RED DEER RIVER TAILWATER PROPOSAL

INTRODUCTION

What our group is proposing is a modern fishery management program for the section of the Red Deer River below the Dickson Dam onward down to Joffre Bridge Below the city of Red Deer. These sorts of fisheries are referred to as tailwaters and the fish best suited for these water types is the Trout. The stretch of water the proposal would focus on is 60 miles of water and is the only trout stream we know of in Alberta that the angler can both float and walk wade even at minimum flows. The river is fairly shallow and flows along at a modest 5 miles per hour. This would be a pilot project with one focus on one section of river in a modest format that won’t throw good money after bad into to wide a scope all at once. This really could be the greatest opportunity the province has ever had to experiment, fact find, discover and resolve so many lingering problems and really see if they can be dealt with and resolved. This pilot project is a start to provide a chance to see if this will work, and if so, later provide a very resourceful and exciting path to follow to develop other very worthwhile fishery opportunities. It would provide solid proof of what many other rivers and streams are capable of province wide through this programs progress.

This project would also provide a play ground for the provinces future biologists to delve into so many avenues of discovery for term papers and their research required to complete their dissertation/thesis paper to obtain their masters degree. It would also provide much needed hands-on experience on the underlying issues of our time and ways to reinvigorate or reverse harmful trends early on at the University educational level. Enabling them to assist their colleagues already out in their mutually related work force and give the graduate students valuable skill sets that will serve them well later in their professional careers. It would allow them to pursue topics of interest on how a city (Red Deer, Innisfail and Sundre) activity affect the watershed they are situated on. To study and work collaboratively with the three cities on how storm drain runoff, municipal water withdrawals and return of cut sewage and other contaminants can be updated, adjusted or addressed. 

Communities like Sundre, Innisfail and Red Deer that are situated along the river also need to be part of the healing process in order to reverse some negative impacts to the river. Our group realizes that the ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the department of Alberta Environment and Parks, the Ministry of Energy, as well as services such as Fish & Wildlife, water services all have a vested interest and role in the health of our precious outdoor areas, watersheds and fisheries. We also realize that the Fish & Wildlife service can only deal with impacts within their own scope of interest, and they cannot reverse many of the water related issues we discuss in this document.

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 That is why it is incumbent on private industry (TransAlta, the coal industry, agriculture and forestry to be a big part of the process if many of these negative hindering water related issues are ever to be addressed effectively. This collaborative effort must also involve fishery and related scientists, dam operators, the water ministry, the Energy Ministry, Agriculture and Forestry Ministry all working in unison with public stakeholders and outdoor organizations. The Fish & Wildlife Service can deal with diminishing fish populations and a deteriorating angling experience that is right in their wheel house.  What our group is asking Fish & Wildlife to do is deal with these two issues in the best format they can. That is to take a close look at this proposal and many of the other opportunities our group has presented and act upon those issues.

The fish & Wildlife Service can implement the program/proposal, they can enhance fish populations, they can increase minimum fines for the act of illegal retention and per fish retained illegally. The other issues will have to be dealt with by the department/ministry or service that handles the enforcement and water related issues. The proposal and fish population enhancement are the shortest, most cost effective and most realistic format to quickly deal with deteriorating fish populations and the declining fishing experience. The water related issues are much more complicated and involved and will only be resolved to any resourceful level over a very long cycle of effort, man power and allocation of major financial resources. By then it may be to late for the fisheries as the fish populations and any pleasurable angling experience that remained in the mean time could quite possibly be gone.    

This proposal/ program on the tailwater stretch of the red deer river below Dickson Dam will be a focused effort on a small scale and would not require massive funding and man-hours to establish and maintain. This fishery management program could also be a proving ground and example of how to maintain our trout fisheries in a sustainable manner in the future. It would be a great chance to play with in-stream flows to see how certain flows affect aquatic food base, fish populations, in-stream connectivity, water temperatures and water quality issues. It would be a great chance to experiment with dedicated focused enforcement and higher minimum fines for illegal retention and per fish retained illegally on one single stretch of water. It would also provide the chance to see if sourcing wild genetics and enhancing a trout stream at specified intervals will help to maintain optimal numbers of fish per mile consistently. This would help our fishery managers and enforcement managers become cognizant of what the major issues are and if or how we can more effectively deal with them. It would clearly define what the real issues are and how to deal with them in the most efficient manner. We think that anglers will absolutely love and support the success this pilot project will produce.

This could clearly lay out a well-defined path on how to address and deal with the real issues in a dynamic, cost effective manner to assess the situation on the Red Deer and apply the program towards other areas where these type programs will do the best. Of course, that is only if the province approves the proposal/pilot project. It would also depend on if and when the findings of this project are successful and the resources are available on a larger scale. Programs such as this one would also provide a great opportunity to disperse a great deal of suppressive angling pressure on many of our small lakes, rivers and streams in the south-central region of Alberta. Angling pressure would be distributed much more resourcefully over a larger area within this region, but specifically away from the east slopes where our native fish species reside.  

