Where does our water come from? How much do we have? A new film project led by the Red Deer River Watershed Alliance aims to answer these questions and raise awareness about the Red Deer River watershed as well as water and land issues in central Alberta.
Water remains a mystery to many Albertans, and the Red Deer River Watershed Alliance’s short film will help communities understand where our water comes from, how much we have, and profile challenges and opportunities moving forward.
The remote headwaters of the Red Deer River are a place few people have visited. Water in the Red Deer River watershed originates in the Skoki Valley of Banff National Park, before travelling downstream through communities including Sundre, Red Deer, and Drumheller.
A film crew travelled to the true headwaters of the Red Deer River in Banff National Park in late August, riding on horseback to reach faraway Oyster Lake and Red Deer Lake.
Filming will continue in September and will crisscross parts of the watershed ranging from Sundre Country, through Red Deer, Starland County, and Special Areas in the east. The Red Deer River Watershed Alliance plans to release the film in late 2020, with a focus on reaching municipalities across the basin.
The project is supported through funding from Alberta Ecotrust Foundation, the Alberta Real Estate Foundation, Dow Canada, the Red Deer, and District Community Foundation, and Rocky View County.