Misplaced Pages

#985014

72-511: During the daytime hours of the festival, there are six active stages hosting workshops and concerts. Food vendors number in the dozens, ranging from carnival fare to vegetarian and world cuisine. A tent village houses craftspeople and there is a CD tent where the performers' albums can be purchased. There is also a large and busy beer garden, which serves more beer than any other single event in western Canada. The EFMF relies heavily on volunteers which keeps ticket prices down. Volunteers help conduct

144-418: A forebay is often utilized as a deposition area to clarify the water and concentrate the material. Mining, heavy construction and other industries have used passive systems for more than twenty years. These types of systems are low carbon as no external power source is needed, they require little skill to operate, minimal maintenance and are effective at reducing Total Suspended Solids , some heavy metals and

216-455: A backdrop for the stage. For two years, a fifth evening of music was added, with revenue from that concert being dedicated to the festival's endowment fund. Since 2011, the festival has been four days. The Edmonton Folk Music Festival has hosted musicians from six continents, including acts from Cuba , Mexico , Brazil , Zimbabwe , South Africa , Kenya , Mongolia , China , India , and Tuva . The majority of performers come from Canada ,

288-654: A bylaw that defined the river valley and ravines and regulated developments close to the river valley, and created a long-term policy with the aim to purchase additional river valley lands. Shortly after the plans for the highway were abandoned in 1974, the provincial government created the Capital City Recreation Park, a park system that encompassed several river valley parks, including the Dawson, Gold Bar , Hermitage, and Rundle parks. During this period, small pieces of land were acquired to complete

360-789: A local educational program is that of the West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC), which has coined the term Hydrofilth to describe stormwater pollution, as part of its "15 to the River" campaign. (During a rain storm, it may take only 15 minutes for contaminated runoff in Grand Rapids, Michigan to reach the Grand River .) Its outreach activities include a rain barrel distribution program and materials for homeowners on installing rain gardens . Other public education campaigns highlight

432-513: A park system did not take shape until the late 20th century. In 1996, the River Valley Alliance (RVA) was formed to coordinate the development of the park system across the metropolitan region. Although large portions of the river valley are public parkland, some sections of the river valley are privately owned. In addition to the park system, the river valley is also used by the metropolitan area for stormwater management . Most of

504-465: A recent municipal stormwater treatment study, an advanced sedimentation technology was used passively in large diameter stormwater mains upstream of SWMF's to remove an average of 90% of TSS and phosphorus during a near 50 year rain event turning a management facility into a passive treatment facility. Chemical treatment of stormwater to remove pollutants can be accomplished without large scale infrastructure improvements. Passive treatment technologies use

576-472: A variety of flora such as aspen , balsam poplar, white birch , white spruce , and other types of grassland flora. Forests in the river valley contrast other forests in the region, which are more aspen and balsam poplar-heavy dominant; whereas forests in the river valley typically hold a larger amount of black and white spruces. Other types of plants found in the river valley include poison ivy , and Saskatoon serviceberries . The river valley's riparian zone

648-492: Is irrigation , water runs off and ultimately makes its way to a river , lake , or the ocean . While there is some attenuation of these pollutants before entering receiving waters, polluted runoff results in large enough quantities of pollutants to impair receiving waters. In addition to the pollutants carried in stormwater runoff , urban runoff is being recognized as a cause of pollution in its own right. In natural catchments ( watersheds ) surface runoff entering waterways

720-402: Is a relatively rare event, occurring only a few times each year and generally after larger storms. Before development occurred, most rainfall soaked into the ground and contributed to groundwater recharge or was recycled into the atmosphere by vegetation through evapotranspiration . Modern drainage systems, which collect runoff from impervious surfaces (e.g., roofs and roads), ensure that water

792-730: Is an expensive long-term investment that is difficult to replace when the underlying circumstances change. As a result, the system will perform worse or malfunction more frequently over time. This is precisely what is occurring in the region surrounding Europe and the Baltic Sea, where the quickening pace of climate change is stressing the systems, the advancement of urbanization, and stricter regulations. Rethinking stormwater management techniques and investing in infrastructure are essential to adapting to these rapidly changing circumstances. Stormwater runoff has been an issue since humans began living in concentrated villages or urban settings. During

SECTION 10

#1732776746986

864-572: Is classified as nonpoint source pollution under the CWA. It is not included in the CWA definition of "point source" and therefore not subject to NPDES permit requirements. The 1987 CWA amendments established a non-regulatory program at EPA for nonpoint source pollution management consisting of research and demonstration projects. Related programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program are conducted by