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 It would also provide a chance to see if we can transport a large percentage of illegal activity onto this stretch of water that is much closer to the Conservation Officers main headquarters. The province could work collaboratively with anglers to improve the “Report a Poacher Line” and its ability to improve apprehension and conviction rates in a very dynamic manner. It has been clearly shown that upwards of 75-80% of apprehensions and convictions are achieved through the “Report A Poacher” program. It would also shorten the time it takes for the conservation Officer handling the call out to reach the sight of the activity. It would surely reach out and curtail a significant percentage of illegal activity within this region of Alberta. This will clearly define and help resolve many of the unanswered questions and certainly provide some very clear venues to deal with many of these issues. Not only that it will clearly define where the province should be focusing their attention in the most efficient cost-effective manner.

 Not just for this pilot project but for all our fisheries anywhere in Alberta which is a very worthwhile opportunity. It will provide a real chance to disperse intense angling pressure issues, provide sustainable fisheries and provide both a much more diverse and wonderfully enjoyable angling experience for all anglers. Our group does realize that there is a Walleye fishery in Glennifer Lake and below the dam all the way down the Red Deer River and quite a few anglers do pursue them. However, the “Western Walleye Council” themselves communicated to the senior regional biologist in the early 1990’s that the tailwater below Dickson Dam should be considered trout water since the construction of the dam in 1983. The Walleye fishing opportunities in the province have soaked up significant funds, tremendous research time and man hours of effort for the last 35 years the Walleye angling opportunities are fanatical province wide. There has always been Sauger present in the Red Deer River the research papers we have been able to access point to the deduction that Walleye are not native to the upper targeted watershed. 

There seems to be no definitive clear answer in written text that our group has been able to resource that would point to the conclusion that the Walleye were originally native to the Red Deer River. Now that the province has planted Walleye province wide in so many lakes that never historically contained Walleye populations including Glennifer lake (Dickson Dam), Sylvan Lake, Gull Lake, Pine Lake and Crawling Valley Reservoir. It only makes it more difficult to realize where Walleye were originally native in the province. The reference material we can source points in the direction that Walleye were a northern boreal region piscivores predator.  The latest reference book we have purchased for our group library (Fishes of Alberta Field Identification) clearly shows what happens over time in relation to the ranges of fish species in our province. The Alberta drainage basins map for Walleye on page 56 it definitively shows the range of the Walleye is presently province wide. 

It does not say they were native province wide but many readers would automatically assume over time the Walleye was native to every lake province wide originally. In the book titled “Fish of Alberta” on page 156 the map there clearly shows that Walleye are present over 90% of the geographical area of the province.  Although this book does not state walleye were originally located in lakes through out the entire province the picture (map) surely does. The province does not list the lake locations where and how many Walleye are stocked annually through out Alberta in the “My Wild Alberta” website. They do make it clear where and how many trout are stocked in pothole lakes and ponds province wide. The province clearly defines the Walleye native but was it naturally occurring province wide no, but they have been introduced province wide. We would like the province to clearly and definitively clarify where (what regions) and on what lakes and rivers the walleye was originally native to in Alberta. 

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The province lists the Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout as exotic/invasive province wide and in so doing fail to recognize the true value of these fish species. From what our group can reference the Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout have been around longer in our south-central river systems and lakes than the Walleye have. Therefore, our group likes to refer to the Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout as naturalized fish species that anglers absolutely actively engage in pursuing. They have been on many of our rivers and lakes since the late 1880’s and later since the late 1920’s. In many of these lakes and rivers the Walleye have only been present since 1985 in the south-central region of Alberta. Why does the province perceive the trout as such a problem child when it can be the saving grace in so many ways for the province, sustainable fisheries and a consistent quality angling experience? Do not read this wrong we are not knocking Walleye what we are saying is the trout deserve a fair shake as well though.

BACKGROUND DETAILS

In a meeting with Mr. Cal Dallas and the past Minister of Sustainable Resources and Development (SRD) Mr. Mel Knight asked our group (Friends of the Red Deer River) a direct question. What is going on with this massive province wide Walleye obsession (SRD) has planted massive numbers in almost every large lake within the province and for the life of me I cannot understand why. Both the minister and the members of our group present at the meeting here in Red Deer actively discussed the real concerning issue of why (SRD) obviously did not see the value and true potential of trout fisheries in the province. In this last round of Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) zoom engagement interactions between AEP public servants and the angling public in January 2021 a very concerning trend presented its ugly head. The major focus was always on Walleye and it was very obvious that was all the AEP public servants really wanted to focus on and where their comfort zone was. 

