Brief safety speech from Lesley When my team encouraged me to join the conservation crew for a two-day sampling trip in Edmonton, I jumped at the opportunity to get moving and take a break from sitting at my desk. Now, let it be said that I've had no experience in conservation work before this trip. As the new Marketing & Communications Coordinator at Freshwater Conservation Canada, my biggest work concern to date has been testing how many office ice cream sandwiches I can consume per day before my boss notices the rapid pace at which they're disappearing. Spoiler alert: it's two. The day started at the crack of dawn. The conservation crew picked me up at the nearest Starbucks location close to my house at 7:45 am. From there, the crew drove from Calgary to Edmonton to meet up with its partners for this collaborative project, including EPCOR, VIDEA, the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance, the Opitemisiwak Métis Government, and the University of Alberta. Group Photo Upon arrival, it was determined early on that the downstream sites were too hazardous to sample. Nevertheless, we still resumed our plans for the other creeks, where I had my first experience wearing electrofishing gear. They're these big, oversized overalls that overheat your body like a second skin and help you navigate through the water, as it provides some form of protection when you're sampling for fish. They were definitely a lot more comfortable than they looked. After a brief safety speech from Lesley and the rest of the team, we all split off into three teams. I followed Lesley's team to Fulton Creek. The plan was simple. Sample the water, analyze its state, and hope the other members that accompanied us would gain some electrofishing knowledge by the end of the day. Only, there were no fish. Some of the bodies of water we looked into had plenty of deadfall, but no fish. I think Tinder had more fish in the sea than what we saw. With very little to work with, Lesley's team and I headed to Deanna and Casper's team at upstream Mill Creek in the late afternoon, where they had caught over 100 sticklebacks. I was excited at the prospect of seeing what happens after the fish are caught and sampled. My expectations did not prepare me for the reality that awaited me. The heat had already tanned my skin like a rotisserie chicken, but I was not expecting the onslaught of mosquitoes. They were everywhere. In your back, in your clothes, in your ears. It was an all-you-can-eat mosquito buffet. You couldn't talk without risking a mosquito getting in your mouth. I think I swallowed two mouthfuls of je ne sais quoi. If it sounds gross it is because it was. And the mud. The deep, deep mud. It stuck to your feet like glue. The closer I treaded to the creek, the deeper the mud stuck around my boots. At some point, I could not extract my feet. I tugged. Nothing budged. Not even a disturbing alteration of the Cupid Shuffle got me out as the mud alarmingly started to reach my calf. It was only with the help of Lesley that I got out of that sticky mess. After that, I strayed from the bank of Mill Creek. Not everything was bad, though. Quite the opposite, actually. The team managed to sample over 300 sticklebacks, and the other creeks that were examined turned out to be healthy. The highlight of the day, however, came towards the end when we all took off our waders. Turns out marinating in my own sweat while wearing oversized overalls does wonders for hydrating my skin. If you want an au naturel skin care routine, this would be it. Never let it be said I gatekeep beauty secrets. In my experience, the best part of the trip came on the second day, which was a shame because I had to leave midday to make the drive back to Calgary (three hours if you follow the speed limit—which I did, obviously). The morning started out with me making dumb decisions. I opted out of wearing waders. Why, you ask? I couldn't tell you. Let me caution you though: never not wear waders. My sneakers became one with the mud, and the shorts did not help. Goldbar Creek was on the schedule that day. It proved to be the star of the show. Goldbar Creek hosted a variety of diverse fish to sample, enhancing the experience of everyone who attended. Even more, it was home to a number of Prussian Carp, an invasive fish. While that doesn't bode well for native species, it did paint me a picture of what species belong in Alberta aquatic streams and which ones don't. The rest of the team was excited at the variety of fish they found, and that excitement transcended well when it was time to record the sizes and populations of the fish. I think what floored me the most was finding the weird conditions some of the fish were found in. You might think, duh, of course fish get sick and injured. Listen, I know next to nothing when it comes to aquatic species. I didn't even finish watching Finding Nemo as a child. It was all a blank slate for me. About several fishes had giant cysts protruding from the sides of their body. Another had a weird arch on its back. I think I even saw one with one of its fins cut off. I watched and recorded everything with the same fascinated disgust as one would watch Dr. Pimple Popper on YouTube. In the midst of all the novelty that occurred in a short span of time, the hours flew by. Now, I don't think I've done the best job at portraying the trip in the most positive light thus far. That's because this narrative wouldn't be authentic if I portrayed it as all flowers and roses. What I can say is that while I sat in the riparian zone of the creek while the team and I were struggling to determine the classification of a certain fish, I had a sudden strike of clarity. You know, the ones you get when time pauses a little, and you're hit with an epiphany that makes you go, oooo yes. I get it. I get it now. I understand why people delved into this kind of work. All mosquito bites, mud clinging, and transpiration overload aside, there was a certain sense of fulfillment you feel at the end of the day when looking back at the work you did. It's rewarding, I think, to feel like your work means something. In today's age of environmental degradation, you hope that behind every invasive species you catch, every tree you plant, and every creek you observe, it might count for something to restore what had been damaged. I know I definitely felt good about the work we did. And most of all, I left feeling a newfound respect for the conservation crew that consistently pulls these long days to make this work happen. It wouldn't be possible without them.

