About Us

Bow Riverkeeper is a not-for-profit regional citizen organization concerned with protecting and restoring the Bow River watershed. Our organization was founded by local Albertans who want to maintain a healthy Bow River for all of the communities that depend on it.

Our mission is to protect and restore the Bow River watershed in order to ensure a clean and sustainable water supply for all living communities that depend on the river now and in the future.

Our mission and program extends to the entire Bow River watershed from its headwaters through Calgary and downstream to its confluence with the Oldman River — where they join to form the South Saskatchewan River. The watershed (25,000 square km) includes the mainstem of the river (657 km) and its tributaries: Pipestone, Cascade, Spray, Kananaskis, Ghost, Elbow, Sheep and Highwood Rivers.

We have an office located in Banff, Canada but our staff and volunteers work throughout the Bow River Basin.

Our History

In February 2003, the Waterkeeper Alliance accepted an application by local Albertans to form Bow Riverkeeper, Western Canada's first Waterkeeper Program. Bow Riverkeeper was founded by local Albertans concerned about the future health of the river. Bow Riverkeeper is led by Danielle Droitsch and overseen by a Board of Directors representing citizens of Alberta.

What Makes Us Different?

We are advocates on behalf of the Bow River Watershed. Our aim is to assure the watershed has healthy aquatic ecosystems, safe drinking water sources, and provides good recreation opportunities for Albertans.

The Bow River is a valuable resource for the people, municipalities, businesses, and farmers of south-eastern Alberta. Good watershed management is about more than water allocation. It is also about protecting the river as a river.

Bow Riverkeeper's role is to bring the enviromental voice to the decision making process, to ensure that the protection of the watershed is not lost.

Our Philosophy

We believe that the integrity of the watershed must be protected first and foremost. While we recognize the river as an important resource, we also recognize that there are limits to how much this resource can give.

For the most part, Alberta has not set limits on growth in the Bow River watershed. And where there are limits or environmental standards, they typically do not go far enough to ensure ecological integrity of the watershed for future generations. In fact, we have already surpassed the ecological limits in some parts of the Bow River watershed. Bow Riverkeeper aims to restore these areas, rather than write them off as "sacrificed zones."

To this end, we are vocal about key problems that must be addressed. We criticize bad decisions, and applaud good ones. We are also willing to enforce environmental laws when they are broken.

We support sustainable solutions. We seek solutions that strike a balance between the needs of water users, and the needs of the environment. To achieve our goals, we partner with other organizations to advocate for sustainable water management, water conservation, and compliance with the law. We are also strong advocates for collaborative approaches that bring people together to work through tough decisions. Additionally, we try to empower concerned citizens to address issues of concern in their communities.

How do we work?

Our programs are directed by our Board of Directors — each a resident of the Bow River Watershed in Alberta, Canada. Danielle Droitsch, a resident of Canmore, Alberta leads the organization and implements the vision of the organization.

How do we work with other organizations?

While Bow Riverkeeper is an independent organization, it is a member of several organizations including the Bow River Basin Council, the Alberta Environmental Network, the Alberta Recreational Canoe Association, and the Waterkeeper Alliance. Within Alberta we work closely and partner with all of these organizations in different ways. Learn more about Bow Riverkeeper's programs and involvement with each of these organizations by going to the Our Work section of this website. For more information about the Waterkeeper Alliance, and what it means to be a waterkeeper, click here.