There was very little interaction involving trout and when there was the AEP staff were very hesitant and uneasy to answer the questions put forward by the public. When someone on the (AEP) panel did finally decide to answer the publics inquiries, the public servants answering the questions involving trout were done in a very uncomfortable and less than re-assuring manner. Isn’t it time the province got over whatever the problem is that they have with trout? This native and non-native issue has gone on far to long it needs to be put to bed how many hairs are we going to split. Our group considers Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout as naturalized fish species that may be displaced citizens but they certainly have a very productive place in the sustainability of the province’s fisheries both now and in the future. We call these two species of trout naturalized because they have been in the province for over ninety years and they are not going away. It was the AEP public servants who initiated the process of introducing them to the waters in Alberta it was not done illegally by poorly behaved anglers. The AEP public servants initiated these naturalized trout fisheries because they new the public were very interested in trout fisheries and the two species of trout would most likely do well in our waters. At some point in the past the province must have also seen the resourceful possibility to pursue the opportunity for trout fisheries to generate considerable tourism revenue stream. Advance forward 50 years or so to 1975 or even 1985 and this massive movement for Walleye was embraced by the province and we have not looked back for even one minute. The province, Minister of AEP, resource managers, fishery managers, biologists and fishery technicians focus the greater part of a very unbalanced effort solely to Walleye. 

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Very little funding, support and even enforcement regimes seem to be left for our precious trout fisheries especially the naturalized species (Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout). The province will not connect with the angler that pursues trout or the true potential that the trout is the fish species that will draw the largest tourism revenue streams. The provinces general attitude for trout especially in lakes is that the essence of trout is a consumptive one and they focus on the overly consumptive and probably even a little selfish angler. This is not a very supportive, sustainable, administratively and yes even financially efficient way to manage fisheries. There is also a very confusing cloudy mixed message being portrayed here between the function Walleye and trout play within the fishery management process and the true pursuit/desires of anglers. It has been massaged and manipulated by the province in a confusingly unrealistic perspective. That is totally opposite of what each species intended values and roles are, by the very public servants who manage the sustainability of our fisheries and our overall angling experience. 

The anglers fully understand that they pursue Walleye for table fare and trout more so for the pleasure of the overall experience verses table fare. Trout fishermen province wide have reached a dismal conclusion that the province absolutely loves and endorses Walleye fisheries and absolutely see very little value in trout fisheries in general and consider the trout and anglers that pursue them as a pain in their side. For the last thirty-five years the trout have taken a back seat to Walleye it is high time much more time, effort and allocation of funds went towards trout. Roughly 70 % of all anglers that spend a great deal of time on the Red Deer River spend a majority of their time pursuing trout, Rocky Mountain Whitefish and even the Goldeye. The anglers that do pursue Walleye on the Red Deer River generally do so for table fare. It might be time the province focused their efforts towards that goal on the Red Deer River especially below the Dickson Dam.  The overall habitat, water flow issues, point source and dispersed source contaminants, agricultural and livestock bi-product seepage, flood events, poor dam flow releases are very harmful. Addressing concerning minimum flow regimes and securing increased more stable flows will help the river assimilate impurities and contaminants in a much more successful manner. The increased flows will increase current speed as well which will help flush these same impurities and contaminants through the river system. 

 The sudden catastrophic draw downs on flows and drastically under managed minimum flow levels the Bow and Red Deer River endure on a daily and cumulatively on an annual basis are totally devastating to fish populations. Using the diversion tunnels to suck silt from the bottom of Glennifer Lake during spring runoff and times of higher flows can be a very destructive process. It may resolve the issue of the reservoir filing in from silt drifting in during high flow periods and settling on the bottom of the Reservoir. However, the province must also realize the destructive concerns that this process passes on down river below the dam. There are also flood gates to release increased flow over as well as the diversion tunnels this opportunity should be addressed. All these concerns are very harmful and deteriorate any sustainability the fisheries are capable of producing and the chance to provide anglers any really enjoyable angling experience. Yet up to Dec/31/2021 the province has done very little to address most if not all of these disastrous concerns. In a discussion during a phone call our group had with a public servant within AEP this employee spoke of how they supported our proposals and thought they were resilient. That public servant did go on to say a minister of whom he would not name said to him I don’ give a f…. if the Red Deer River will bring in 10 Billion dollars annually that water is spoken for and it is not for fisheries.

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 It seems we are in a time where many of our Politicians, Cabinet Ministers, Resource Managers. Fishery Managers and Biologists have forgotten they don’t own these watersheds or fisheries. There are either elected or hired to serve publicly to protect and maintain the provinces watersheds, ensure sustainable fisheries and a quality angling experience. They neither have the right or dispensation to go ahead and proceed on a course of action without public support in any portfolio. It is almost as if the politicians and high-ranking public servants (executives) have made their stations in the workplace their own personal playground. They have become very controlling and dangerously protective and defensive of their stance when dealing with work related matters. It has become more about them than those and what they serve. They are most certainly not transparent and well behaved unless the public holds them personally to justification in a large public display of disapproval. 

