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Robert D. Tarleck, Mayor, City of Lethbridge
When John Palliser led the first European exploration into southern Alberta,
he may have overstated the case when he said the region was too dry to support
human life. But he did get it right in recognizing that water would shape the
future of the region.
Over the last one hundred years Southern Albertans have, through diligence
and hard work, created an efficient irrigation system, established farms, and
build a multi-million dollar food processing industry. None of this was possible
without water and the specter of shrinking glaciers and diminished rainfall
makes us that much more mindful of that fact.
Where do we go from here? Clearly the least preferred course of action is
to do nothing in the expectation that we can somehow muddle through. Instead,
we need clearly-articulated community water strategies and the will to implement
them. Within this community the first footsteps on the road to a comprehensive
policy are evident. The Canada Agricultural Research Station is continuing its
research into water management with respect to crops and animals and the University
of Lethbridge has begun to assemble the components to a major research center
for water. The City of Lethbridge is incorporating storm water detention ponds
into new sub-division plans and is considering the adoption of water conservation
measures in new development applications. Water conservation plays a central
role in SunRidge, the first BuiltGreen sub-division in Canada. It will also
be a key feature in the Lethbridge Sustainability Plan which will be undertaken
in 2007.
These steps are not enough, of course. But they do indicate that this community
is moving toward a future in which sustainable water management is a central
consideration in virtually every community decision.
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