936-591: Is due to polluted runoff, generally in urbanized watersheds (in other US watersheds, agricultural pollution is a major source). To address the nationwide problem of stormwater pollution, Congress broadened the CWA definition of "point source" in 1987 to include industrial stormwater discharges and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems ("MS4"). These facilities are required to obtain NPDES permits. In 2017, about 855 large municipal systems (serving populations of 100,000 or more), and 6,695 small systems are regulated by

1008-763: Is efficiently moved to waterways through pipe networks, meaning that even small storms result in increased waterway flows. In addition to delivering higher pollutants from the urban catchment, increased stormwater flow can lead to stream erosion , encourage weed invasion, and alter natural flow regimes. Native species often rely on such flow regimes for spawning, juvenile development, and migration. Stormwater runoff from roadways has been observed to contain many metals including zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), vanadium (V), cobalt (Co), and aluminum (Al) (Sansalone and Buchberger, 1997; Westerlund and Viklander, 2006) and other constituents. In some areas, especially along

1080-422: Is no surface warning that an opening has grown so large it will suddenly collapse catastrophically. Therefore, land use planning for new development needs to avoid karst areas. Ultimately taxpayers end up paying the costs for poor land use decisions. Managing the quantity and quality of stormwater is termed, "Stormwater Management." The term Best Management Practice (BMP) or stormwater control measure (SCM)

1152-409: Is often polluted by materials that are handled or stored on the sites, and the facilities are subject to regulations to control the discharges. Stormwater Management Facilities (SWMF's) are generally designed using Stokes' law to allow rudimentary treatment through the settling particulate matter larger than 40 micron in size and to impound water to reduce downstream flooding. However, regulation on

1224-401: Is often used to refer to both structural or engineered control devices and systems (e.g. retention ponds ) to treat or store polluted stormwater, as well as operational or procedural practices (e.g. street sweeping). Stormwater management includes both technical and institutional aspects. Integrated water management (IWM) of stormwater has the potential to address many of the issues affecting

1296-464: Is one that balances the desired results (controlling runoff and pollution) with the associated costs (loss of usable land for land-based systems versus capital cost of manufactured solution). Green (vegetated) roofs are also another low-cost solution. IWM as a movement can be regarded as being in its infancy and brings together elements of drainage science, ecology and a realization that traditional drainage solutions transfer problems further downstream to

1368-423: Is primarily made up of wetland habitats with grass, sedges, and willows; although in select areas, the forests will extend to the river's edge. The river valley serves as a wildlife corridor for animals to travel to other conservation areas. Because the river valley serves as a wildlife corridor, several wildlife crossings were built in locations where highways cross the river valley. Animals commonly found in

1440-423: Is the primary cause of basement and sewer backups. Although the number of casualties from urban flooding is usually limited, the economic, social and environmental consequences can be considerable: in addition to direct damage to property and infrastructure ( highways , utilities and services), chronically wet houses are linked to an increase in respiratory problems and other illnesses. Sewer backups are often from

1512-464: Is to incorporate land-based solutions to reduce stormwater runoff through the use of retention ponds, bioswales , infiltration trenches, sustainable pavements (such as permeable paving ), and others noted above. LID can also be achieved by utilizing engineered, manufactured products to achieve similar, or potentially better, results as land-based systems (underground storage tanks, stormwater treatment systems, biofilters , etc.). The proper LID solution

SECTION 20

#1732776746986

1584-541: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in the U.S. Department of Agriculture . Education is a key component of stormwater management. A number of agencies and organizations have launched campaigns to teach the public about stormwater pollution, and how they can contribute to solving it. Thousands of local governments in the U.S. have developed education programs as required by their NPDES stormwater permits. One example of

1656-919: The United States , and the United Kingdom . The festival showcases performers in many genres. Most years, folk, Celtic, bluegrass, blues, gospel, roots, and worldbeat acts perform. Global representation is a major part of the festival, with musicians travelling from North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia every year. Past main stage performers include k.d. lang , Joni Mitchell , Blue Rodeo , Stan Rogers , Great Big Sea , Oysterband , Loreena McKennitt , Norah Jones , Steve Earle , The Blind Boys Of Alabama , David Gray , Neko Case , Van Morrison , David Byrne , Michael Franti , Hanggai , K'Naan , and Passenger . In addition to mainstage and sidestage concerts by individual artists,