This is why our group has drawn up so many documents over the last thirty-five years because it seems to be the only avenue, we have left to reach our politicians, Ministers, resource managers, fisheries managers and biologists. The only time we get an answer usually is if we send in documents via registered mail which of course they have to recognize they received it by signing for the document. Even then most of the time we usually get a watered-down general form letter that clearly identifies our concerns are going no where. This is why we have now done this document up for the tailwater fishery on the Red Deer River. Our group thinks this is a massive opportunity for the province of Alberta along with many others who think the same way. 

We think the province will clearly see the huge support our group has mustered in the other document we have provided title “Who are Friends of the Red Deer River”.  The lower-level large rivers provide the province an opportunity to provide maintainable platforms that will sustain concentrated angling pressure ad create tourism revenues that will be very worthwhile for Alberta. The trout is the fish species that draws the huge tourism revenue streams as so many other jurisdictions throughout North America have realized and embraced. Our group would like to reach out to the province once again and engage the province to do the same. The trout is a beautiful creature that is wondrous whether they be native or naturalized and they are the source of so many angler’s dreams. So much so many anglers pursue the areas that produce the programs they desire and spend untold fortunes pursuing these opportunities. 

The Brown Trout is the fish species that exhibits the traits that will provide a management platform for the resource managers and fishery managers that has so many possibilities. The Brown Trout is the most resilient fish species as their genetic survival traits can adjust to successfully survive modern world issues to maintain sustainable fisheries, disperse angling pressure and provide a quality pleasurable angling experience both now and into the future.  The Brown Trout lives longer (up to 20 years in prime habitat) than all other trout, can go success years without recruitment, survives in higher water temperatures, in less than sufficient water related circumstances, handles water quality issues much better and survives much more intense angling pressure. They handle situations where water contamination is of concern and pollutants would decimate other fish species quickly. They grow larger than other trout species generally, can be more challenging to catch are gorgeous and anglers absolutely admire the Brown Trout. The brown and Rainbow trout are the two most sought-after trout species in the world. Thus, we come to the very outline of the proposal our group would appreciate the province to consider and possibly implement.

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OUTLINE OF PROPOSAL

1. Our group would like to see the province embrace the opportunity before us as an opportunity to establish a world class Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Fishery. Which also provides a quality fishery for Rocky Mountain Whitefish, Walleye and Goldeye tailwater fishery. The Walleye fishery below the Dickson Dam may not be native but anglers do pursue them for table fare mostly that is evident.   
2. Our group suggests that the walleye fishery could be something like one Walleye a day with an annual cumulative limit of three per year when in possession of three Walleye tags at a cost of $ 5.00 each. The Whitefish need more stringent regulations as well in order to ensure consistent and optimal numbers of fish in this stretch of the river and to raise funding for the program. 
3. The Walleye is the top end predator and must be present in considerably smaller numbers than the other fish species. If the numbers of Walleye need to be addressed that can be done as the project rolls along. In Montana on the Missouri river below Holter Lake dam anglers can take as many Walleye as they desire and in 2020 there may be a new limit in place of only 20 Walleye a day.  
4. The regulation for both the Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout would be really effective if it was total catch and release other than the trophy tag for trout over 25”.
5. Any river or stream that contains optimal fish numbers per mile is the desired situation in order to remain sustainable. If there are optimal fish numbers per mile each fish within every pool or stretch of stream will experience less pressure on a daily basis and cumulatively throughout the angling season. 
6. Use the Brown Trout genetics already in place on this stretch of water to milk and increase numbers per mile. 
7. Source out a clean Rainbow Trout strain that is resistant to the whirling disease from another waterbody (maybe cross a Hofer strain of rainbow trout with another resilient strain) where the strain would be clean of disease and healthy. From that point on milk these Rainbows from the stretch on the project water after being introduced in order to maintain sustainable numbers of Rainbow Trout per mile. 
8. Probably less Rainbow Trout per mile than Brown Trout or Rocky Mountain Whitefish may be a worthwhile goal. But the Rainbow Trout will surely provide diversity and enjoyment in the overall angling experience and would go a long way in extending the fishing season for trout. 
9. Make use of either an enhancement trailer or construct an enhancement building on site in order to milk the Rainbow and Brown Trout in the Red Deer River.
10. Create a spawning creek and a spawning building to provide the opportunity for the trout to swim up into the spawning building in order to be milked and later returned to the river. This would be done at specific intervals on a scale that allows the trout populations to remain constant and resilient. See you tube video on “Spawning Cutthroat trout on Henry’s lake” for sited example.  
11. Put in place a “Conservation Stamp” costing $ 20.00 annually per angler that fishes this stretch of water. It will provide funding for the pilot project and long-term funding for program.
12. Put in place a “Boat, Raft, Canoe or any watercraft/ floaty device” costing $ 15.00 once a year. To fund both clean up of the river from litter left by users and funding for this pilot project and long-term funding for program.

