphalt plant there occasionally. Smell and particulate matter is a problem.

Other Persons observations:

1] Leslie Peterson will be providing a letter to the County and will CC us.

2] The ACA people said no way but were not clear what their issues may be.

3] A representative from the Edmonton Trout Club and Edmonton TU were in attendance.

I have two copies of the application that runs 16 pages. If anyone has the hots, I'll mail one. If there are more than one needed, I'll get them copied.

regards,

Don

Heritage Ranch Pond will be renamed Mitchell Pond

Red Deer City Council has approved the naming of the trout pond at Heritage Ranch as Mitchell Pond. We lost Barry Mitchell this year and this is a way to honour Barry's incredible work that he put into conserving our waters both here in Central Alberta and other locations in the province. I hope we can learn from what Barry and others have accomplished over the last 40 plus years. It is now up to the next generation to keep our flowing waters pristine.

Thanks Mayor Veer and City Council!

Barry Mitchell has Passed Away

Barry Mitchell of Red Deer, Alberta passed away. 

Many of you know Barry from his days publishing the Alberta Fishing Guide magazine and many others from his book “Alberta’s Trout Highway”.

Barry’s interest in our Province’s fishery extended well beyond his writings. He was one of the founding Directors of the Central Alberta Trout Organization formed in the early 80’s serving in many capacities including President. He worked tirelessly on stream remediation projects throughout Central Alberta, he conceived and implemented the Alberta Streamwatch program to provide increased enforcement on the East Slopes streams. Barry pushed Govt. to rewrite the East Slopes angling regulations which successfully improved the fishery.

The list of fishery related issues where Barry was involved is near endless. 

The family is hosting an informal, come-and-go funeral reception for him on Friday, March 6 from 2 to 5 pm at Eventide Funeral Chapel in Red Deer (4820 45 St.). There is no official service happening. An obituary will be published in the Red Deer Advocate soon. 

On a personal level, Barry was a very close friend and we shared camps many times throughout Alberta.

In Barry, I not only lost a friend but the fish did as well.

We all will miss him.

Barry's Obituary

Regards,

Don Andersen

Quick Links TUC Website Join TUC Donate to TUC Contact Us Follow Us On Facebook! Join the Conversation on Twitter! Watch Us In Action On You Tube Fresh Water Clean Future! FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE After serving for almost five years, current Chief Executive Officer and Corporate Counsel, Jeff Surtees is stepping down from his role with Trout Unlimited Canada to pursue a Master's degree in Natural Resources Energy and Environmental Law.  The search for Jeff's replacement did not take long. In a unanimous decision, Trout Unlimited Canada's Board of Directors is pleased to announce current Ontario Programs Manager Silvia D'Amelio will become TUC's CEO effectiveOctober 15th. Silvia has been with TUC for over 10 years. Prior to her role as Ontario Programs Manager, Silvia was TUC's Ontario Provincial Biologist. Silvia brings with her a wealth of experience. She has an honors B.Sc. from the University ofToronto in biology, specializing in animal behavior and conservation. Silvia received her M.Sc. from Trent University with the Ministry of Natural Resources in fisheries genetics and management.  Silvia's interests span a variety of fields related to aquatic restoration including aquatic community composition, water chemistry and stewardship. Her work has spanned science, monitoring, restoration, conservation and advocacy over the past 11 years. Silvia represents Trout Unlimited Canada on a number of federal and provincial fisheries committees and was instrumental in the successful development and implementation of TUC's Aquatic Renewal Program. In addition, Silvia possesses strong planning and organizational skills including fund development and program management.  In her spare time Silvia enjoys fishing, particularly fly fishing with her husband Dave. She is an accomplished fly tyer, specializing in traditional Atlantic salmon patterns, chef and cake decorator.  Silvia can be reached via email . About Trout Unlimited Canada Trout Unlimited Canada's mission is to conserve, protect and restore Canada's freshwater ecosystems and their coldwater resources for current and future generations.  TUC has been restoring rivers and streams in Canada for over 35 years.  For more information about Trout Unlimited Canada please visit our website.

Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-Up 2014

Proposed Gravel Pit on the North Raven River

Click on the letter to see a larger sized version!

 We should be very concerned about this application! The potential damage to the North Raven water system would be devastating!

Letter to the minister from Don Andersen.

Dear sir:

While I recognize the requirement for gravel there are places in Alberta where the risk to the environment is just too high for a gravel mine.

The headwaters if the North Raven River is just such a place. The lands where the headsprings are located were purchased by the Alberta Conservation Assoc., Trout Unlimited Canada, Central Alberta Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Alberta Fish and Game Assoc. These purchases 

were an attempt to protect the headspwings integrity and the stream.  Further, the lands directly east of the proposed gravel pit were purchased by the Province who also recognized the importance of protecting the spring source waters.

The North Raven River is a very rare thing in Alberta, a spring creek and as such deserves the millions of dollars spent and thousand of volunteer hours invested to protect it over the past forty years. While the North Raven is not only rare it is also the closest trout stream to Edmonton where public access is possible.

As the co-habitat Chairman of the Central Alberta Chapter of Trout Unlimited, I've spent thousands of my own dollars plus hundred of hours attempting to repair the damaged caused by agribusiness. Dana Woodworth, your Deputy Minister, was a participant in one of these projects on a head spring adjacent to the Gravel Pit Proposal.

I trust that you will see the value of protecting this stream and urge you to stop the the Hankinson Gravel Pit Proposal in the County of Clearwater.

regards,

Don Andersen

co-habitat Chairman

Central Alberta Chapter of Trout Unlimited

5615 54A Ave.

Rocky Mountain House,

Alberta,

T4T 1H6

403-845-2069

Potential New Fish Stocking Policy for Alberta

A new fish stocking policy is being developed for our lakes in Alberta. here is the draft of the policy:

Alberta Fish Stocking Program

Please be sure to send your concerns to the 3 contacts on page 11 of the document!

Bob