Meet the 2025 Watershed Stewardship Grant Recipients

The Watershed Stewardship Grants (WSG), made possible with core funding from Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, have been the foundation of many remarkable watershed stewardship projects across Alberta over the years. These initiatives showcase the unwavering dedication of organizations which, through hands-on initiatives, work to protect, restore and enhance our province’s precious water resources. Year after year, it’s inspiring to witness the growing impact and diversity of projects supported by the WSG program and how each organization involves surrounding communities in their projects. 

Discover how the 2025 WSG recipients are putting their funding to work in communities throughout the province, building on the momentum of positive change sparked by past projects. Together, these passionate organizations play a pivotal role in preserving Alberta’s natural heritage for generations to come. 

Alberta Lake Management Society 

This year, Alberta Lake Management Society (ALMS) will continue their Lake Watershed Stewardship Community of Practice that was launched in 2022 to keep fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among those dedicated to protecting Alberta’s lakes and watersheds. This year, ALMS will host four interactive online meetings where lake and watershed stewards can showcase their work and engage in meaningful discussion. The focus of this year’s webinars will be guided by the results from 2024, continuing to promote community efforts to ensure Alberta’s lake and watershed stewards remain well-equipped, connected and empowered. 

Bow River Basin Council Society 

Bow River Basin Council Society works to nurture, share and protect the waters of the Bow River Basin. This year, their WSG project will monitor streamflow in smaller, unnamed tributaries flowing into Nose Creek and West Nose Creek, which currently lack consistent flow data. As rural areas urbanize, changes in flow regimes could pose risks to downstream communities. The project will collect field data to validate hydrologic models (PCSWMM and SWAT+) used in the integrated Nose Creek Model. The proposed methodology involves a combination of staff gauges, game cameras and manual measurements at strategic locations, with data collection peaking in spring and summer when flow is most likely. This will help refine models and improve understanding of the watershed’s flow dynamics. 

Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement Association 

For their 2025 WSG project, Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement will be monitoring the water levels and temperature fluctuations of Buffalo Lake through the Buffalo Lake Monitoring Program from spring until fall this year. Their project will foster community engagement by incorporating Indigenous Knowledge from Local Elders and Local Environmental Monitors, while promoting sustainable practices rooted in the cultural heritage of Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement. Additionally, Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement will participate in the Summer LakeKeepers program administered by the Alberta Lake Management Society (ALMS), to conduct sampling on Buffalo Lake during the summer of 2025 for analysis and reporting. 

Elbow River Watershed Partnership Society 

Since its inception, the Elbow River Watershed Partnership Society (ERWP) has fostered collaboration and organized community efforts focused on watershed stewardship and management. With their 2025 WSG, ERWP plans to cohost a Youth Water Summit with Bow River Basin Council and Nakoda Youth Council in the Bow Valley in collaboration with an Indigenous student and professor to help integrate Indigenous knowledge into ERWP’s stewardship practices. The goal is to strengthen relations with Indigenous communities through ethical knowledge sharing and engagement. The project will also expand on the partnership with Bow River Basin Council to co-develop educational materials from the Bow River Basin State of the Watershed Report, addressing key issues in the Elbow Watershed. 

Foothills Land Trust 

For their 2025 WSG project, Foothills Land Trust (FLT) will be hiring a fish biologist and an Indigenous student from Tsuut’ina Nation to conduct Fish Habitat Assessments (FHAs) at Fish Creek and Tongue Creek on their lands. The FHAs will provide baseline data on fish habitat and water quality to guide future conservation efforts like streambank fencing, remote livestock watering stations and bioengineering. The project aims to foster collaboration with Indigenous Peoples in conservation projects and contribute to understanding aquatic ecosystem responses to stressors. Volunteers will assist with GIS services and field surveys, gaining skills for future projects. 

Freshwater Conservation Canada 

Building on their previous restoration projects in the Porcupine Hills to improve land and riverscape resiliency, Freshwater Conservation Canada plans to rehabilitate degraded streams through low-tech process-based restoration (LTPBR). This restoration technique involves the strategic placement of anchoring materials like wood and logs to rejuvenate creek ecosystems by creating physical complexity and habitat variety within streams to restore ecological balance and fortify resilience to extreme events. Freshwater Conservation Canada will also collaborate with 12 landowners along Oldman River tributaries who are looking to implement LTPBR on their lands, increasing local awareness and protecting drinking water and biodiversity in southern Alberta. 

Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society 

In continuation of their 2024 WSG project, Friends of Fish Creek Park Society plans to promote the regrowth of native plant species in Fish Creek Provincial Park and reduce the prevalence of invasive species and disturbance by re-establishing native plants around the creek. This will increase ecosystem health and reduce the impact of extreme weather events by slowing water runoff and reinforcing the banks. The project also involves the removal of dead plant material to increase the reproductive success of native plants and decrease wildfire risk. This project will be monitored long-term to track its success and expand records of ecological changes resulting from restoration efforts. 

Ghost Watershed Alliance Society 

Ghost Watershed Alliance Society (GWAS) collaborates around the watershed to improve and promote watershed health and literacy. This year, GWAS plans to increase public awareness, through presentations and workshops, of how land and water are connected and the dependence of species on a healthy watershed. Additionally, GWAS will work towards holistic watershed management through collaboration with recreational users, partners, decision makers and industrial users to support effective management of the watershed. This WSG project will increase GWAS’s organizational capacity to provide educational programming and expertise. 

Jumping Pound Creek Watershed Partnership 

The Jumpingpound Creek Watershed Partnership (JCWP) is a partnership between local ranchers, landowners and municipalities in the Municipal Disctrict of Bighorn No.8 aiming to maintain surface and groundwater quality in the watershed. Their WSG project this year will involve three beaver management demonstrations, the first demonstrating the use of a pond leveler to allow water to flow through a dam that is blocking water flow through a culvert, the second demonstrating the repair of an abandoned dam in Kananaskis Improvement District, and the third, a potential demonstration involving a beaver dam that has caused road flooding. 

Lakeland Agricultural Research Association 

Lakeland Agricultural Research Association (LARA) will be hosting a two-part workshop in collaboration with Cows and Fish with a focus on riparian area and health management. The first part of the workshop is a virtual webinar information session introducing participants to riparian areas. This will be followed by a field day where participants will apply the knowledge learned in the workshop and gain practical experience in evaluating riparian health. Attendees will gain the hands-on experience needed to assess and improve riparian areas to help maintain healthy ecosystems. 

Living Lakes Canada Society 

Living Lakes Canada in collaboration with Oldman Watershed Council and Piikani Nation, will lead a groundwater monitoring project in the Oldman Watershed. This WSG project will fill data gaps, support watershed restoration and improve flood and drought resilience. The project will expand the number of monitored wells using advanced geoscanning technology, including the Towed-Transient Electromagnetics (tTEM) system, to map critical aquifers and assess vulnerability. Public engagement through workshops and surveys will help them understand community concerns, guide monitoring site selection and raise awareness about sustainable groundwater management. 

Mayatan Lake Management Association 

After wrapping up the fourth year of their WSG project in 2024, Mayatan Lake Management Association’s (MLMA) 2025 WSG grant extends the project into a fifth year with plans to produce and distribute a video about the Carvel Pitted Delta to inform people about its critical vitality to hydrological functions and biodiversity in the region. In addition, MLMA will carry out lake water chemistry and fish analysis on approximately 20 unsampled lakes in Parkland County to enhance knowledge of the Carvel Pitted Delta from a stewardship perspective. MLMA will also conduct local stewardship activities like shoreline and roadside cleanups at Mayatan Lake and surrounding areas to enhance stewardship commitment and increase awareness and understanding of local watershed issues. 

Métis Nation of Alberta 

Métis Nation of Alberta, through the McMurray Métis Water Guardians project and with input from Métis Knowledge Holders, will identify six key drinking water sources and monitor them through seasonal testing using stable isotopes, radon and routine methods. Métis community members will receive hands-on training in sampling and data interpretation, increasing local knowledge and participation in water stewardship. Results will be shared through reports and presentations to McMurray Métis leadership, fostering transparency, informed decision-making and strong community advocacy for drinking water protection. 

North Peace Applied Research Association 

North Peace Applied Research Association (NPARA) will use their 2025 WSG to restore and protect rivers and streams in Alberta’s Peace Country through adaptive strategies. Their goals include improving water quality by reducing agricultural runoff, ensuring cleaner water for agricultural, recreational and ecological use. They will also work to restore riparian and aquatic ecosystems to boost biodiversity and enhance ecosystem services. Additionally, the project aims to build resilience to climate impacts, engage stakeholders and promote sustainable land management practices to foster long-term commitment to watershed stewardship and increase the adoption of conservation practices. 

RiverWatch Institute of Alberta 

Since 2014, the Riverwatch Institute of Alberta has operated CreekWatch, a citizen science initiative that monitors the health of creeks and urban rivers through volunteer engagement and stewardship activities. With support from the WSG this year, the RiverWatch Institute of Alberta plans to maintain community interaction through their social media communications with volunteers to facilitate connection and share insights, challenges and opportunities related to watershed management. They also plan to expand the reach of the CreekWatch program and its volunteer opportunities to communities throughout Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary. 

Society of Grasslands Naturalists 

The Medicine Hat Interpretive Program (MHIP), managed by the Society of Grasslands Naturalists (GN) will coordinate and deliver the Watershed Wellness project offering educational nature programs and hands-on stewardship activities for school and community groups, tourists and visitors throughout 2025. In conjunction with citizen science events, these activities will include invasive species identification and removal, native plants community revitalization and shoreline care to empower participants to actively engage with nature by building their capacity to contribute to community-driven projects. Additionally, MHIP plans to host a knowledge-sharing program for Indigenous youth to help build skills to identify local, traditional plants and to create an interactive display for the Nature Centre in Police Point Park relating to watershed ecology. 

Waterton Biosphere Reserve Association 

Building on the success of last year’s WSG project which helped landowners learn about, adopt and implement beaver coexistence measures, Waterton Biosphere Reserve Association (WBRA) will work with the Working With Beavers Collaborative to launch a pilot project focused on developing effective processes for successful beaver relocation, further advancing the beaver coexistence goals and interest generated from last year’s effort. Beaver relocation will restore missing ecosystem benefits that beavers provide, naturally improving water quality, reducing flood peaks and improving water holding capacity and drought resilience. 

Weaselhead/Glenmore Park Preservation Society 

The Weaselhead/Glenmore Park Preservation Society’s Invasive Plant Program protects and improves the health of the Weaselhead habitats and watershed through invasive plant management, community engagement and education. This year’s WSG project involves developing high school programs aligning with science and biology curricula to engage students in environmental stewardship and demonstrate, through hands-on experience, how their efforts have a significant impact on the ecological health of the Weaselhead Natural Area and surrounding water bodies. The program will raise awareness about invasive plant threats and encourage proactive community involvement through guided tours, educational signage and social media campaigns. 

In addition, WLWLSA will be completing a second WSG project in 2025, focusing on continuing habitat monitoring in the Weaselhead Special Protection Natural Area, building on baseline data from the 2015 Southwest Calgary Ring Road Impact Study. The project will involve public and youth participation in collecting data on soil, vegetation, water invertebrates, birds and wildlife movement. The goal is to develop repeatable methodologies for citizen science and create new educational programs for schools and youth organizations. By gathering data on environmental changes, the project aims to deepen understanding of human impacts on ecosystems, especially aquatic and riparian health, and guide future decision-making. 

Wizard Lake Watershed and Lake Stewardship Association 

After the success of phase two of their 2024 informational signage expansion, Wizard Lake Watershed and Lake Stewardship Association (WLWLSA) plans to continue their community engagement and advancement of lake stewardship knowledge for watershed area residents by compiling and sharing a report (with the help of environmental consultant, Associated Environmental Consultants Inc.) on the water quality of Wizard Lake. This will also involve new tributary sampling to update historic tributary data, and the distribution of comparison graphs to Leduc and Wetaskiwin County to drive development and understanding of the impact of upland runoff on bottom basin waterbodies like Wizard Lake.