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13. Put in place Trophy tags at a cost of ($ 40.00) per tag allowing the successful angler to retain one Brown Trout or Rainbow Trout over 25” per year. The number of tags available for anglers to obtain would be low enough in number so the opportunity won’t harm fish populations. But it will provide opportunity for the angler and funding for the pilot project and long term for the program. 
14. Put in place two or three enforcement officers (Conservation Officers) positions above and beyond the regional allotment of enforcement positions. These two or three positions would only enforce a direct policing regime to this stretch of the pilot project. This would provide a proving ground if lack of enforcement is a real issue or not in Alberta.
15. Put in place minimum fines of $ 2500.00 dollars for the act of illegal retention and $ 1000.00 per fish retained illegally on this stretch of water within the pilot project area. This would help the province clearly see if illegal retention and lack of enforcement are real issues and would surely curtail illegal activity in a major way
16. There must be a way as well where the fine revenues secured from apprehensions and convictions could be applied back into the project (to mitigate damages) from convictions to help ensure the success of the program. 
17. Work with the county and City of Red Deer to deal with many of the issues we have discussed within the document affecting the Red Deer River below Dickson Dam. 
18. Work with Alberta Environment and Parks (Department of Water Resources) in order to deal with the water related issues below Dickson Dam. 
19. Work with the related industries operating and drawing from the river both above and below the Dickson Dam to improve the water related issues. We realize this will be a long-term goal and take many years to address none the less it is important.  

EVIDENCE OF TRUE POTENTIAL

Our group will provide a list of aquatic insect species present along this stretch of water involving our project proposal that have been or still are present on the proposed stretch of river. We think you will find it impressive, long and very diverse attesting to both the productivity and diversity in micro habitats in this stretch of the River. Anglers from as far away as California who have traveled the world in search of fantastic trout fishing have religiously returned year after year to immerse themselves in the match the hatch gratification this stretch of water provides. Don from California would often say I am keeping this to myself and will not even share it with my closest angling friend’s back in the United States it is that good. The angler can chase after fish in so many places and have a real chance to land very large trout on light leaders, gear and tiny flies. 

When water related issues are stable and productive for several years in a row the aquatic insect hatches are many, dense and long in duration. The aquatic insect activity begins in mid May with many species of stoneflies, Mayflies and Caddisflies being very large in size. The river is cold, productive, fairly shallow and slow has productive feeding lanes for fish to slide into and feed very efficiently almost anywhere across the whole breadth of the stream. Because of these productive and resilient variety of micro habitats and super productive menu and environment the big trout get keyed to the surface to feed early and often throughout the whole angling season. 

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Members of our group have hooked and landed up to 32” Hook Nosed Alligator jawed Brown Trout (impressive beasts – aren’t they suppose to feed only on large forage food) on size 18 caddisfly adult imitations (fly patterns) on 6X tippet 3lb tippet. We have also hooked and landed 23” large beautifully conditioned Brown Trout on size 24 Acentrella Mayfly imitations (fly patterns) on 7x 2lb tippet very impressive. These are all world class experiences well traveled anglers that are wealthy would die for, these type of fisheries and special opportunities just don’t happen anywhere. There are only so very few rivers left in the world now that can provide these experiences, we describe that allow avid fly fisherman to immerse themselves in such situations. Within a three-hour period on a warm mid summer evening on the stretch of water right below the Dickson Dam Bryant (Bob) Edens hooked and landed a Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Sauger, Lake Whitefish, Rocky Mountain Whitefish and a Goldeye on a dry fly. That is amazing confirmation of what the potential of this river can be when all these species choose to select their food on the stream surface and are being caught on the stream surface with a dry fly.

 It has become abundantly clear the watershed has the potential, the fishing provides the opportunity and the anglers see the possibility. Our group has leafed through piles and piles of documentation on native species in the Red Deer River Watershed and the opinion varies from on document to another. One will say Rainbow Trout are native and of course that is not true another will say Walleye are not native but Sauger are. Yet another will say Rocky Mountain Whitefish, Goldeye, Burbot, Sauger, and Pike are native which may very well be true. In the book “Fish of Alberta” by: Joynt – Sullivan on page 156 they refer that Walleye are boreal forest aquatic predators that have gradually made their way down into South Central Alberta. It clearly hard to definitively say if Walleye were originally native in the Red Deer River or if they are displaced citizens. When this stretch of water experiences several years of ample water flows and sustainable minimum flows aren’t so harmfully low good things happen. The aquatic insect hatches are sublime, dense and of long duration and the trout key to the surface to feed early, often and all season long. The wide variety, dense concentrations of individual species of aquatic insects and the longevity of the activity combined with the large average size of the early spring summer insect activity brings even the largest trout in the stream to the surface to feed. In the past on this stretch of project water below (Dickson Dam) there were many long runs where hundreds upon hundreds of Rocky Mountain Whitefish would also actively feed on the surface because it was such an easy meal. 

