SSRWI is short for South Saskatchewan River Watershed Stewards Inc. This community organization is non-profit, dedicated to working collectively with programs and initiatives to protect water resources.
Fish Habitat Project
The fish habitat project headed by SSRWSI took two years to complete. This project involves research into the main tributaries flowing into the South Saskatchewan River. The funding for this project came from the Environment Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund. The goal is identifying fish utilization and creating a data base of areas where the different species of fish are found. This includes photos of the fish, mapping areas, and evaluating the habitat they live in. Sampling specific creeks to identify the species of fish is involved in this project.
Over 20 different species of fish live in the South Saskatchewan River. Protecting them from contaminants and other potential risks is vital to their survival. Tributary creeks are important to the overall flow of the South Saskatchewan River and the fish populations. Some of the live in those areas all year long. Others move for spawning and rearing at specific times of the year.
Insufficient data made it a challenge to monitor the various species of fish and their populations. This study provides details about the movement of the fish, their vegetation, problems with bank erosion, and the quality of water. Such details help with important decisions about the habitat and the best ways to protect it. Changes should only be implemented when it is known they won’t have a negative impact.
The following areas were part of the sampling during 2011 and 2012 for the Fish Habitat Study:
- Brightwater/Beaver Creek
- Coteau Creek
- Fish Creek
- Opimihaw Creek
- Red Deer Creek
- Snakebite Creek