Bow River Trout Foundation’s Policeman’s Flats Revitalization Project is complete. Maintenance of the site will continue. The interim report details the development, its costs and supporters. A final report will be available in the fall.
Bow River Instream Work – Bonnybrook Water Treatment Outflow Construction
Outfall Construction and Flood Resiliency
This new outfall is being upgraded to accommodate increased flows from the plant due to the expansion. It will be located just south of the Calf Robe Bridge and CN Rail river crossing. The outfall is also being extended a further 900m downstream system to provide further flood resiliency and includes an improved diffusion system in the river to enhance environmental performance.
To allow the installation of the new effluent diffusers in the river bed, a cofferdam has been installed south of the CN Rail river crossing to isolate the working area and protect the river from the construction activities. This cofferdam will temporarily decrease the width of the river in this location. The cofferdam will remain in place until April 2019 when it will be removed and the river restored to normal conditions.
A buoy line has been installed to allow safer passage for river users. Boaters and rafters are advised to exercise caution and follow the signs provided while passing through the area as the water velocities will be higher than normal.
In addition to the new outfall, we are constructing a new flood protection berm on the east side of the plant site. This will help prevent overland flooding of the site. The berm work also includes a new section of river pathway.
For further information go to the following web link:
BRT One Fly Tournament – Less Than 2 Months Away
After the success of the inaugural tournament in 2017 we would like to invite 
you to participate again this year. The 2018 One Fly Tournament will take place on Saturday, September 29, 2018. Anglers are invited to actively participate in the event, or enjoy a day on the river that will also support Bow River Trout Foundation’s initiatives to “Advocate and Support the Bow River Fishery”.
This year’s event will offer the following registrations:
Guided Trip – $600.00 will buy a fully guided boat for the day (up to 2 anglers). Deposit $300.00 
Self-Guided Trip – $300.00 will allow participation with a self-provided boat (up to 3 anglers) Deposit $150.00
The Event Format:
A morning meet up to distribute lunches and facilitate final registration will be held at the Toad and Turtle parking lot off 130th Avenue SE between 7:30 and 8:30 AM. A reception for participants and the angling community at large will be held at the Toad and Turtle afterwards, beginning at 5:00 PM.
For anglers competing in the tournament, awards will be presented at 7:30 PM. In order to qualify for awards participants must submit pictures and catch charts either in person or by email/text photo of the charts prior to 6:30 PM. Only participants present at the time of the awards presentation are eligible for prizes.
Please join us for what should be a great day on the water and a fun evening with friends both old and new.
For additional information please contact us at bowfish4653@gmail.com
Bow River Trout Foundation is planning to raise an estimated amount of $100,000 this year on fundraising campaigns. It will cost our organization $30,000 to raise this for a net return of $70,000. The money raised will be going to our commitment to improve river access and fishery management on the Bow River. For further information, please contact Peter Crowe-Swords at 403-680-8320. Our address is 3608 Beaver Road N.W., Calgary, AB, T2L 1X1 and we are incorporated in Alberta.
Bow River Flows – How Are They Controlled
The Bow River fishery needs a constant supply of cold clean water to sustain its future as a world recognized “Blue Ribbon” trout river.
The management of water flows is controlled by the Province of Alberta within long standing agreements with TransAlta who control the hydro-electric dam infrastructure above Calgary, the City itself and the irrigation districts downstream. On a weekly basis each of these parties meet to establish the water release rates through the upstream storage capacity to meet demand for water and federal minimum flow legislation. Water will be released or held back within the Bow River Basin storage capacity to meet projected demand.
Historically the need for consistent Bow River flows gave rise to a very productive trout fishery, but in recent years, floods, droughts and modification to the Bow River water management protocol have given rise to extreme changes in flow rates. Often as much as 50% drop or increase in flows within a very short time period as illustrated in the following flow chart.
Why have we seen these dramatic changes in river flow in recent years? Principally due to a modified Bow River Water Management Protocol that empties Ghost Reservoir upstream of Cochrane in May to aid in potential flood relief to the City of Calgary and once the city’s exposure to this threat is reduced the reservoir is returned to normal operation capacity by the middle of July.
Equally important is the containment of rapid changes in river flows below Ghost hydro-electric power plant where flows can either increase or decrease rapidly due to power demand. This is achieved by the cushioning effect of the Bearspaw Reservoir.
Unfortunately there appears to be a breakdown of the operation of the water management protocol for the week of July 15, 2018 where the extreme changes in flow destroyed the fishing downstream of Calgary and may have impacted the survival of the fishery itself.
Bow River Trout Foundation has been documenting the modified water management protocol for some time with meeting planned with Alberta Environment & Parks at the end of July to discuss potential changes that will enhance the fishery. But because of what we had seen this week we approached TransAlta with our concerns. The following documents our request and the response. Today we have seen a return to a more normal consistent discharge from Bearspaw that we hope will continue.