Alberta’s provincial government is assessing options to increase water storage on the Red Deer River, and is currently carrying out scoping, feasibility analysis, and technical evaluations of three potential dam scenarios near Ardley, AB. The Red Deer River is a beloved feature of central Alberta, supporting a diversity of wildlife, birds, fish, and plants, and providing invaluable benefits to society. The construction of a large dam is arguably among the most devastating impacts we can impose on a free-flowing river system, especially a large prairie river with a diverse fish community that includes migratory species, and whose valley is the only major intact wildlife corridor left in the entire region. Freshwater Conservation Canada does not support construction of new dams on Alberta rivers. Economic Costs The Ardley Dam would cost billions of dollars of public money to build and maintain, and the stated benefits and purposes of the dam are unclear. The province is considering drought resilience, flood mitigation, irrigation support, and municipal/industrial water supply could be reasons to build a dam and reservoir. However, operating a reservoir for one purpose (flood mitigation) can be antithetical to another (drought resilience). While Alberta contemplates damming the Red Deer River, other jurisdictions in the developed world (USA, Europe) have largely ceased to build projects of this sort and are increasingly undertaking dam removal projects both large and small, recognizing the severe and persistent environmental, social, and economic costs that dams have imposed on their communities, and the tremendous benefits of removing them. In just 2025, over 600 fish passage barriers (including dams) were removed in Europe, and over 100 dams removed in the USA. Social and Environmental Costs In addition to the staggering economic cost of this project, Alberta would lose more than 30 km of wild and free river, riparian forest, and valley bottom ecosystem, forever. Native, migratory fishes like Goldeye, Mooneye, and Redhorse would likely no longer be seen and angling opportunities for those species lost upstream of the proposed dam site, including in major tributaries like the Little Red Deer, Blindman and Medicine Rivers. Lake Sturgeon, another iconic migratory fish species that has persisted for over 70 million years can be found not far downstream from Ardley and, in small numbers, potentially upstream. Lake Sturgeon are already listed as Threatened under Alberta’s Wildlife Act. The Red Deer River and its native fish fauna are incredible natural resources that have been shaped over millennia in central Alberta; it would be a devastating loss to the region if these iconic species were to slip away from a large portion of the basin. It is important to recognize that, to our knowledge, not a single large dam in Alberta has fish passage provisions, and there is little reason to expect that this project would be any different. Blocking fish passage is only one of many issues that dams and diversions impose on river ecosystems and fish communities. Additional effects from declining turbidity (turbid/murky water is very important to Great Plains fishes), modification of flow and temperature regimes, and proliferation of invasive species are just a few of a long list of impacts. Water availability and conservation Building a dam and reservoir would likely result in increased water use and water losses. Research has shown that construction of reservoirs increases water demand which counteracts any initial benefits of increased supply. Additionally, transforming a meandering, shaded river to a long reservoir battered by prairie sun and wind and unable to support shoreline vegetation would also result in substantial water loses from evaporation. Instead of major infrastructure like a dam that has long term economic, environmental, and social costs, Freshwater Conservation Canada supports investments in nature-based solutions and natural infrastructure. Protecting and restoring wetlands, floodplains, and riparian ecosystems can increase the landscape’s ability to store water and mitigate the impacts of floods while improving habitat for a suite of species. Conservation measures to ensure efficient use of water, along with drought and flood planning and preparedness also help to build community resilience while protecting the health of the rivers that sustain us all. What can you do Freshwater Conservation Canada staff recently participated in both in-person and online engagement sessions hosted by the province. What we heard was that the feedback provided by the public will be incorporated into the feasibility study. The purpose of the feasibility study is to determine which of three dam scenarios (if any) should proceed to next steps (design, regulatory approvals, construction, and operation). We encourage folks to participate in this process and share your thoughts on the social, environmental, cultural, and economic implications of a new dam on the Red Deer River. A survey is available online until July 30: https://www.alberta.ca/ardley-reservoir-study-engagement Questions and feedback can be sent to epa.ardley@gov.ab.ca.

After overwintering in the office, the Freshwater Conservation Canada (FCC) Alberta field crew was itching to get back to the field as soon as possible. With this year’s field season now in full swing, it’s about time for an update on what we’ve been up to! Since the weather has allowed, we have been getting out to the Porcupine Hills, in southern Alberta’s Eastern Slopes. Our field work trips often feature an FCC field day staple – a quick A&W fuel stop, although the team is trying to diversify their breakfast spots this year. FCC has ongoing projects throughout the Porcupine Hills which includes monitoring, fish sampling and reclamation work. One of our large ongoing projects takes place in the Callum Creek watershed, a tributary to the Oldman River. This watershed supports genetically pure populations of Threatened Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Our projects in the area are focused on improving habitat conditions for this species and on gaining further understanding about the watershed and the species themselves. Landscape in the Callum Creek Watershed In 2025, 41 Beaver Dam Analog (BDA) structures were built along the north fork of Sharples Creek (unofficially named Prong Coulee), a tributary to Callum Creek. In April 2026, the crew went out to do some early season recon for future BDA sites and a bit of maintenance. During this visit, some of our structures were ponding water, others were dry, and a few were still covered in a thick sheet of ice. As is often the case, our crew members were keeping their eyes peeled in hopes to see one of the Westslope Cutthroat Trout that inhabit this stream. Luckily, this time around, some members of the crew did spot a small trout swimming in one of the BDA ponds. It is always rewarding to see one of the species we are working to protect! Beaver dam analog in Sharples Creek, built in 2025 A couple of weeks later, we had the pleasure of having a class from Lethbridge Polytechnic come out to Sharples Creek to help us with BDA construction and maintenance. On