jpinkster

I'm too cheap to get bibs, I switched to pant waders a few years ago and haven't looked back. Only time I think I'd use bibs is in the winter.

I'm in that same slump right now (actually, I go through the slump most winters). You just gotta keep plugging at it. If you're nymphing, go really small with your patterns, or throw on something totally unpredictable (you'd be shocked at how stonefly nymphs can work in the winter). The mojo starts coming back in the spring once the rainbows start putting on the pre-spawn feedbags.

I have a guest blog coming up for the Oldman Watershed Council. I talk a little bit about properly constructed trails and how those might be funded in a sustainable way. I'll share it when it gets published.

I've heard this comment made a few times by the OHV guys. The natural reaction for an angler is to get really defensive towards this statement, but I think this is an important thing to keep in mind. All users leave a footprint. By being responsible, anglers and OHVers can mitigate the impacts they make in critical habitat. To be clear, I'm not suggesting that ripping a quad through a bunch of redds is the same as catch and release angling...but anglers are kidding themselves if they believe they aren't leaving some kind of footprint even with the most responsible catch and release practices.

I think you raise a really valid point, and it is one thing I am struggling with most in municipal government: The only folks that have their voices heard are typically ones on polar opposite sides of an issue. The vast majority of reasonable folks lie somewhere in the middle, and we have no way of hearing their voices. We get so caught up on what occurs on social media that we ignore what public sentiment actually is.

I only find the Minister's comments encouraging when you consider the degree of radio silence we have had over the last 30 years. This government will have to prove that they are willing to take flashy words and turn them into meaningful outcomes.

Now I can't recall my source, so take this for what it's worth: I recall reading a few years back that responsible hunting has actually increased the size and health of elk herds in the eastern slopes. By targeting the big bulls in a herd, younger males can finally start reproducing. It is my understanding that the big males dominate during the mating season and prevent many of the younger bulls from contributing (think wolf pack). Would be interesting to see someone with a bit more of a hunting background that could confirm or refute my bogus claim. The moral of the story is: by being responsible and having proper regulations, our activities can actually make a positive contribution.

I appreciate the work that Shannon Phillips is committing to. If successful, we will see real and meaningful protection for critical habitat in southern Alberta. I sincerely hope this is not another case of a government talking the talk and failing to walk the walk. http://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/phillips-moving-forward-to-protect-southern-albertas-headwaters This government must be held accountable to deliver on these commitments. It is an exciting time for the conservation community in Alberta.

Only issue you'll have is keeping your feet on the ground. You're not in Kansas anymore...

Wait a second...aren't "news releases" supposed to be concise?

I just find it amusing when some of these folks claim that they speak for the grassroots even though it's the same dozen people at every event they hold.

I work at City Hall, I know all about "finger in the wind" politics.

Let's keep this exchange as respectful as possible, this isn't Question Period.

I subscribe to your opinion 100%. We contributed to this problem in a very big way, and we have to wear that. The PC party has a role to play right now, and that role is as a constructive, intelligent and respectful alternative to the government. That has to be reflective in our tone and in our messaging. Albertans need to understand that we can be conservative and be reasonable at the same time.

Whoops, brutal typo on my part. I corrected it in the original text. Half wanted to see option 2, half wanted to see option 5.

Yesterday a group of 80 PC members from south Calgary met to discuss the future of the party. We outlined what our guiding principles are, what they should be, and what steps we need to take to move forward as a party. We were also presented with 5 options on how the party should move forward. The options were: 1) Fold 2) Renew 3) Unite the Right 4) Unite the Middle 5) Renew and consider uniting in the future Half the crowd wanted to see option 2 and the other half wanted to see option 5. There were only two or three people in the room that really wanted Unite the Right. Here's my take on Unite the Right (I spoke with the Calgary Herald about it yesterday: http://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/tories-meet-in-calgary-to-discuss-partys-future-but-unification-looms-large). My belief is that Unite the Right is a power ploy and nothing more. A small vocal minority is clambering for this because they believe this is a simple math equation. A + B is greater than C and that is how we get rid of the NDP. That is far too simplistic of a view on all of this. I believe that there are fundamental issues with conservatism in Alberta, and we need to find a way to make conservatism more reflective of the values of Albertans again. If you want to Unite the Right because of a simple vote count...I'm out. Rumors of PC demise have been greatly exaggerated. From what I've seen first hand, there is a strong commit to rebuild and get things back on track. We are having an AGM in May followed by a leadership race in the fall. From 2017 to 2019 our job will be to sell the renewed party to Albertans and prove that we learned our lesson. There is a political vacuum that needs to be filled in Alberta, and I think the PCs are best positioned to do it.

Really appreciate the perspective. I offered my opinion (as uninformed as it may be) and you offered yours. That's what constructive dialogue is all about.

I'd classify planting willows and restoring banks as tangible "regular head water maintenance" that could be done by people.

I guess this is the natural progression of flood recovery: Fix House - > Fix Pathways - > Fix Fish Habitat Could be a great opportunity for Bow River Chapter of TU to do some cool stuff!

But isn't there a big difference between a dam designed for flood mitigation and a flood designed for power generation? My understanding is that the Ghost Dam plays very little role in flood mitigation because that isn't what it was designed to do.

This video runs through a few aspects: Fens, bogs and wetlands play a critical role in holding water and building up that "natural infrastructure". Vegetation and land use evaluation can play a critical role. By remediation natural vegetation and protecting riparian areas, we can build up that natural buffer. Here's a great example of an investment that can make a really positive contribution to natural flood mitigation: http://www.ducks.ca/news/provincial/alberta/duc-receives-11-6-million-in-wrrp-funds-for-wetland-restoration/

I totally agree, 2013 was unlike anything else I've seen. There isn't one single solution to flood mitigation. We can't just build dams and ignore our headwaters. We also can't just focus on headwaters and ignore dams. Projects like the Springbank Dry Dam will go a long ways to help with major flood events. Regular maintenance in our headwaters will help mitigate those typical runoff/flood years.

There are a lot of nervous folks here in Calgary as we edge closer to flood season. As someone who lived in a community adjacent to the river, I will never forget what happened in June of 2013. The NDP have committed to nearly $297M in flood mitigation projects on the Elbow River. The linchpin of Elbow River flood mitigation will be the Springbank Dry Dam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp5Rut8CrmU. To date, shovels have not gone into the ground, and Calgary is no safer from floods today than it was in 2013. Calgary Herald, Don Braid: No flood projects yet, so pass the sandbags Here's the main problem: instead of addressing the cause, we are responding to the effects. Deterioration of riprarian areas in Eastern Slopes headwaters plays a very big role when it comes to flooding. Fens and other natural vegetation act as a natural sponge and can mitigate the impacts of flooding further downstream. Without a natural buffer in place, flood waters race out of the mountains and into the prairies at a torrid pace. Imagine what a $297M investment in our headwaters could accomplish with natural solutions to flood mitigation/prevention? I think it's time for a new approach.

So how do we turn this from something we are just talking about to something we are actually doing?

Is that Wayne Anderson or Rick Fraser down there?