Extreme prairie weather focus of university study

A University of Regina researcher and his team will spend the next five years in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan learning about the extreme weather that has become a norm in these parts of the country.  The research will also look at whether global warming is potentially to blame for the droughts and floods that have destroyed farmers' crops over the years.

Read more in this Calgary Herald article from August 13, 2011.

Alberta linguist paying more than lip service to Prairie accent

Nicole Rosen, an associate professor of modern languages at the University of Lethbridge, is seeking 150 southern Alberta speakers in a bid to study the West's raised vowels and other linguistic quirks.  She hopes to glean insight into a heretofore little-studied accent — western Canadian.

Study participants will be offered a $15 honorarium in exchange for an hour of their time.  They'll be asked to read a list of words and a block of text before engaging in an interview.  

Read more in this article from the Ottawa Citizen (August 3, 2011).

Here's a link to the University of Lethbridge's Directory, where you can get Ms. Rosen's contact information. 

Provincial spring runoff advisory

Alberta Environment has issued a provincial spring runoff advisory that applies to all of southwest Alberta.

Rising temperatures and a higher-than-usual snowpack are expected to result in rapid water level rise in creeks and possible flooding in low-lying areas and overland.  

Click here to read the attached advisory for specific details.

Micrex magnetite mine proposal to undergo detailed review

The provincial government will refer Micrex's application to build a magnetite quarry in the Livingstone mountain range, about 200 kilometres southwest of Calgary, to the Natural Resources Conservation Board.  The NRCB will determine if the project is in the public interest by considering its social, economic and environmental effects.

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/technology/Magnetite+mine+proposal+undergo+detailed+review/4619066/story.html#ixzz1KGxA5MIu

South Saskatchewan Regional Plan - Regional Advisory Council advice released

The recommendations of the Regional Advisory Council for the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan have been released by Alberta Sustainable Resource Development.

Click here for the SRD press release.

Click here for the RAC report (4.9 MB).

Click here for a Calgary Herald article about the RAC report. 

The Alberta government will seek public input on the recommendations in the fall, before developing the draft regional plan.  An online workbook will also be available at www.landuse.alberta.ca by the end of April.  The province will consult again with Albertans before the final plan is developed.

SASCI plans to host further community dialogue about the land use management process in parallel with government consultation.  We will announce events on our website, on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter feeds, and in regional newspapers.