a snowy mid-April day, we had 30 eager students helping us gather material, pile dirt and sticks, and pound posts. With such a great crew we had already built a handful of new BDAs before lunch time. Another aspect to our work on Sharples Creek is monitoring fish movement. Last year, FCC installed four fish arrays to detect the movement of Westslope Cutthroat Trout through Sharples and Playle Creek, tributaries of Callum Creek. This was paired with a large sampling event organized with our partners from the AEPA and FRI Research. Both creeks were sampled extensively and all Westslope Cutthroat Trout that met our size criteria were “tagged” with a small passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag. Arrays were constructed at key points on the creeks and as “tagged” fish swim by, they are detected and logged by the arrays. The arrays were offline over the winter and needed to be booted back up to detect fish movement during the warmer months of the year. This spring, it was time to replace the large batteries that provide power to the arrays. Unfortunately for us, this required hiking out the old batteries last fall and hiking in the new (thankfully lighter) batteries this spring. The crew will be visiting our arrays regularly to ensure they are working properly and hopefully they will start pinging some fish as they swim by. PIT tag array on Sharples Creek Beaver Creek is another tributary of the Oldman River that flows through the southern extent of the Porcupine Hills. Beaver Creek is also home to Westslope Cutthroat Trout and is the site of another ongoing project. A crew went out to electrofish four reaches of Beaver Creek that had not been sampled in just over a decade. The goal of this effort was to gain updated information on the presence of Westslope Cutthroat Trout in the upper reaches of the creek. The crew unfortunately caught no Westslope Cutthroat Trout during this effort, but did catch some Longnose Dace, Fathead Minnow and a variety of suckers, all native species to Alberta. Additionally, the crew ran into a local dog that was looking for a few pets and the crew was happy to oblige. Although the trip did not accomplish what it had set out to do, the crew was happy to be out fish sampling rather than being cooped up in the office for the week. Field crew electrofishing in Beaver Creek Since our Alberta office is based out of Calgary, our trips involve a lot of driving, which leads to a lot of time spent chatting with your coworkers, listening to silly music and our new favourite: playing daily musical trivia games. It’s safe to say that the FCC field crew trucks are a pretty great place to be. We still have quite a bit more work to do out at our Porcupine Hills sites, and the crew is excited for what’s to come. Local dog in Beaver Creek Our work in the Porcupine Hills is made possible by our funders from the Alberta Ecotrust Foundation Grant, the Canada Water Agency Ecoaction Grant, and the Alberta Conservation Association Community Grant.

While we work with rivers and streams, we also work with water on land. When we assess sites for our Cooling Streams  riparian restoration program, one of the first questions we ask is simple but powerful: What is water doing? By watching where water enters, moves through, and leaves a site—and noticing where it’s needed—we can design restoration projects that keep newly planted trees and shrubs alive, improve soil health, and support biodiversity – and ultimately support healthy rivers and streams. This is especially important as we face more extreme weather—longer droughts, heavier rains, and more frequent high heat days—due to climate change. To show how we apply this approach, let’s look at a test plot where we trial restoration techniques at our project site on the Eramosa River, near Guelph, Ontario. The plot lies within a 58-acre land trust, known as Property 2, where we are: Managing invasive species like European Buckthorn and Giant Hogweed Planting native trees and shrubs Rehabilitating a Black Ash / Red Maple swamp impacted by Emerald Ash Borer Re-introducing endangered Butternut trees resistant to Butternut canker Surveying fish species to support our land trust partner’s conservation work The test plot has a southeastern slope with varied microtopography. Rain and snow arrive mainly from the west and northwest, so water runs off quickly in some spots while pooling in others. Before restoration, European Buckthorn dominated; once we removed it with help from community volunteers, the exposed soil was vulnerable to erosion and drying out. An example of the mature individuals of buckthorn at the site Our challenge was clear: how do we work with water to give new plantings the best chance of survival, while managing invasive species? The Problem is the Solution Instead of just removing Buckthorn, we repurposed it perform these functions that work with water: Dead hedge at the upper slope edge  – We used cut Buckthorn to build a long permeable barrier where the slope meets an open agricultural field. This “dead hedge” slows the prevailing winds like a snow fence, causing more snow to settle on the site. Come spring, that extra snowmelt provides water for young trees. The hedge also creates habitat for wildlife and insects. Windbreak and microclimate  – The hedge reduces evaporation by slowing the drying effects of wind, keeping soil moisture higher. It also buffers strong wind gusts that may damage trees. Standing dead shrubs  – In some spots, we treated Buckthorn with herbicide but left the stems standing. These provide partial shade, reduce wind, and create vertical habitat for birds and other species. Shade-tolerant shrubs and trees can be planted underneath. Mulch – Branches were chipped and spread around new plantings. Mulch suppresses competing vegetation and helps retain soil moisture. Habitat piles  – Larger branches were stacked into piles or scattered across the site to provide moist refuges for species like the Red-backed Salamander , which relies on damp cover for shelter, hibernation, and to hunt insects. Our test plot. You can see the mulch, treated stumps, habitat piles as well as the dead hedge right upslope above the grass. In short, we turned a problem into part of the solution. By converting an invasive species into mulch, hedges, windbreaks, and habitat, we created conditions for native trees and shrubs to establish and thrive. Over time, these plantings will strengthen the riparian ecosystem, helping both the river and the many species—including people—that depend on it.   Next Steps: Storing Water in the Soil Following the dead hedge construction, crews will next dig swales —shallow trenches set along the natural contours of the slope. Swales slow down surface runoff from rain and melting snow, reducing erosion and giving water more time to soak into the soil. This creates a kind of underground “savings account” of moisture that trees and shrubs can draw on during dry periods. See It for Yourself You can visit our test plot and the restoration site through Google Street View. Follow the trail, and you’ll see the different riparian ecosystems we’re working to rehabilitate and enhance, plus beautiful views of the Eramosa River. Bonus points if you can spot our field crew site monitoring: Explore the site on Google Maps