Many visiting anglers have stated I have never seen Rocky Mountain Whitefish feed on the surface as they do on this stretch of water on the Red Deer River. The Skwala Stonefly in the adult stage is about 1-1 1/4 “in length and the mature egg laying females fly around and disperse their eggs on the stream surface from 1-4 P.M. on hot dry slightly windy afternoons.   This is an aging angler’s dream a large insect (Fly pattern) that is easily seen in great light conditions long before their bedtime. This aquatic insect hatch alone makes the “Bitterroot River” in Montana number four in fly fishing tourism income out of all the rivers in that State. The Red Deer River provides a great Skwala Stonefly hatch and boy have we caught some huge browns up to 28” on adult dry fly imitations on top during this hatch every spring on this stretch of the Red Deer River. It seems the only entity that refuses to see the clear opportunities to develop and embrace this great opportunity have chose to look the other way. The very Government and Department Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) who is tasked with the very health and state of our watersheds, sustainability of fisheries and the diversity as well as the level of every angler’s enjoyment will not engage.

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 These two custodial and representative administrations have other intentions for this stretch of water regardless of how deeply it is affecting the watersheds overall health and resilience or regardless of the river’s potential as a fishery. Even if it can resourcefully diversify the Alberta economy and provide a potential lift to the hospitality and tourism industry, they intend not to pursue this avenue. They can’t even broaden their perspectives enough for even a minute to see the true potential of the tourism fly fishing industry and fishing in general to bring this industries Provincial Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 13 overall up to the third or fourth position. Our group is not the provinces opponent our focus is on trying to get the province, Alberta Environment and Resources (AEP) and the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) to fully engage and get behind a resourceful path forward. 

STREAMS TO REFERENCE SIMILAR TO THE TAILWATER ON THE RED DEER RIVER

There are many tailwater rivers that provide ample opportunity to provide world-class fly-fishing opportunities but because of a few limiting factors their true potential may have never been realized. Many times, these issues/ barriers stop fishery managers from proceeding to develop the true potential. These barriers could have been low natural recruitment, high illegal retention and intense angling pressure holding back the true potential. Well, a few visionary biologists addressed the shortfall head on through careful resourceful enhancement annually or at specified specific intervals that ensured stable constant trout populations and unbelievable fishing experiences. Just a few come to mind the Grand River in Ontario by Alora and Fergus, Warren Yerex was the talented brain child behind this wonderful fishery what Warren has done took courage and kudos to him for a job well done. The cold water released from Shand dam (Reservoir) makes the tailwater reaches of the Grand River great habitat for Brown Trout. Each spring, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry stocks about 40,000 Brown Trout in the tailwater stretch of the river. There was limited success with natural spawning on this stretch of river so the department took the bull by the horn and realized the true potential and acted. As a result, the Grand River below Shand dam has become highly regarded as a fly-fishing area. The Grand River tailwater stretch of water has been acclaimed as one of the best fly-fishing spots in North America. 

The Green River Tailwater trout fishery below Flaming Gorge Dam in Utah by Dutch John, the Marias Tail water trout fishery by Shelby Montana, many of the tailwater fisheries in Ontario. On many rivers that have dams on them especially in the United States trout are planted/enhanced in the reservoirs above the dams located on them. There may be some natural recruitment going on below the dam on tributaries their, but realistically we all know fish are coming down over the dam during flood events and every spring runoff. Iceland has resting boxes on many of their best Salmon Rivers so anglers can deposit their catches of exceptionally large Salmon in them so they can be milked of eggs or milt later when they are ripe. In the United States U.S. many states enhance or supplement their trout streams out of necessity due to deteriorating habitat and water related issues much the same thing Alberta is dealing with. 

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States such as Georgia, Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming and were sure there are more doing what they need to do to ensure these areas do well. There are areas like Bristol Bay in Alaska that contain the largest most precious wild population of Sockeye Salmon in the world in a pristine area that should be left untouched to operate in a totally natural process. There are not many places as special as Bristol bay left on the planet and the areas that are left tend to be as far north as these native species swim naturally in. Places like Russia, Alaska, the Yukon, North West Territories, Northern Quebec, Labrador and Iceland. Pristine areas where man has yet to heavily populate and develop it into an unnatural state that serves the needs of society over natural processes. Because of this these areas are super special and very precious they need to be protected at all costs. Having said that, this does not mean places like Alberta that have less water available and what is here is used heavily so there are limitations cannot provide special fisheries. This doesn’t mean we cannot work around the major issues and still provide a quality angling experience (world Class fisheries) for the tourism industry and local anglers both.  The opportunity for this stretch of water below the Dickson dam on the Red Deer River is incredible and it will provide the prospect to disperse intense angling pressure in this region of Alberta and that should not be ignored. 

