Perhaps you’ve experienced the beauty of Calgary’s river areas from your bicycle, while exploring our city’s long network of river pathways. Or maybe it was by boat, while fishing the Bow River. Whatever your own experience, chances are you are part of the 83 per cent of Calgarians who say our rivers and riparian area are important.
As Calgarians, we are fortunate such activities are a part of our daily routines and that we have access to nature right in our city. Riparian areas occupy the spaces where land and water interact. They border rivers, creeks and wetlands and extend across the floodplain, down into the groundwater and upwards to include plants and trees. From supporting clean drinking water and flood resiliency to contributing to biodiversity, they are a defining aspect of our daily lives and a unique characteristic of Calgary.
To help raise awareness of Calgary’s riparian areas, we’ve developed the Healthy Rivers Story Map. This interactive website allows users to connect with and learn about Calgary’s watersheds, rivers and riparian areas, and explore actions taken to protect the health of our rivers.
Scroll through the page to explore Calgary’s history of living with our rivers, type in your address to find out which of Calgary’s sub-watersheds you reside in and learn about various restoration and bioengineering projects.
Whether you’re looking to get involved, or you just want to learn more about what makes Calgary’s rivers so special, visit the Healthy Rivers Story Map at calgary.ca/riparian.
