Voices from the Elbow

Born a trickle from high in the Rocky Mountains, the Elbow River flows for 120km through mountains and foothills before entering the Bow River in Mohkinstis (Calgary, Alberta). After joining the Bow River system, the waters eventually flow into the Hudson’s Bay as the Nelson River. Over 500,000 people rely on the Elbow River for their drinking water. There are many other ways people and all creatures big and small rely on Elbow waters. The Elbow River is a part of the source waters for 3 provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba). The Lake Winnipeg Basin (a part of the Nelson River) flows across the territories of Treaties 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. This pilot series titled "Voices from the Elbow" looks at the 10-year anniversary of the 2013 Calgary, AB and surrounding area flood. ' June 2023 marked the 10th year anniversary of the most recent flood on the Elbow River. Topics we touch on during this pilot podcast: water and climate, water quantity (flood, drought), water management, water quality, restoration, wetlands, nature-based solutions, nature appreciation, and communities that are a part of the Elbow and Bow basins. The impact of the flood can still be seen today (for example - constructing engineered berms, constructing Springbank Reservoir, higher insurance rates, and PTSD). We conducted a range of interviews with scientists, The City of Calgary water management and the former ED of the local non-profit watershed planning and advisory council, to learn about actions that have been taken since 2013 to help mitigate flood impacts and make the watershed more resilient (to both flood and drought). This is also an opportunity to explore and share knowledge about the watershed, its ecosystem, its climate and what impact there was from the flood and the river’s natural processes. There are three hosts of Voices from the Elbow: Jer Bobosky, Jer Bobosky is Nîhithaw (Woodland Cree) from mihkwâkamîwi-sîpîsis (Little Red River Cree Nation). Jer is a Podcast technician with the Elbow River Watershed Project working on the “10-year Flood Anniversary" episodes as well as the “Tsuut'ina Aquatic Habitat Restoration” podcast. She was connected to ERWP from community involvement at UCalgary as an undergraduate student in Political Science, with a primary focus on Indignizing and decolonizing political philosophy. Flora Giesbrecht is the Executive Director for the non-profit organization, Elbow River Watershed Partnership (ERWP). Tyler Redmond was an Integrated Water Management student from SAIT at the time of the interview. He worked with the ERWP as part of his capstone project. The Elbow River Watershed Partnership (ERWP) is a non-profit watershed stewardship organization based out of Calgary Alberta. Our vision - Working together for a healthy Elbow River watershed. ERWP mission - is to improve the watershed and bring together communities who live, work or play in the watershed (provides a forum for learning about watershed management and the land-water connection. Using local knowledge and scientific expertise, the ERWP promotes watershed management improvement through collaborative, targeted and cost-effective actions by all who have an interest in the watershed.)