What are they? Invasives are species that have either travelled or been transported to an environment outside of their native range. This movement can be purposeful or accidental; however, it differs from that of a non-native or introduced species, and attains invasive status when it begins to outcompete and prevent the growth of native species.   Plants are growing and thriving, so how is this a bad thing? Invasive species management is such an important topic because pollinators, as well as other wildlife and plants, rely on a diverse array of native species to successfully grow and reproduce. Invasive species disrupt an ecosystem's equilibrium, which has developed over thousands of years, causing a decrease in biodiversity that has cascading effects within said ecosystem. The initial invasive species disruption also invites other invasives to thrive in the disturbance, worsening the situation.   Because of the complexities of this, there are various levels of invasive species, as some are more successful than others. Ontario has the most invasive species of all Canada’s provinces and territories, but this is an issue that environments worldwide face. Limited prohibitions and restrictions currently exist for these species, creating a gap between what’s covered by legislation and what's happening on the ground. This leaves organisations, municipalities and conservation authorities to close the gap themselves and take local action. Invasive species from left to right are European Common Reed   ( Phragmites australis subsp. australis ), Japanese Knotweed ( Reyoutria japonica ) and Flowering Rush ( Butomus umbellatus ) Terrestrial Invasive Species Examples : Phragmites (invasive common reed), Buckthorn (European and glossy), Dog strangling vine (Black and Pale swallow wort), Knotweed (Japanese, giant and hybrid knotweed), Giant hogweed and Wild parsnip, etc.   Aquatic Invasive Species Examples : Xeno-carp, Goldfish, Eurasian watermilfoil, Flowering rush, Curly leaf pond weed, Yellow iris, etc.   There are also   invasive insects, fungi and diseases  like Emerald ash borer, Spongey moth, Hemlock woolly adelgid, Oak wilt, Butternut canker, Beech bark and leaf disease, etc. Qualities that make invasive species successful ● Speed: Many invasives grow large, fast and aggressively throughout an elongated season compared to native species  ● Reproduction and dispersal: They are high-volume reproducers that release many eggs or seeds ● High tolerance for various growing conditions, whether that be temperature, pH, pollution, duration of sun/shade, moisture requirements, etc. ● Lack of predators   There are various means by which invasive species spread; some are accidental, and others are purposeful. Accidental spread most commonly occurs via air, water or truck transportation. Despite some restrictions, invasive species move within cargo and boats, or through the water used to balance ships (ballast water). Other accidental means include everyday hiking, wind, wildlife, etc. However, many invasive species have spread through purposeful selling, either in the horticultural/landscaping sphere or the pet/wildlife trade. This remains common today, as restrictions are limited and insufficient to prevent this movement.   What are we doing to mitigate this? Freshwater Conservation Canada frequently manages invasive species, some of which include Buckthorn, Giant hogweed, and Phragmites. Other species we encounter include Curly leaf pondweed, Garlic mustard, Knotweed and more. Management and removal are done both chemically and manually, over multiple seasons, to ensure success and note the emergence of new growth.   Additional actions include: ● Leading volunteer efforts in invasive removal and educating the public to increase awareness ● Trialling new management methods like biotic resistance, along with our ongoing efforts to reintroduce native species in our restoration projects to increase diversity and support a healthy ecosystem ● Working with other professionals in the space to increase success FCC staff, volunteers and corporate workday participants are pictured from left to right, showing the removal of Buckthorn, Giant hogweed and Phragmites. What can the public do to help? Aside from directly removing invasive species, it's important to raise awareness and encourage people to take proper precautions, when possible, to prevent the spread.   Since personal and recreational boats, canoes and kayaks are concerning vectors, an easy way to prevent this is through proper maintenance and cleaning. Even if you can't see anything, microscopic species or juveniles can still travel this way, which is why it's best practice to clean, drain, and dry your boats and other aquatic equipment between sites. It's even recommended that you take necessary precautions to clean or disinfect your wearable gear (shoes, hiking poles, bags) when moving between regions.   Other options include: ➔ Joining or supporting us in our efforts! Or working with other organisations who have similar missions ➔ Reporting any invasives you see using apps like EDDMapS or iNaturalist ➔ Using native plants in your gardens and landscaping projects ➔ Disposing of garden species and surrendering unwanted pets through proper channels

The Upper St. Mary Watershed Tucked away in the southwest corner of Alberta, the St. Mary River is home to a variety of unique species in the province. This watershed is home to three threatened fish, Bull Trout, Westslope Cutthroat Trout, and a small, unassuming fish, hiding between rocks in the streambeds – the Rocky Mountain Sculpin.  These species are threatened in part due to habitat degradation, often cumulative from a range of human impacts. In the upper St. Mary, decades of off-highway vehicle (OHV) use and cattle grazing have compacted soils, funneled sediment into creeks and prevented re-growth of plants along stream banks. Over the past three years, Freshwater Conservation Canada has partnered with leaseholders in the Pole Haven Grazing Lease (PHGL), private landowners in the broader watershed, and Cows and Fish to recover stream banks, install grazing best management practices, and combat future degradation. We have also worked with the Alberta Off-Highway Vehicle Association to install needed off-highway vehicle (OHV) crossings. The St. Mary is one of only three river systems in Canada where the Rocky Mountain Sculpin is found.  