The Red Deer River might be lower than usual, but the Town of Drumheller has contacted Dixon Dam and the Town is still getting water from the river.

In a press release issued Thursday, the town said operators at the Dixon Dam have confirmed flow as of Wed., July 8, 2015 is at 18.5 m3/sec which is just slightly higher than the minimum flow to be provided by the Dixon Dam of 16 m3/sec. 

The dam is about 1.5 m (+ or -) below full storage level or at 88 per cent full storage. The operator further advised that unless significant flows result from precipitation, the release from the Dam will remain at this low level to ensure that they are able to have the Dam full by September in preparation for winter flows. 

Mayor Terry Yemen said, “There is ample storage to hold the town over, but we aren’t pulling stored water, we are processing river water. We haven’t been restricted from the river. For all intents and purposes it is status quo. Yes, the river is low, but it is still status quo as to how we are processing water.”

He said the town is not at the point yet where they need to restrict residents from water use.

The Town is not experiencing any problems with drawing from the river with the current low flows. Currently, Cells 1, 2 and 3 are full with Cell 4 partially filled. Town staff is monitoring the raw water storage cells daily to observe potential algae growth and to take corrective action if required. 

“The biggest concern right now is the algae growth. When you get sustained periods of heat like this it encourages algae growth, and that is where we get the staining and the odor. The town employees are aware of that and they are monitoring for it,” Yemen said.

Yemen said the contributing factors to river levels are already done.

“As far as the spring run off we usually get in June around Father’s day, all that is done there is no more snow left in the high country… so the only place we would be getting water from now is through precipitation, through rain,” he said. “It wouldn’t hurt to have a few good rains that is for sure down through the Red Deer River Valley for our water supply, and for the farmers too.”

MLA Rick Strankman finds it interesting to be starting his second term, and be known as one of the seasoned veterans.
    The first session of the Alberta Legislature since the election of the new NDP government closed on Thursday, June 25. It was an interesting session as the first new government in over four decades began to get its sea legs.
    “The PC Government, when they were in power, had more finesse and experience, as opposed to this party in power,” said Strankman. “Part of the reason for the small cabinet is the lack of expertise, but hopefully they will get a chance to get up to speed.”
    I am one of a few seasoned veterans in there, and it is sure not something I expected to have as a moniker.”
 The session began with the passing of Bill 1, An Act to Renew Democracy in Alberta. The bill that bans corporate and union donations was passed with support from the government and opposition.  Furthermore, Premier Rachel Notley and opposition leader Brian Jean proposed a special committee to review other aspects of democratic renewal.
    While there was support from both sides of the Legislature, Strankman is cautious.
    “Personally I feel there is another shoe yet to fall, whether there is something missed or not covered in the legislation. We did try to bring some small amendments, but it is the nature of the chamber. But what it comes down to is any improvement is good.”
    “In the end, Wildrose would vote with the government on some issues, but we would also try and bring some amendments forward to try to improve the legislation. I was pleased they brought it forward, if there is going to be abuses we’ll learn that down the road.
    After spending the bulk of his first term as tourism critic, Strankman is now agriculture critic. He sees there could be some synergies in this role.
    “I am hoping to work with Oneil Carlier (Agriculture minister) to the best of my ability on what lines we can find agreeable, and I am hoping I can direct some of the points going forward,” he said.
He says there are still many issues where the government and opposition do clash.
    “Speaking to the general tone of the government, when it came to the minimum wage and some of this taxation, that is what they said they are going to do, so that’s what they are going to do. They maintain they were elected by the people… whether you interpret it as a vote against the conservative movement or a vote for the NDP…they are the party in power,” he said.
    “Albertans will see in the next four years, the term of this government what they do and don’t do through the development of the province and if that leads to creating a debt, which I believe it will, and the majority of the province are accepting of that debt, and that leads to the re-election of the government, there isn’t anything that can be done. If there are those who want to form a conservative style of government such as evoked when Ralph Klein was elected to minimize the debt going forward, we’ll see how that plays out.”