It will diversify and intensify any avid anglers experience and provide endless hours of complete satisfaction. The Bighorn River, the Missouri River, the Beaver Head Tailwater Trout Fishery, the San Juan River Tailwater Trout Fishery in New Mexico, The Frying Pan River and the South Platte River in Colorado collectively share the same traits and quality angling experiences. These other areas addressed the shortfalls their rivers suffered (mentioned above) in their regions and now have seriously prospered from their efforts. The Red Deer River is the main artery of many little veins (Tributaries) that are all either world class or well recognized Brown Trout fisheries that provide excellent dry fly match the hatch fishing opportunities. Diefenbaker reservoir is blessed with water from Alberta’s great trout fisheries and has also pumped out Rainbow Trout of 47 lbs including some world record trout. There are also photographs of many Brown Trout and Rainbow trout from Diefenbaker Lake that are absolute slabs and in unbelievable conditioning factors trout any angler would be proud to catch. These little feeder tributaries all contribute their riches (qualities) to the Red Deer River which in turn becomes the benefactor from all these small contributors. 

The Main stem Red Deer River, Bow River, Castle River, Crowsnest River and Oldman River are all feeder streams which pass on their inherited riches to their relative in Saskatchewan (Diefenbaker Reservoir). Is the Red Deer River Tailwater a perfect trout stream in every sense, well in the late eighties and up to 2005 it was as special as any modern day world class fishery any angler could hope to fish. The proposal (pilot project) stretch of water now suffers from several man-made situations and modern industrial high yield industry processes, as well as excessive municipal water withdrawal, point source and dispersed source contamination, poor in-stream flow management, excessively low minimum flows. On top of all these negative impacts the province has found whirling disease on four major watersheds in Alberta as if we didn’t already have enough to deal with. The Red Deer River sub-basin is one of the four that contains whirling disease with the presence of the (tubifex worm). Colorado has dealt with this issue by sourcing out the Hofer strain of Rainbow Trout that originated in Germany many years ago. This is a strain of trout that originated out of hatcheries where whirling disease originated in Germany.  So, the Hofer strain of rainbow is resistant to whirling disease and Colorado took advantage of this opportunity. 

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They hybridized the Hofer Lake strain with a strain they prefer in Colorado and voila solved a drastic situation. We would never say this is the way to solve every situation but in some instances the path forward is somewhat limited. Yet even with all these harmful impacts the Tailwater below Dickson Dam still maintains enough aquatic insect hatches which for the most part remain intact and enough beautiful Brown Trout still remain in order to provide some real wonderful nights of fishing. Just imagine what would be possible if a few layers of effort and funding were applied to this stretch of water. It would be even much better than before and would once again be a world class trout fishing opportunity.    

SOURCING FUNDING   

Our group would be more than willing to approach our current Federal MP here in Red Deer to try and see if there is any avenue for the Federal Government to proportionately fund this proposal. After all it will be a very environmentally friendly, Green way of diversifying the Alberta economy and strengthening the provinces GDP. Also, for once it will not involve the constant and risky busines of extraction of Alberta’s precious resources. This involves improving and stabilizing the provinces most precious life sustaining resource our fresh water sources. The province and our group could extend an olive branch out to Tod Zimmerling the President of the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) the opportunity to get his organization involved in such a worthwhile project. The premier of Alberta should be able to source a fair amount of funding no malicious intent here, but he did source 1.5 Billion on a whim to invest into the Keystone XL pipeline. Our group would also embrace taking a shot at soliciting if there is any public interest in starting up a “Go Fund Me Page” and if there is an appetite to get behind this proposal and donate in a substantial way. We would also be willing to reach out to private sector for financial support which may not be a real substantial format in these hard times none then less we could try. This is of course if the province is willing to partake and approve such a proposal and turn it into the resourceful revenue stream and tourism industry it would grow into.   

ANGLER SUPPORT THROUGH DONATIONS

The anglers feel very strongly about what our group has been trying to do here convince the Government to embrace this opportunity they have even donated funds. They have written letters on behalf of our group, signed petitions, committed volunteer hours for the study our group carried out on this stretch of the river in the late eighties and early nineties. Our group has also put together the supporting scientific data and the sustainability and habit indexes for this stretch of river. Which proved that this river is capable of what our group is putting forward especially if the province makes the effort to return the river to its former healthy, productive state. If the province, industry and the communities that are situated along the river prosper and also profit from its RESOURCES AND PRODUCTIVITY they must also be wiling to put a much more concerted resilient effort back in to ensure that the watershed and its inhabitants remain healthy and sustainable. Below is a list of anglers who believed in the river and our efforts enough to contribute their own personal money towards raising and mailing in letters for support. 