Because of their limited distribution and relatively low numbers, every meter of habitat matters for protecting this fish in Alberta. Did you see the sculpin hiding between these rocks? Now you do! Harnessing the Power of Plants! Did you know? Willows and poplars can grow from just a branch cutting! That’s because these two species have evolved to take advantage of damage from beavers and seasonal flooding to colonize new areas. In nature, these broken off branches are carried by the river to new banks and gravel bars, become partially buried by stream sediment, and grow new roots and shoots using the energy stored in the wood. This year, we took advantage of this cool evolutionary process, and planted >550 willow and poplar stakes to revegetate degraded riparian areas, and help stabilize eroding banks. Willow and narrowleaf poplar stakes incorporated into a wattle fence to stabilize an eroding bank on Lee Creek. A Rare Winter Field Trip FCC staff emerged from their winter hibernation early in 2026 to complete some trail and riparian rehabilitation at the PHGL. This work built on habitat and trail assessment work completed in 2023 and 2024 and focused on reclaiming unused and redundant trail segments used by the area leaseholders to reduce sediment delivery into Lee Creek and Tough Creek. We worked with Leaf Ninjas to complete this work, who took the chilly conditions at site in stride. While many of the reclaimed trails and stream crossings currently receive low or no use, they still degrade critical habitat for the aquatic residents of Lee and Tough Creek. That’s because the compacted soils on the trails cannot hold on to water, and instead act as a raceway for water moving down the trail surface. Water does not encounter much friction on the relatively smooth surface of the compacted trails, and picks up speed, just like a ball rolling down a hill. The fast-moving water is powerful, able to carry loose soil particles in its flow, and is pulled down by gravity towards the stream, where the silty water is deposited. Rocky Mountain Sculpin spend most of their lives hiding in the spaces between loose gravels and boulders, and when the fine silt particles delivered by the trail enter a creek, they fill in these hiding spaces, leaving the sculpin with nowhere to hide from predators. To address this issue, approximately 800m of compacted trail surfaces were decompacted using a small excavator. This creates loose, fluffy soils that hold onto water instead of shedding it, reducing sediment delivery into the creek, and recharging groundwater aquifers. The loose soils are also the perfect growing medium for new plants, promoting rapid revegetation of these disturbed surfaces. To help speed up the revegetation process, FCC also distributed woody debris over the reclamation area, and spread native seeds on the freshly decompacted soils. In addition to soil decompaction and native seed distribution, FCC also installed one stream crossing structure over a needed stream crossing, removed a damaged culvert that was creating issues with water ponding upstream, and worked with the leaseholders at the PHGL to expand a seasonal grazing exclusion fence on Lee Creek over degraded riparian area. Still More to Come FCC will continue to monitor and maintain the 2026 rehabilitation sites for years to come, and will continue working in the area to restore degraded sculpin and trout habitat wherever we can! Do you live in in the upper St. Mary watershed, and are wondering how you can help your fishy friends? Reach out to us at info@freshwatercanada.org ! 2025-2026 Acknowledgements This work was supported by funding from Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Program, Alberta Conservation Association’s Conservation Community and Education Grant, and TC Energy through Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Conservation Exchange Pilot. Thank you to our partners at the Pole Haven Grazing Association for their input with rehabilitation planning, a private landowner along Lee Creek who requested our assistance with an eroding bank, and our willow staking volunteers!

Meet the Mountain Whitefish: a quiet star of our rivers. The Mountain Whitefish , Prosopium williamsoni If you spend time around rivers or mountain lakes in western North America, there’s a good chance you’ve been near a Mountain Whitefish —even if you didn’t know it. They might not be as flashy or well-known as trout or salmon, but Mountain Whitefish play an important role in keeping our freshwater ecosystems healthy. A juvenile mountain whitefish surveyed by FCC. Photo credit: Matt Wallace Mountain Whitefish have a sleek, silvery body with a bronze or light brown back. They have a small, toothless mouth tucked under a pointy snout—this type of mouth is called “subterminal”. Other distinguishable characteristics include having large scales. Their diet mostly consists of the larvae and pupae of small aquatic insects that live on or near river and lake bottoms. Now and then, they’ll grab insects floating near or just under the water’s surface. Whitefish use their fleshy snout to flip rocks and to root around for food tucked away beneath cobbles and gravel. Their torpedo-shaped body and stabilizing fins help them hold steady in fast currents where many other fish would struggle. Distribution of Mountain Whitefish in Alberta. Image Credit: Nelson and Paetz (1992) Location and Distribution These fish are found across western North America . In Alberta , they live in clear, cold mountain streams and lakes. Some Mountain Whitefish stay in one spot all year, but many move between different areas depending on the season. They usually have separate spots for: Feeding  in the spring and summer Spawning  (laying eggs) in the fall Overwintering  during the cold winter months Spawning Traditionally occurs between late September and November . During this time, groups of Mountain Whitefish move into shallower parts of lakes or streams. Unlike trout, they don’t dig nests (redds) for their eggs. Instead, they scatter them over gravel, and the eggs stay there through the winter. Over the winter, they develop and eventually hatch around March ! What makes them important? Mountain Whitefish are known as an indicator species . That means their presence can tell us about the health of the ecosystem. Because they live in so many different freshwater environments and have relatively stable populations, scientists use them to monitor environmental changes. In short, if Mountain Whitefish are thriving, it’s a good sign the rest of the ecosystem is doing well, too. Bull Trout: Predators of Mountain Whitefish. Photo Credit: Adam Peters These fish are also an important food source for Bull Trout, one of Alberta's native trout species. As Bull Trout are classified as Threatened in Alberta, it’s crucial that we protect and conserve the ecosystems that both of these fish live in. So, while they may not be the most famous fish in the water, Mountain Whitefish definitely deserve some attention. They're an important part of our natural world and a reminder of how all species—big or small—play a role in keeping ecosystems balanced. References Kranzfelder, P., Anderson, A.M., Egan, A.T., Mazack, J.E., Bouchard, J., Rufer, M.M.,  Ferrington, J. 2015. Use of chironomidae (Diptera) surface-floating pupal exuviae as a rapid bioassessment protocol for water bodies. JoVE. 101: e52558–e52558. Nelson, J.S., Paetz, M.J. 1992. The fishes of Alberta. 2nd ed. University of Alberta Press. 248-252. Popowich, R.C. 2005. Determining Bull Trout habitat and prey selection using snorkel surveys and stable isotope analysis. M.Sc . Thesis, University of Edmonton, Edmonton, AB. 62. Siddig, A.A.H., Ellison, A.M., Ochs, A., Villar-Leeman, C., Lau, M.K. 2016. How do ecologists select and use indicator species to monitor ecological change? Insights from 14 years of publication in Ecological Indicators. Ecol. Indic. 60: 223-230.

