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The overriding opinion by just about everyone I have spoken to, including local AEP staff is that the fish populations continue to decline. Although there are a multitude of possible reason for the decline, all probably valid, I believe there are limited actions that AEP can take to to stop the decline and hopefully see some improvement. My opinion is that the fishing community needs to recognize the Bow River water supply management is controlled by government policy to protect cities against flooding and agricultural needs downstream. This will not change. But we can expect to see improvements in the daily operations of water release to enhance fishing opportunities. Although the Calgary waste water treatment plants put less biomass into the Bow River nowadays, far less than 20 years ago, it still exists, but in less quantity. The result is that there is less fish habitat and a change in invertebrate life. We just don't see consistent caddis and mayfly hatches through the day and year. Other food sources such as stoneflies and grasshoppers change from year to year depending on life cycle and weather conditions. So what are we left with? Subsurface invertebrates in lower numbers and a limited dry fly hatch that is not always fishable due to environmental and daylight conditions. Our only consistent accessible dry fly fishery will probably be limited to the fall Blue Winged-Olive hatch. Therefore the dream of year-round dry fly fishing is a thing of the past on the Bow River. If the desire is to catch fish consistently throughout the day, nymphing is the only option. I personally have a problem accepting this, therefore have to face the reality I either change fishing techniques, move to other rivers, or quit altogether! This is what we are faced with - a depleted invertebrate population, lower fish numbers, far more fishing pressure and advance fishing techniques that consistently catch more fish. There is only one way for the fishery to go without fishery management change and that is downward!

4 years ago after the snowmagedon winter in Calgary, the city of Calgary built a snow dump located near 32 Ave and deerfoot trail next to the white dome tent at the golf course, the city sends loaders and trucks out to remove snow from neighborhoods and hauls it to the snow dump to be piled up until spring when it can melt, the snow is not the only thing loaded on those trucks, all of the salt that the city lays down is collected and dumped with the snow, when the snow melts in the spring,the melt water containing all of that salt (and oil and whatever else was in the snow) flows from the snow dump directly into Nose Creek that then flows into the Bow river near the science center, last year the banks below Nose Creek on the Bow river had snow and ice free banks weeks before the banks of the Bow above Nose Creek. I have not seen this metioned but I think there is some correlation to the declining fish numbers since the snow dump went into use. Next spring have a look at the water flowing out of Nose Creek during the melt...it smells like the ocean. This mountain of snow salt and oil lasts long into the summer, usually August, the remains of what's left are there right now sitting on the asphalt if anyone wants to see the disgusting mess, I can't imagine this not having a serious negative impact on the health of Nose Creek and the Bow river.