To log this earth cache, you must visit the site during the Education Centre opening hours (listed below) and complete the logging requirements (see bottom of page).
Environmental Education Centre hours of operation:
9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m Wednesday to Sunday (closed on Statutory holidays)
Park hours: 5 a.m. - 11 p.m.
About the Shepard Wetland
In 2005, a water quality study found that 90% of sediment – also called Total Suspended Solids (TSS) - that entered the Bow River from Calgary was from the stormwater system. High levels of TSS often means higher amounts of biological and chemical contaminants in our waterways as well.
Concerns over the quality of water entering this system led to Alberta Environment and the City jointly investigating and implementing a plan to manage stormwater within this 6,000 hectare area. The Shepard Wetland at Ralph Klein Park was constructed to help manage stormwater on the east side of Calgary.
Even today, the Calgary stormwater outfall system has no treatment facilities for water that runs off of roofs, roads and streets, allowing untreated water to enter directly into our waterways.
Why we need wetlands
Healthy wetlands slow water flow during flood peaks, and act as stormwater storage and treatment facilities, improving the quality of stormwater before it is discharged into downstream rivers/streams. Wetland vegetation helps purify the water before it recharges local water tables, eliminating more than 90 per cent of phosphorus and water-borne pathogens.
Wetlands hold water during droughts and replenish groundwater. That’s important because about half a million rural Albertans rely on groundwater for household use.
Research from Ducks Unlimited Canada shows that up to 70 per cent of wetlands have disappeared across the Canadian prairies (some sources say 80% or more).
How the Shepard wetland works
A diversion channel intercepts water from the Western Headworks Canal during major rain events. This is located right near the geocache RMG97 by djrxxs. The diverted water is channeled 4 km south to the wetland at Ralph Klein Park. The stormwater enters the wetland in the NW corner of the park where it flows into two large forebays. This is where the initial cleaning process begins; the sediment (dirt) and heavy materials slowly sink to the bottom at this stage in the process.
The water is then dispersed into five wetland cells. Through the growth and decay of plants within the wetland cells, in combination with the micro-organisms associated with each of them, nutrients and pollutants are removed from the water.
In each cell there are several berms that create a longer flow path for the water, which aids in the cleaning process.
Each treatment cell is designed to operate under base flow conditions of approximately 30 cm (1 foot) of water depth. Water depth can be up to 3 metres during a severe storm event, which submerges the internal berms, but the water remains contained by perimeter dykes and existing land forms. Once the water has travelled through these cells, it is then released into a discharge canal that leads south to the Bow River. The location where the treated stormwater enters the Bow river is 10 Km away near nicolo's Bow River View kiddie cache
At 156 hectares (385 acres), it is the largest constructed stormwater treatment wetland in Canada. The wetland can store over 6 million cubic meters of water. This means it has enough capacity to handle a 1 in 100 year flood. A flood of this type will fill the wetland, making it look more like a lake (in any given year there is a 1% chance that this type of flood event may occur).
To log this Earthcache:
Persnickety stuff:
Logs will be deleted if:
- answers are not sent within 24 hours of your log,
- picture proof of visit is not included with your log,
- or you log spoilers.
Thank you for visiting and remember to keep contaminants out of your water runoff!