Decades of industrial activity, livestock grazing, the presence of feral horses, and recreational use have influenced Radiant and Elk Creek, two tributaries of the Clearwater River in Western Alberta. These activities degrade riparian areas and instream fish habitat that support native fish species, including Bull Trout, which are currently listed as threatened at the federal and provincial levels in Canada. Since 2019, Freshwater Conservation Canada has led restoration efforts to improve habitat in these creeks. Efforts have followed low-tech process-based restoration principles (LTPBR), which involve hand-building structures to promote stream-floodplain reconnection and habitat recovery. A combination of Beaver Dam Analogues (BDAs) and Post Assisted Log Structures (PALS) was installed on the two creeks to mimic natural wood accumulation and beaver dams. One of our PALS on Radiant Creek In the 2024 field season, we saw new silt and gravel deposits and erosion surrounding the PALS built in previous years. One of the project's goals is to reconnect streams to their floodplains, and targeted erosion is an important step toward that goal. These PALS and the hydraulic processes A bank attached PAL They create and contribute to increased channel complexity and a wider variety of aquatic habitats. In 2024, eight more PALS and four BDAs were built on Radiant Creek, and four BDAs were built on Elk Creek. In 2025, we amplified the benefits of this work by repairing structures and planting live willows on the stream banks. At both Radiant Creek and Elk Creek, an exclusion fence was built to keep livestock and wild horses out of the project site. Wildlife cameras were also set up to monitor stream height changes induced by several spring snowfalls and to observe any animals that had entered the project area through an open fence. In the 2025 field season, we repaired broken panels along the exclusion fence and downloaded the data from the wildlife cameras. We were excited to see two beavers swimming by one of the BDAs that we had built! They have completely taken over many of our structures, which have since grown. Trail camera footage showing a beaver near one of our BDAs! The beaver is in the middle of the creek on the left side of the BDA. Every year since the implementation of the PALS and BDA structures, we have conducted a fish survey at Radiant Creek to assess changes in the fish community over time. When this study was first conducted in 2021, only two Brook Trout were captured within the project area. When we repeated this study in 2025, our staff caught one Bull Trout, fourteen Brook Trout, and three Longnose Dace. We are happy to see that the structures we have built are providing good habitat for the threatened Bull Trout at the restored site! The Bull Trout we caught in the Radiant Creek restoration area Much of this restoration work was completed with support from volunteers. Thank you to everyone who helped make this project a success! Work on the Radiant Creek was also completed in part thanks to Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Nature Legacy Fund. Freshwater Conservation Canada will continue work in the area in 2026 by finalizing restoration and monitoring the success of the BDAs and PALS.

Freshwater Conservation Canada is pleased to share that we have joined the Ontario Salt Pollution Coalition  (OSPC) . The OSPC is coordinated by Water Watchers and comprises concerned individuals, community groups, and NGOs working to improve, affecting Ontario’s handling of salt pollution. The Issue Salts have long been used for de-icing roads, parking lots, and pathways. In fact, it’s estimated that Ontario uses more than 2 million tonnes of road salt per year. Although this salt is applied to surfaces to keep us safe, an unintended consequence is that too much salt is entering our waterways, affecting the health of freshwater ecosystems. Over the past few decades, chloride concentrations in many of Ontario’s water resources, including groundwater aquifers, lakes, streams, and rivers, have been steadily increasing to the point that they sometimes exceed chronic toxicity levels for aquatic life. These high salt levels disrupt the delicate balance of these ecosystems, influencing food webs, degrading habitats, threatening freshwater biodiversity, and putting drinking water sources at risk. Storm drains along roadways and in parking lots act as direct conduits to our rivers, lakes, and streams, carrying pollutants such as road salt that harm freshwater ecosystems. Calling for Change There is growing recognition that something needs to change. At the time of writing, 32 municipalities in Ontario have passed resolutions calling on the provincial government to address road salt pollution. In addition, Landscape Ontario, the trade association representing the snow and ice management sector, is also calling on the Province to take leadership on this issue. Coalition members and supporters are asking the Province for immediate action on this issue. This includes addressing contractor liability challenges, instituting enforceable contractor training and certification and government-approved best management practices, establishing and funding a provincial stakeholder advisory committee to advise on the best courses of action to protect freshwater ecosystems and drinking water from the impacts of salt pollution. The Ontario Salt Pollution Coalition is bringing together environmentalists, industry professionals, and politicians to get provincial action on salt pollution. Members of the coalition attended a media event at Queen’s Park recently to raise awareness  of the issue. Cut the Salt! There are a variety of ways to reduce salt use while keeping people safe. For example, physical alternatives such as requiring the use of winter tires, increased plowing, or non-toxic alternatives to salt. Meanwhile, addressing liability issues would prevent over-salting. You can learn more at the Ontario Salt Pollution Coalition  website and the Watersheds Canada  website.