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LIST OF DONORS:

West River Fly Shop $20.00 Red City of Red Deer Fly Shop – Owner Troy Langelaar

Loretta Edens $ 40.00 86 years young amazing

Neil (Pat) Williams   $ 40.00 69 years young amazing

Bill Anderson $ 30.00 63 years young amazing

Pat Edens $ 40.00 63 years young amazing 

Rus Carlson                       $ 40.00 73 years young amazing

Sam Louisa                        $ 40.00

Beth Edens $ 20.00

Roy Saunders $ 40.00

Brian Johnson $ 20.00

J.P. Forget $ 20.00

Ron Brown $ 20.00

Bryant (Bob) Edens $ 50.00 63 years young amazing

Les Kolibaba $ 20.00

Ken Thate $ 40.00

Just this month our group has forwarded the provinces nine outdoor organizations, Red Deer River watershed Alliance and Fish Tales Fly Shop for a letter of support for all our group is working on. These supportive anglers feel a much better working relationship between Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) and the outdoor groups and anglers is a must. The anglers who donated actually enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to donate to the cause of the group submitting Freedom of Information paperwork (FOIP’S) to AEP. Their donations have also supported the costs incurred to communicate with (AEP) and the various outdoor organizations which all adds up. Thanks to these wonderful anglers we can financially afford to communicate with (AEP) and the outdoor organizations and we all feel it is high time to roll up our sleeves and get to work at saving our precious fisheries as a group.

LIST OFF SUPPOORT FOR THIS PROPOSAL/PROJECT

Please refer to the enclosed document “Who are Friends of the Red Deer River” for the long list of supporters for this proposal/project and all our group is striving for involving Alberta’s fisheries. The list of supporters is growing larger as the word spreads on how our group is trying to incorporate provincial support for all angler’s ideals. The province has been very withdrawn, unapproachable and very unwilling to engage and support what our group and other organizations have put forward on many occasions. 

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When our group tries to communicate or request public information or clarification on issues of deep concern the province definitely will not engage. Every time our group has submitted Freedom of Information papers/requests (FOIPS) to the Alberta Environment and Parks office (AEP) our group has had to go to the “Office of Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta” to solicit help to obtain the requested information. The province always grasps at straws in order to keep our group from the public information that is very damaging to themselves in anyway they can. Every FOIP our group has submitted has come back with very concerning information that really makes our group question the very department put in charge to protect and maintain our watersheds, fisheries and overall angling experiences in Alberta. This is just one of the reasons our list of supporters is growing in a gradual but increasing show of support. We would now like to conclude the proposal we hereby submit in the next few paragraphs.

CONCLUSION

This is the hardest part where we have to take a last stab at the same Department Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) that we have been trying to motivate and engage for so many years. Alberta Environment and Parks will not see the true resourceful potential of the Tailwater fishery on the Red Deer River and this decision is another issue that concerns many anglers. We have been at it for 35 years and somewhere within the provincial system some level kills the issue in its tracks every time. Everyone else sees the potential except the very public servants that are tasked with the duty and the capacity to make this happen and prefer to look the other way. The political, departmental and public service bodies in the province have a very hard time achieving a balanced approach on many issues. The very nature of the province is a very aggressive tendency to embrace massive resource extraction and the harnessing and withdrawal of the areas natural resources be that on land or on the water.   

When they provide agendas, they always tend to support an appetite of a short-term consumptive position involving resource extraction that is the most profitable but relatively short lived. Over a more balanced environmentally conservative lasting friendly natural path that shows promise of longevity and true value. The Walleye program is the one endeavour where the province embraced a catch and release policy, but it was not what anglers that pursue Walleye support. Walleye angler’s fish for Walleye almost entirely for table fare with the enjoyment of the overall experience as the reward way back on the list. What our group strives for is balance through sustainability and establishing programs that support healthy watersheds, optimum fish populations and a quality angling experience. 

This project on the Red Deer River tail water is the center piece of our core principles involving a balanced approach to achieving the topics covered in the last sentence. It is our groups belief the platform that this proposal/pilot project can provide is worthy, realistic and achievable on a level that can no longer be ignored by the province. Our group has all the science, data, financial support levels (they were huge), public support, comparisons to the Bow River and Crowsnest River that was done in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. We have loads of photographs of what sort of trout this river produces on dry flies or any form of angling. This proposal/project had massive support back in the eighties and nineties but (AEP) just refused to get on board. 

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Some of our data and documentation may be some what dated but never the less it is very relevant even today. What has changed over the intervening years has been slowly deteriorating this stretch of water, but that does not mean a greater percentage of the damage cannot be reversed. We can provide the complete project file and are free at anytime to answer any of your questions or to clarify or expand on any topic you wish. Most of our group’s members are in the 60-73 age bracket and we will most likely not be able to fish in another 10-12 years. Many of us fish 100-125 times a year and we are fairly accomplished anglers who know the area well.  We understand aquatic insect hatch activity, tie effective flies to match hatches and know where most of the nice large trout reside in many of our rivers and lakes so we can still enjoy ourselves. This effort is not for anglers like ourselves, this is for all well-behaved anglers of every persuasion and age group and the sustainability of fisheries and the resilience of the overall angling experience here in Alberta for our future anglers. Hopefully we can all find common ground to help support each other in a collaborative manner for once and this proposal has the chance to become a major success.