To TransAlta:
The rapid drops and increase in Bow River flows we have seen this week as illustrated in the attached weekly flows at Calgary has destroyed the fishing and may well have long term impact on the future of the Bow River as a world class fishery. There is also evidence to suggest that the survival of trout can be compromised by flow variations of the nature that we have seen this week. It appears that Bearspaw Reservoir water management protocol is unable to cushion the fluctuations in water discharge from power generation at Ghost Reservoir.There is need to correct this mismanagement of our water resource before we see further depletion to a very vulnerable trout population that has seen significant declines recently. We trust that TransAlta recognizes the urgency to make changes to the Bow River water management operation procedures as soon as possible to alleviate further damage to the fishery.
The Response:
Bow River water level fluctuations over the past days are a combination of several factors, including extra generation due to hot weather and additional water inflows into Ghost Reservoir. This type of wide fluctuation is outside the norm. We have taken steps to manage and correct these unusually large fluctuations and expect water levels to return to more moderate levels in the next few hours. We will provide updates as necessary.
The State of the Bow River Fishery – Trout Populations may be in Decline
The Bow River is a world-renowned trout sports fishery that is under pressure from the human population growth in the region, ever-increasing demand for outdoor recreational pursuits, environmental changes and degradation of aquatic and riparian habitat.
Fishery managers have monitored the Bow River for more than 30 years, and in this time, it has been demonstrated that up until 2003 the fishery was sustainable with proper regulatory constraints. More recently though we have seen dramatic changes to the Bow River with devastating floods, low river flows in the warmest seasons, higher summer temperatures and now the presence of Whirling Disease.
A recent retrospective analysis of trout population data indicated that Bow River trout populations are in trouble. Data analysis showed that the Rainbow Trout populations may have declined by as much as 50% over a ten-year period from 2003 to 2013. This is a disturbing trend that needs immediate attention by all stakeholders involved.
The attached BowRiverFishPopulations Report documents the historical fish population surveys from 1980 to 2007 which at that time supported a sustainable fishery. The recent Rainbow Trout population analysis are also summarized.
Alberta Environment & Parks has started the engagement process with stakeholders to develop a policy to stop the decline in Bow River trout populations and hopefully see improvements in the future. The first step to a recovery program would be to establish a baseline fish population index that will guide fishery management policy change.
Bow River Trout Foundation is committed to this process and believes that the first step should be to conduct Bow River fish population monitoring on a regular basis that will give an index for the “The State of the Bow River Fishery”
The State of the Bow River Fishery
The Blue Ribbon Bow River needs your help. Your donation will assist BRT initiatives to monitor fish population dynamics and advocate for fishery management change.
C$20.00
Bow River Trout Foundation 2018 One Fly Tournament
After the success of the inaugural tournament in 2017 we would like to invite you to participate in this years event. The 2018 One Fly Tournament will take place on Saturday, September 29, 2018. Anglers are invited to actively participate in the tournament, or enjoy a day on the river that will also support Bow River Trout Foundation’s initiatives to “Advocate and Support the Bow River Fishery”.
This year’s event will offer the following registrations:
Guided Trip – $600.00 will buy a fully guided boat for the day (up to 2 anglers). Deposit $300.00
Self-Guided Trip – $300.00 will allow participation with a self-provided boat (up to 3 anglers) Deposit $150.00
Full details are available at the following link BRT One Fly Tournament
POLICEMAN’S FLATS REVITALIZATION – SCHEDULED CLOSURES
UPDATE May 02, 2018
Policeman’s Flats river access and boat ramp became an integral part of the Bow River fishery dating back some 30 years to when floating and fishing the Blue-Ribbon Bow became popular. The Government of Alberta developed a designated boat ramp at the site in the late nineties that received significant damage in the 2005 flood. The boat ramp and parking lot was redeveloped in 2008 but unfortunately was destroyed in the 2013 flood.
Bow River Trout’s position that is shared by other river use organizations, river guides, outfitters and the fishing community at large is that the current disposition of Policeman’s Flats is unacceptable as a safe boat launch and takeout point. Bow River Trout Foundation made the decision to fund short-term revitalization of the river access site with the support of the property owner Sherbrooke Investments Ltd and the fishing community.
The development
Phase A: The proposal would see the removal of the rocks that interfere with boat access to and from the shore. Habitat assessment protocols and instream permits application and temporary access agreements will see this work completed in April 2018. Total budget $ 11,500.
Work complete
Phase B: The parking and staging area will be contoured to facilitate better parking assignment. Removal of debris and a general clean-up of the site is needed on an ongoing basis.A seasonal amenities module comprising of toilets, benches and garbage containment is being considered. Work schedule, April 2018. Total budget $ 25,000
Earthwork Complete – no further closures
Signage, toilets and garbage bins to be added shortly
It is important to recognize that Policeman’s Flats is not public land but owned by Sherbrooke Investments Ltd who have graciously granted public access to the site. The river user community needs to recognize this commitment and support conservation of the site.
