Organizers are gearing up for their one night blitz to help bring food to the tables of those in need, and residents have an easier way to give to the cause.
    This week, The Salvation Army dropped thousands of red grocery bags into the mail. These bags are for residents to pack and leave on their doorstep. This way volunteers are able to easily identify donations for the food drive, making collection that much easier.
    “We felt the bags would bring more awareness in regards to the needs of the food bank, especially this year because demands have risen and we need to raise our efforts to meet the demand,” said Lt. Matt Sheils of The Salvation Army.”
  This year’s annual food drive is slated for Thursday, November 24. The blitz starts at 6 p.m. and volunteers will be combing Drumheller neighbourhoods from Nacmine to Rosedale. There will also be volunteers canvassing Morrin, Munson and Carbon.
    Organizer Heather Colberg is grateful for the support of volunteers. This year, groups including the Morrin Library Club, the Sea Cadets, Drumheller Scouts, the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints, the Drumheller Dragons, the DVSS boys basketball and girls volleyball teams and the St. Anthony’s volleyball teams are all pitching in.
    The former Liquidation World in Greentree Mall is once again the place where donations will be sorted.
    Colberg said they are still in great need of more volunteers on the evening of the food drive. Crews will muster at various locales throughout the valley before they head out. She says there are areas of Midland, as well as downtown Drumheller that are in need of volunteers.
    To learn more or to sign up as a volunteer, contact Heather Colberg at 403-823-0811, 403-8223-4242 or 403-823-2369.

    A new atlas developed as a result of collaboration between Alberta Environment and Water and the Alberta Geological Survey will give a better understanding of the groundwater resources between Edmonton and Calgary.
    The study is to ensure that the provincial government can implement policies and actions to manage groundwater in a sustainable manner.
    “The goal is to quantify how much groundwater is in an area such as Drumheller,” said Steve Wallace, a groundwater policy specialist. “We also want to predict whether groundwater use at the current rate is sustainable and whether use can increase.”
    The atlas covers groundwater features in the region and includes the results of airborne geophysical surveys in the Edmonton-Calgary corridor, which includes Drumheller.
    An electromagnetic pulse is emitted at the ground from a research plane. Depending on the properties of the ground, the pulse will be absorbed or reflected. A receiver in tow by the plane collects the reflected energy.
    Based on the response that the receiver gets, it is possible to determine the type of rocks, the layer sequence of the rocks, and the conductivity of the rocks. Less resistant rocks, such as shale or clays, generally do not hold water. High conductivity rocks, such as sandstone, hold more water.
    Afterwards, the data collected is combined with existing information, such as drilling reports, to give clearer insight about the distribution of groundwater.
    Another aspect of the project was investigating the chemical composition of groundwater in various areas through well sampling.
    “The natural quality of the water has been characterized,” said Wallace. “It would help users understand what kind of water quality they have and help determine what the water could be used for.”
    The results of the study show that groundwater resources in the Drumheller area are widespread and of good quality. The sensitivity of groundwater in the Drumheller area to land use, such as a spill, is quite low due to the composition of the rock layers.
    The next step is to quantify the water held in aquifers in the study area, including the area around Drumheller.
    “Preliminary investigations indicate there are no warning flags in the area,” said Wallace. “The data would help us nail down what sustainable groundwater use would be in the Drumheller area.”
    The atlas is available online at www.alberta.ca/NewsFrame.