We are grade 7 students from Rundle College Junior High who wanted to do a project with an environmental stewardship focus. We are doing this during the 2011-2012 school year. McLean creek is part of the Elbow/Bow River watershed which is the source of drinking water for cities such as Calgary. Off highway vehicle (OHV) drivers are probably unaware of the negative affect their recreation is having on water quality downstream from the trails in McLean Creek.
The riparian zones are areas immediately next to water bodies such as streams, rivers and ponds. This zone is home to many unique plants and animals. If these riparian zones are destroyed through careless, off trail driving, it means that plant and animal habitat is destroyed. Worse, the plants that once filtered out sediment from runoff are no longer there so sediment enters the water. This destroys eggs, clogs gills and allows less light to penetrate. Besides trapping sediment and other pollutants, the riparian roots hold the soil together and stabilize the banks. Without plants, the banks fall into the water and make even more sediment. Pollution from sediment, called total suspended solids or TSS, is the major pollutant in McLean Creek, and this pollutant is heading down to the Elbow River unless something stops it. The best way to do that is to save or replant damaged riparian zones.
Please remember that ripping off plants from the riparian zone is bad for both plants and animals in the area. But, you are also being ripped off – someone just stole your clean drinking water!
Image 1: Workers trying to protect an area of McLean Creek from OHVs so that the riparian zone plants can be restored to the creek bank. There is, after all, a bridge. (Photo courtesy of Darin Hull)
Image 2: An earlier, unsuccessful attempt at fencing to force OHVs to use the bridge. The fence was run down shortly after it was erected. Let's hope they have better luck this time!
For more information on protecting and preserving the Bow River Basin Watershed, including McLean Creek, please follow the links:
Elbow River Watershed Partnership
Respect the Land – Sustainable Resources Development
Ducks Unlimited, Alberta
Trout Unlimited Canada
Other good resources are: Bow River Basin Council; Alberta Management Site and Alberta Habitat Management/Cows and Fish.