Bull Trout, the provincial fish of Alberta, are a key fish in streams across the mountains and foothills. Historically, these fish were abundant across western Alberta, but this iconic fish is on the decline.  Bull Trout were assessed as threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) in 2012, and continue to face challenges in recovery. Several factors contribute to the decline of Bull Trout in the province. Habitat fragmentation from dams, culverts and weirs causes range contractions and population declines. Mining, unmanaged grazing, agriculture, forestry, and recreational development are damaging and destroying habitats by changing stream flow, increasing sediment in the creek, and warming water temperatures. Additionally, because Bull Trout grow and mature slowly, they are susceptible to population declines due to competition with non-native fish species, including Brook Trout. A Bull Trout Habitat rehabilitation and removal of non-native fish play important roles in the conservation of Bull Trout, but additional tools are needed to support rapidly declining populations of this species. Freshwater Conservation Canada and our partners are exploring conservation translocation to expand the range of threatened Bull Trout. Translocation is the intentional movement of a species and is often used to return individuals to areas where they were historically lost. In this case, we’re exploring the possibility of translocating Bull Trout upstream of an otherwise impassable waterfall, where suitable habitats and fewer threats are available. This would immediately expand the area occupied by the given population, providing them with additional habitat and a higher chance of persistence. The pilot site for this restoration technique is Fall Creek.  Fall Creek is a tributary of the Ram River, and the downstream sections of this creek are in Bull Trout’s native range and provide important spawning habitat for Bull Trout. An impassable waterfall separates the upstream and downstream sections of Fall Creek, and Bull Trout are not found above the waterfall. An introduced population of Cutthroat Trout is established upstream of the falls, suggesting quality salmonid habitat exists. Translocating Bull Trout to the upper section of the creek would increase the population’s range into habitat that is expected to remain thermally suitable in the future. Before translocation, careful planning is underway with a multi-partner project team to review environmental factors, risks, and existing guidelines. The waterfall that separates Upper and Lower Fall Creek In 2018, Freshwater Conservation Canada worked with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas to decommission off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails and to rehabilitate the banks of the fords where the trail crossed the creek. Fords were rehabilitated above and below the waterfall, with over 50 crossings rehabilitated in total. This was an important step in maintaining both current and future Bull Trout habitat. In the early summer of 2025, we began monitoring temperatures above the waterfall. We placed 14 temperature loggers along a 10 km stretch above the falls.  Determining creek temperature is critical for the future of Bull Trout translocations in Alberta, which need cold water and are rarely found in creeks warmer than 15°C. Results of the stream temperature analysis can be found here . When we return in the spring to download the data, we will have a full year of temperature information for the upper section of the creek. If conditions look promising, Bull Trout may be translocated to upper Fall Creek as early as summer 2026! Deploying temperature loggers in Upper Fall Creek We are grateful to partner with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, the Alberta Conservation Association, fRI Research, and the University of Calgary on this project. This work is made possible thanks to Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund, the Forest Resources Improvement Association of Alberta’s Forest Resource Improvement Program and Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Nature Legacy Fund. We will be continuing work in Fall Creek over the coming years, so stay tuned for more project updates!

Beaver Creek is located in the Porcupine Hills, where the foothills meet the Rocky Mountains, a beautiful ecosystem that supports fish, wildlife and recreation. A portion of this creek is located within a Public Land Use Zone (PLUZ), where recreators enjoy hunting, fishing and off-roading. Outside of the PLUZ, Beaver Creek supports ranching and agriculture, and many families have lived along its reaches for decades. This watershed is also important for native fish, as it contains critical habitat for some of the easternmost populations of unhybridized Westslope Cutthroat Trout. These fish are one of four native trout species in Alberta, and are threatened by habitat degradation, introduced species and warming waters. Activities along Beaver Creek, both within and outside the PLUZ, have degraded riparian and stream habitat, further threatening Westslope Cutthroat Trout in the region. A Westslope Cutthroat Trout in Beaver Creek Freshwater Conservation Canada is working with partners and landowners to address this degradation on public and private lands. In 2022, we contracted AJM Environmental Inc. to assess habitat conditions and identify suitable areas for restoration work. 35 sites were identified, and in June 2024, we visited them to assess their current conditions and prepare for future work in the region. In 2024, we hosted a meeting in partnership with the Beaver Creek Watershed Group (BCWG), ALUS and Cows and Fish. At this meeting, each group presented to several landowners in the region on their work and the watershed's condition. We received inquiries from landowners after this meeting, expressing interest in restoration work on their properties; many have witnessed the decline in stream health firsthand. Our first restoration workday took place in November on a property where one landowner has been fighting infestations of burdock, an invasive plant, since she bought it in the 90s. The group removed 4 large garbage bags of burdock and examined additional sites for future restoration efforts. In one corner of the property, there was riparian damage from cattle watering in the creek, but we were pleased to see that the rest of the creek was relatively healthy and had significant beaver activity. The burdock we removed, and some good-looking beaver dams along Beaver Creek! In early 2025, we held a second meeting with landowners to discuss potential rehabilitation areas along Beaver Creek. We heard lots of great ideas for future efforts and have created a list of projects to tackle when time allows. Later in the year, we surveyed 4 locations along beaver creek for Westslope Cutthroat Trout and found the threatened trout at each site! We collected a small tissue sample from the larger fish to be sent for genetic analysis. Since Westslope Cutthroat Trout can breed with introduced Rainbow Trout, determining the extent of hybridization is important when creating conservation plans for the species. We also tackled the first big rehabilitation site in September, where we replaced a bridge on one of the off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails. The old bridge was too narrow and placed inconveniently on the creek, so many OHV users were driving through the creek, which is critical Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat. The new bridge is wider and was installed over the previous ford to deter future trail users from driving in the creek. We also planted along the decommissioned section of trail to promote regrowth. With Cows and Fish, we planted 85 willows and shrubs planted to bolster the riparian area! The old Beaver Creek bridge and ford in 2024 (Photo Credit: Matt Wallace) The new Beaver Creek bridge that was installed in 2025 This conservation work is most impactful when paired with responsible recreation. If you recreate in the PLUZ please stay on designated off-highway vehicle trails and follow responsible angling practices to give the trout in Beaver Creek a fighting chance! Our rehabilitation work in Beaver Creek is made possible thanks to a Fisheries and Oceans Canada Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP) grant and the Government of Alberta’s Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program (WRRP). We are grateful to partner with Cows and Fish (Riparian Management Society) and the Oldman Watershed Council on this project. The Beaver Creek Watershed Group has also been a vital resource for bringing together and informing the local community. Freshwater Conservation Canada plans to continue to rehabilitation work in Beaver Creek in 2026 and will be hosting workdays for these projects so keep an eye on our Eventbrite if you want to get involved!