1728-475: The United States , or Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) in Australia , IWM has the potential to improve runoff quality, reduce the risk and impact of flooding and deliver an additional water resource to augment potable supply. The development of the modern city often results in increased demands for water supply due to population growth, while at the same time altered runoff predicted by climate change has

1800-418: The effluent from SWMF's is becoming more stringent. Impact of the nutrient, Phosphorus either dissolved from (fertilizers) or bound to sediment particles from construction or agriculture runoff, causes algae and toxic cyanobacteria (aka Blue-green algae ) blooms in receiving lakes. Cyanotoxin is of particular concern as many drinking water treatment plants can not effectively remove this health hazard. In

1872-463: The 1840s; with dump sites, gravel pits, and lumber yards built into the river valley during the late-19th and early 20th century. By the 1900s, most of the river valley was cleared of its trees for lumber. Developments and the extraction of resources in Edmonton shifted from the river valley to the tablelands in the 1920s as resources began to flow into the city from further distances; allowing for

1944-428: The CWA in 1972. Pollutant loadings from these sources are tightly controlled through the issuance of National Pollution Discharge Elimination System ( NPDES ) permits. However, despite these controls, thousands of water bodies in the U.S. remain classified as "impaired," meaning that they contain pollutants at levels higher than is considered safe by EPA for the intended beneficial uses of the water. Much of this impairment

2016-577: The North Saskatchewan River valley for thousands of years, and may have even modified the river valley to a certain degree. The vegetation found in the river valley changed dramatically from the late 1700s to the 1900s, partly owing to climatic change during the Little Ice Age . The introduction of non-native vegetation may be attributed to the arrival of Métis and European farmers; who also harvested trees for lumber, and used

2088-641: The Regional Trail system was devised in 2020 between the RVA and the municipal governments. Several hectares of private land were also acquired by the municipal government in 2008 in order to "bridge the gaps" between the river valley's trail system. The river itself is also viewed as a water trail for watercrafts and serves as the binding feature of the park system. The river's flow rate varies between 160 and 250 m /s in May to its peak flow of 250–500 m /s during

2160-514: The State of Maryland requires erosion and sediment controls on construction sites of 5,000 sq ft (460 m ) or more. It is not uncommon for state agencies to revise their requirements and impose them upon counties and cities; daily fines ranging as high as $ 25,000 can be imposed for failure to modify their local stormwater permitting for construction sites, for instance. Agricultural runoff (except for concentrated animal feeding operations, or " CAFO ")

2232-463: The U.S. coast, polluted runoff from roads and highways may be the largest source of water pollution . For example, about 75 percent of the toxic chemicals getting to Seattle , Washington's Puget Sound are carried by stormwater that runs off paved roads and driveways, rooftops, yards, and other developed land. Industrial stormwater is runoff from precipitation that lands on industrial sites (e.g. manufacturing facilities, mines, airports). This runoff

Edmonton Folk Music Festival - Misplaced Pages Continue

2304-700: The detriment of the environment and water resources. In the United States , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with regulating stormwater pursuant to the Clean Water Act (CWA). The goal of the CWA is to restore all " Waters of the United States " to their "fishable" and "swimmable" conditions. Point source discharges, which originate mostly from municipal wastewater ( sewage ) and industrial wastewater discharges, have been regulated since enactment of

2376-559: The energy of water flowing by gravity through ditches, canals, culverts, pipes or other constructed conveyances to enable treatment. Self dosing products, such as Gel Flocculants , are placed in the flowing water where sediment particles, colloids and flow energy combine to release the required dosage, thereby creating heavy flocs which can then be easily filtered or settled. Natural woven fibers like jute are often used in ditch bottoms to act as filtration media. Silt retention mats can also be placed in situ to capture floccules. Sedimentation in

2448-711: The event was cancelled, due to COVID-19. Gallagher Park (Edmonton) The North Saskatchewan River valley parks system , also known as the Ribbon of Green or the River Valley Parks , is a continuous collection of urban parks around the North Saskatchewan River valley in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region of Alberta , Canada. The park system encompasses over 7,300 hectares (18,000 acres) of parkland, making it

2520-452: The festival each year, filling roles including food and drink service, venue security, and construction of the event stages. There are over 2700 people on the volunteer list each year. The EFMF is held at Gallagher Park , on the southern slope of the North Saskatchewan River valley. During the winter the area is a ski club. The mainstage audience seating is a natural amphitheatre with great sightlines. The skyline of downtown Edmonton acts as

2592-468: The festival has artists collaborate on shared stages. Each year, the festival showcases local Edmonton performers, from youth to young adults to seasoned performers. The first edition of the festival was organized as part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of Alberta, and was held in Gold Bar Park , moving to its current venue in 1981. 2020 was the first year in the history of the festival where

2664-486: The freeway beginning at MacKinnon Ravine Park. However, the plan to build the highway was abandoned by 1974 due to public opposition. In 1907, landscape architect Frederick Todd proposed that the city should take advantage of the natural space provided by the river valley. Acting upon Todd's advice, the City of Edmonton acquired over 100 properties in the river valley to be used as parklands between 1907 and 1931. In 1915,

2736-410: The ground, and more runoff is generated than in undeveloped conditions. Additionally, passages such as ditches and storm sewers quickly transport runoff away from commercial and residential areas into nearby water bodies. This greatly increases the volume of water in waterways and the discharge of those waterways, leading to erosion and flooding. Because the water is flushed out of the watershed during

2808-452: The health of waterways and water supply challenges facing the modern urban city. IWM is often associated with green infrastructure when considered in the design process. Professionals in their respective fields, such as urban planners , architects , landscape architects , interior designers , and engineers , often consider integrated water management as a foundation of the design process. Also known as low impact development (LID) in

2880-446: The importance of green infrastructure in slowing down and treating stormwater runoff. DuPage County Stormwater Management launched the "Love Blue. Live Green." outreach campaign on social media sites to educate the public on green infrastructure and some other best management practices for stormwater runoff. Articles, websites, pictures, videos and other media are spread to the public through this campaign. Stormwater infrastructure

2952-416: The increased stormwater from impervious surfaces such as roofs, parking lots, and streets to runoff into. Instead, the stormwater enters the subsurface drainage system by moving down through the ground. When the subsurface water flow becomes great enough to transport soil and rock fragments, the karst openings grow rapidly. Where karst openings are roofed by supportive ( competent ) limestone, there frequently

Edmonton Folk Music Festival - Misplaced Pages Continue

3024-404: The largest contiguous area of urban parkland in the country. The park system is made up of over 30 provincial and municipal parks situated around the river from Devon to Fort Saskatchewan , with trails connecting most of the parks together. Proposals to create a large park along Edmonton 's riverfront were first proposed by landscape architect Frederick Todd in 1907, although the formation of

3096-427: The largest municipally-operated urban park and the largest contiguous area of urban parkland in the country. The park system encompasses over 7,300 hectares (18,000 acres) of land. Several municipal parks and Strathcona Science Provincial Park form the North Saskatchewan River valley parks system. Municipal parks that form a part of the system include: Among the various municipally-maintained parks in Edmonton,

3168-405: The long-term health of the river valley. The river valley holds more than 160 kilometres (99 mi) of maintained trails that loosely connect the parks together. However, only 90.6 kilometres (56.3 mi) of the trails are paved. Portions of the network are disconnected, although the RVA plans to fully connect 75 kilometres (47 mi) of the trail system by 2024. An "overarching name" for

3240-401: The metropolitan area that the river passed through, including Devon, Edmonton, Fort Saskatchewan, Leduc County , Parkland County , Strathcona County , and Sturgeon County ; with the aim to connect the riverside parks as a larger park system. The RVA itself was formally incorporated in 2003. Along with the provincial and federal governments, the RVA led the development of several plans for

3312-616: The nutrient phosphorus . Stormwater is a major cause of urban flooding . Urban flooding is the inundation of land or property in a built-up environment caused by stormwater overwhelming the capacity of drainage systems , such as storm sewers . Although triggered by single events such as flash flooding or snow melt , urban flooding is a condition, characterized by its repetitive, costly and systemic impacts on communities. In areas susceptible to urban flooding, backwater valves and other infrastructure may be installed to mitigate losses. Where properties are built with basements , urban flooding

3384-439: The ones located in the river valley hold the highest availability of washrooms and picnic sites. The majority of the parks in the river valley have trails that connect to other areas of the park system. The river valley also holds a number of recreational facilities including baseball fields , dog parks , playgrounds, slipways , sports fields, and tennis courts. Although there exists a concentration of recreational facilities in

3456-400: The park, including a concept plan in 1998, a trail plan in 2000, an updated concept plan in 2003, and a plan of action in 2007. The latter plan being a C$ 605-million plan to develop a metropolitan park system. The North Saskatchewan River Valley park system, including its associated ravines, holds over 30 urban parks forming a part of the larger park system. Collectively, these parks form

3528-402: The permit system. EPA has authorized 47 states to issue NPDES permits. In addition to implementing the NPDES requirements, many states and local governments have enacted their own stormwater management laws and ordinances, and some have published stormwater treatment design manuals. Some of these state and local requirements have expanded coverage beyond the federal requirements. For example,

3600-560: The pollutants carried in stormwater runoff, urban runoff is being recognized as a cause of pollution in its own right Stormwater is also an important resource as human population and demand for water grow, particularly in arid and drought-prone climates. Stormwater harvesting techniques and purification could potentially make some urban environments self-sustaining in terms of water. With less vegetation and more impervious surfaces ( parking lots , roads , buildings , compacted soil ), developed areas allow less rain to infiltrate into

3672-500: The potential for future problems. In undisturbed areas with natural subsurface ( karst ) drainage, soil and rock fragments choke karst openings thereby being a self-limitation to the growth of openings. The undisturbed karst drainage system becomes balanced with the climate so it can drain the water produced by most storms. However, problems occur when the landscape is altered by urban development. In urban areas with natural subsurface ( karst ) drainage there are no surface streams for

SECTION 50

#1732776746986

3744-586: The potential to increase the volume of stormwater that can contribute to drainage and flooding problems. IWM offers several techniques, including stormwater harvest (to reduce the amount of water that can cause flooding), infiltration (to restore the natural recharge of groundwater), biofiltration or bioretention (e.g., rain gardens ), to store and treat runoff and release it at a controlled rate to reduce impact on streams and wetland treatments (to store and control runoff rates and provide habitat in urban areas). There are many ways of achieving LID. The most popular

3816-403: The provincial government adopted a report by Todd to protect the river valley and its associated ravines as a recreational area. In 1933, the City of Edmonton passed a local bylaw to regulate land use and to preserve the river valley as parkland. The city underwent another period where it acquiring private river valley properties from the 1950s to the 1970s. In 1970, the City of Edmonton passed

3888-433: The region per year. The North Saskatchewan River valley helps support a high level of biodiversity. A comprehensive survey of the river valley's fauna and flora does not exist, although it was estimated that there are at least 325 vascular plant species, 50 types of mosses, and 40 lichen species. It is estimated that there are 150 bird species, 50 mammal species, 27 fish species, and seven amphibian and reptile species in

3960-614: The river system, service facilities including equipment rentals and food and beverage facilities remain scarce in the river valley. As of 2007, it was estimated that 10 million guests visit the river valley annually, making it the second most visited site in Alberta after the West Edmonton Mall . However, concerns were raised that higher visitation rates to the river valley, along with the continued urban developments within it, may cause disruption of local wildlife, and threaten

4032-512: The river valley are made up of public parks, portions of it are also held under private ownership. As of 2020, the RVA continues to pursue the acquisition of private land around the river valley in order to fulfill the vision of an uninterrupted, connected trail system. Private facilities located in the river valley include EPCOR Utilities ' Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant. Additionally there exist several thousand properties and residential homes that are situated within 50 metres (160 ft) of

4104-505: The river valley includes coyotes , great horned owls , lake sturgeons , North American porcupines , pileated woodpeckers , plains garter snakes , walleye , and white-tailed deer . Cougars that have made their way into Edmonton usually arrive via the river valley system. Stormwater management Stormwater , also written storm water , is water that originates from precipitation ( storm ), including heavy rain and meltwater from hail and snow . Stormwater can soak into

4176-468: The river valley is grasslands , although sections of it are forested. The river valley supports a high level of biodiversity and is used as a wildlife corridor by a variety of animals. The location of the present post-glacial river valley was created as a result of ice-marginal deposition. Archaeological sites from around the area suggest that the First Nations have used the resources found in

4248-440: The river valley is made up of grasslands although small sections of it are forested. There are 22 ravines associated with the river valley. Within the city of Edmonton, the river valley and its 14 associated ravines cuts at a depth of 100 to 150 metres (330 to 490 ft). Soil flows are not uncommon along the slopes of the unstable river valley. In years with low snow and rainfall, fires are more common. Although sections of

4320-501: The river valley itself holds 3,556.4 hectares (8,788 acres) of dedicated parkland. Most of the park system surrounds the North Saskatchewan River , a river that cuts northeast through the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, and through the centre of Edmonton. The course of the river has been modified during the early 20th century as a result of damming, and for transportation purposes. Dams have also been built into

4392-415: The river valley parks some form of legal protection; and designating the area an environmental protection area to be used for urban parks. A plan to unite the various parks that surrounded the North Saskatchewan River in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region was conceived during the early 1990s. In 1996, an ad hoc group of volunteers known as the River Valley Alliance (RVA) was formed from municipalities in

SECTION 60

#1732776746986

4464-426: The river valley's ecosystem to reestablish itself. By the 1920s, the only developments in the river valley in Edmonton were dumps, golf courses, gravel pits, sewage plants, transportation corridors, and other low-intensity developments like parks. The last coal mine in the river valley was closed in 1970. During the mid-20th century, proposals to use the river valley for a highway network were submitted, with work on

4536-407: The river valley. A number of public parks and golf courses are located in the river valley. In addition to its recreational uses, the river valley is also used to provide a number of ecological services, including carbon sequestration , erosion control, and stormwater management . Taken together, it is estimated the river valley provides approximately CA$ 350 million to $ 650 million in services to

4608-433: The river valley. The river valley was historically dominated by alder , balsam poplars , and willow trees, although most of these trees were logged during the 19th century. As a result, the majority of the trees that stand in the river valley date after 1900. During this period a number of non-native fruit and vegetable species, shrubs, and trees were introduced into the river system. The river valley presently support

4680-431: The river, with its waters still used for agricultural purposes. The North Saskatchewan River valley is one of the few remaining natural areas in the region, with other portions of the metropolitan area having been industrialized or urbanized. The river valley has undergone changes due to past human developments; although the depth and slope of the river valley helped to limit the degree of developments within it. Most of

4752-579: The sanitary sewer system, which takes on some storm water as a result of Infiltration/Inflow . An example of urban stormwater creating a sinkhole collapse is the February 25, 2002 Dishman Lane collapse in Bowling Green, Kentucky where a sinkhole suddenly dropped the road under four traveling vehicles. The nine-month repair of the Dishman Lane collapse cost a million dollars but there remains

4824-412: The soil ( infiltrate ) and become groundwater , be stored on depressed land surface in ponds and puddles , evaporate back into the atmosphere, or contribute to surface runoff . Most runoff is conveyed directly as surface water to nearby streams , rivers or other large water bodies ( wetlands , lakes and oceans ) without treatment. In natural landscapes, such as forests, soil absorbs much of

4896-769: The storm event, little infiltrates the soil, replenishes groundwater , or supplies stream baseflow in dry weather. A first flush is the initial runoff of a rainstorm. During this phase, polluted water entering storm drains in areas with high proportions of impervious surfaces is typically more concentrated compared to the remainder of the storm. Consequently, these high concentrations of urban runoff result in high levels of pollutants discharged from storm sewers to surface waters . Daily human activities result in deposition of pollutants on roads , lawns , roofs , farm fields, and other land surfaces. Such pollutants include trash, sediment, nutrients, bacteria, pesticides, metals, and petroleum byproducts. When it rains or there

4968-417: The stormwater. Plants also reduce stormwater by improving infiltration, intercepting precipitation as it falls, and by taking up water through their roots. In developed environments, such as cities , unmanaged stormwater can create two major issues: one related to the volume and timing of runoff ( flooding ) and the other related to potential contaminants the water is carrying ( water pollution ). In addition to

5040-476: The summer; making its conditions unsuitable for swimming, although optimal for canoeing, kayaking, and rafting. The river flows across Alberta and Saskatchewan towards Lake Winnipeg and the Nelson River , and eventually into Hudson's Bay . The North Saskatchewan River valley park system extends approximately 88 kilometres (55 mi) and encompasses over 7,300 hectares (18,000 acres) of land; although

5112-707: The trail system planned by the municipal and provincial government; connecting Hermitage Park and the High Level Bridge . The trail system was later extended to other parks in West Edmonton . In 1976, the provincial government also issued Orders-in-Council to restrict developments around the river valley from Devon to Fort Saskatchewan . In 1985, the city of Edmonton approved the North Saskatchewan River Valley Area Redevelopment Act , offering

5184-401: The valley as a grazing area for their livestock. Industrial developments in the river valley occurred during the late 19th and early 20th century, after the establishment of Fort Edmonton . During this period, resources from the river valley were extracted in order to build and maintain the city of Edmonton. The earliest brick-making and coal mining operations in the river valley occurred in

#985014