August Newsletter

Newsletter - August 22, 2023

Please consider viewing this email in your web browser or adding us to your address book for an optimal viewing experience.

TOPICS INCLUDE:

Developing Watershed-Based Climate Change Adaptation Plans
AIS Spotlight - Prussian Carp
Welcome to the Team - New Staff

NEWSLETTER

AUGUST 2023

Developing Watershed-Based Climate Change Adaptation Plans

With support from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds (SAW) is beginning the process of developing watershed-based climate change adaptation plans throughout Saskatchewan – for each watershed district, as well as a provincial-wide plan. This climate change adaptation planning process will help to build our community’s capacity to adapt to climate change impacts and effects. The planning process will bring together community members and leadership to develop a plan for adaptation to climate change.

Over the course of the project, committee members and attendees will participate in various engagement meetings and activities to identify the local effects and impacts of climate change and discuss ways to adapt and become more resilient to these changes. We will focus our discussion on four topics: natural systems, human health, cultural resources/economic activity, and community infrastructure. Our goal is to ensure we have diverse representation from all communities throughout Saskatchewan.

This project has the following objectives:

1) Develop 6 climate-change adaptation plans across Saskatchewan’s entirety (5 regional district plans, and 1 provincial wide plan) that can aid communities to become more adaptive and resilient to climate-change related risks.

2) Build capacity and provide education and awareness to youth, urban and rural communities, Indigenous communities, government, and industry about climate changes and demonstrate how we can work together to reduce climate change impacts.

3) Develop and implement 6 climate adaptation demonstration sites that showcase climate change adaptation beneficial management practices (BMPs) that communities can adopt to reduce climate change impacts. Demonstration field days will be organized for the public to tour and collect information. Professional videos will be completed at each demonstration site and uploaded to SAW’s website and social media platforms for public to access.

4) Promote the outcomes of the plans to communities, government, Indigenous communities, and stakeholders.

5) Provide completed plans on the SAW and stakeholder websites.

SAW held our first engagement meetings in the northwest district on July 28 and August 18, 2023, in Saskatoon. The next engagement meeting will be held at the Saskatoon Public Library – Alice Turner Branch on September 8, 2023. If you are interested in attending the next meeting, please contact ccap@saskwatersheds.ca for more information.

Aquatic Invasive Species Spotlight:

Prussian Carp

Have you ever heard of a Prussian Carp (Carassius gibelio)? It’s an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) that has found its way to North America from overseas and is currently only found in Saskatchewan and Alberta. This invasive fish, which is related to the goldfish, is silvery-brown and can weigh up to 3kg, and grow to be 30cm long.

Prussian Carp are a great threat to Saskatchewan and North American waterbodies because of their life characteristics that make them a very prolific invader. Females are ready to reproduce at 1 or 2 years old and they can spawn up to three times in one year. Not only that, but they use a reproductive process that utilizes the sperm of other fish. This process – called gynogenesis – allows the female to use the sperm in the water column to activate egg development, producing new females. Not only does this mean a female does not need a male to reproduce, it also means that the reproductive rates of native fish species can decline because of the sperm being used by an unintended recipient.

Prussian Carp are habitat generalists, meaning they can endure a wide range of conditions – such as water with low oxygen or poor quality. This means they can out-compete many native species of fish and can live in areas, such as dugouts and irrigation canals, where native fish can’t live.

Prussian carp are a significant threat to our aquatic habitats and native fish species. They are easily spread from one body of water to another, making it of utmost importance to follow the “Clean, Drain, Dry” method to prevent the spread.

For more information on Prussian Carp and preventing the spread of AIS, please use the links below.

Information on AIS Prevention

Information on Prussian Carp

Welcome to the Team!

We would like to welcome two new staff to the SAW team!

Warren McAuley - Northwest District Manager

Warren is responsible for the Northwest District, reaching from Prince Albert to south of Saskatoon and west to the Alberta border. He will be involved in the new Climate Change Adaptation plan that is starting in his district, as well as the Prairie Watershed Climate Program applications and other SAW programming. He recently graduated from his Masters of Science in Soil Science with his thesis being on soil health in intercropping. Previously he worked in canola breeding. Outside of work, Warren enjoys mountain biking, playing sports, and gardening.

Samantha Kerr - Water Resource Manager

Samantha Kerr is SAW’s Water Resource Manager. She holds a Ph.D. in Geography and Environmental Studies from the University of Regina. Dr. Kerr’s research interests include the spatial and temporal natural variability of past and future hydroclimate. She has more than 10 years of experience leading and engaging in research projects focussed on using paleoindicators, hydroclimatic instrumental records, and regional climate model data. Recent research efforts have focussed on environmental process modelling of surface and sub-surface water flow, infiltration, and erosion rates in the Avonlea Badlands. Notable highlights from Dr. Kerr’s research include the development of a 900-year geospatial paleo drought atlas for Western Canada, 600-year streamflow reconstructions for the North and South Saskatchewan Rivers, and an in-depth spatial analysis of changing climate throughout Saskatchewan’s arable agricultural zone. Samantha will be working closely with the Watershed District Advisory Committees, supporting the Climate Change Adaptation Planning Project, and other SAW programming.

WATCH: The Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds works to protect and conserve Saskatchewan's Freshwater

SAW is dedicated to protect and conserve Saskatchewan's surface and groundwater by implementing source water protection and stewardship programming provincially.