Bull Trout What’s in a name?-Westslope Cutthroat Trout – what an odd name for a species found on both sides of the continental divide. So how did the Westslope Cutthroat Trout get its name and what is the background behind some other North American fish names? Westslope Cutthroat Trout likely got their common name because they were first described by settlers on the western side of the continental divide. The first written description of Westslope Cutthroat Trout dates back to a Lewis and Clark expedition through the Great Falls of the Missouri River in 1805. Thirty years after the Lewis and Clark expedition, Sir John Richardson wrote a book on the zoology and fish of British Columbia, providing the first scientific name for cutthroat trout, Salmo clarkii, after William Clark. Throughout the years the scientific name underwent some minor changes as it became apparent that there were multiple subspecies of cutthroat trout. In 1989, morphological studies by Smith & Stearley showed that Westslope Cutthroat Trout were more closely related to Pacific salmon than Atlantic salmon and the name was changed to the one we currently use Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi. Another fish with an unusual name is the Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma). The name “Dolly Varden” comes from a fashion trend in the 1870s that consisted of a brightly patterned dress with an overskirt. How did the clothing get its name? – It came from a character in Charles Dicken’s novel Barnaby Ridge. Up until 1978, Dolly Varden and Bull Trout were thought to be the same species. It was only after Cavender (1978) identified some morphological and geographical differences that the two species were determined to be distinct. The first fish called a Dolly Varden was likely what we now call a Bull Trout. Brook Trout Brook Trout have an expansive array of common names. They have been referred to as Speckled Trout, Lord-fish, Square-tail, Mud Trout, and others. Migratory populations in Lake Superior are also called Coaster Brook Trout or just Coasters and some sea-run populations are also called Salters. The issue with common names is that they are not universal. To further complicate matters, Brook Trout, Bull Trout, and Lake Trout may have “Trout” in their common name however, they are actually char (genus Salvelinus). True trout have teeth in the roof of the mouth, black spots and tend to have larger scales. However, we still use “trout” in the common name of some of these species that are technically not trout. Not only can common names cause confusion between species, but there can also be issues across language. Scientific names, on the other hand, are unique to a species and universal across languages. The first word in the scientific name refers to the genus and second, is the species (sometimes a third will be included to indicate subspecies). This naming code method is called Binomial Nomenclature and it’s been around since the 1600s but it was not widely adopted until Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist adopted it and named over 10,000 species. Generally, the scientific name can be relied upon to be the accurate name for a species but even that can change as new information is gained. For example, relatively new genetic tools have allowed scientists to better classify how different populations are related which sometimes results in re-classifying or re-naming a population. For example, Mountain Suckers in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan were previously known by the scientific name Catostomus platyrhynchus but are now known as Plains Suckers (Pantosteus jordani) and their populations in British Columbia are now known as Cordilleran Sucker (Pantosteus bondi). So, next time you catch a fish you may wonder where the name came from. Chances are there is a story behind it! Works Cited Behnke, R. (2002). Trout and Salmon of North America. New York: Simon & Schuster Inc. Cavender, T. (1978). Taxonomy and distribution of the bull trout, Salvelinus confluentus, from the American Northwest. California Fish and Game, 64, 137-174. Moyle, P. B. (1976). Inland Fishes of California. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. Richardson, J. (1836). Fauna boreali-americana; or the zoology of the northern parts of British America. Longdon. Smith, G. R., & Stearley, R. F. (1989). The classification and scientific names of rainbow and cutthroat trouts. Fisheries, 14. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. (2019). Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Retrieved from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/oncorhynchus-clarki-lewisi#locations Young, M. K., McKelvey, K. S., Jennings, T., Carter, K., Cronn, R., Keeley, E. R., . . . Schwartz, M. K. (2018). The Phylogeography of Westslope Cutthroat Trout. The phylogeography of westslope cutthroat trout. Pages 261-301 in Trotter P, Bisson P, Schultz L, Roper B (editors). Cutthroat Trout: Evolutionary Biology and Taxonomy. Special Publication 36, American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland.