History of the VRWA

The Vermilion River Watershed Alliance (VRWA) was incorporated as a nonprofit society in 2015. The alliance is made up of local volunteers working side by side in the watershed. Our members come from local towns and counties, federal and provincial governments, conservation groups, and the general public. We are also partnered with the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance (NSWA).

We are guided by the goals, directions, and actions of the 2012 VRWMP. This plan was designed with input from the public to define what the watershed means to those who live, work, and play here. We believe the watershed is the unit of management for human activities that affect the environment, including air, land, water, and wildlife. We will reach our vision of a healthy and sustainable watershed by completing this plan and balancing the social, economic, and environmental needs of the watershed community.

Our VISION: The Vermilion River Basin is a healthy and sustainable watershed.

Our MISSION: To support stakeholder engagement that fosters a collaborative approach working towards a sustainable watershed.

VRWA Goals

Develop capacity and knowledge in the watershed
Improve reliability of surface water supply
Improve and maintain surface water quality
Improve and maintain water ecosystem health
Protect and sustain groundwater quality and supply

Our Logo

Set against a rolling hillside, the Vermilion River Watershed Alliance’s logo captures the meandering nature of the river as it flows through the landscape. The shades of blue and green represent the connection between the river, the land, and the transitional riparian zone.

The green shaded portion on the left of the logo represents the profile of a waterbird species, highlighting the importance of wildlife to the watershed.

Want to help us protect the watershed?

BECOME A VRWA MEMBER

Board of Directors

Dave Berry (President), Town of Vegreville
Murray Phillips (Vice-President), County of Two Hills
Chris Elder (Secretary), Alternative Land Use Services
Nicole Nadorozny (Treasurer), Lakeland College
Darren Bruhjell, Government of Canada
Rick Passek, Alberta Environment and Parks
Barry Bruce, Beaver County
Al Corbett, Alberta Drainage Council
Tim Knudson, Holden Drainage District
Kevin Bentley, County of Minburn
Daniel Warawa, Lamont County
Leslie Cusack, County of Vermilion River
Joshua Rayment, Town of Vermilion
Arnold Romaniuk, Town of Two Hills
Milt MacGregor, Holden
Carlin Soehn, Alberta Environment & Parks, Operations (advisory)
Ralph Boe, Agricultural seat
Bryon Wolters, Ducks Unlimited Canada

Support Staff

Leah Kongsrude, Executive Director, North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance
Michelle Gordy, Watershed Planning Coordinator: VRW Region, North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance
Danielle Barry, Watershed Planning Technician, North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance

Directors Portal

Town of Vegreville

Bio coming soon!

County of Two Hills

Bio coming soon!

Alternative Land Use Services

Chris Elder is the ALUS Program Coordinator for the County of Vermilion River. Chris has a Conservation and Restoration Ecology Diploma and a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Environmental Management from Lakeland College. He started with ALUS in 2015 when he took on the program coordinator role to fulfill his Lakeland College practicum requirement. Through ALUS, Chris provides technical and financial support to local agricultural producers to develop, implement, and manage environmental stewardship projects on their land. Chris is proud of the work the VRWA has done to provide public education and support landowner stewardship in the watershed. “It is a privilege to be part of a group of stakeholders that are committed to improving the environment for all of our communities.”

Lakeland College

Bio coming soon!

Government of Canada

Bio coming soon!

Alberta Environment and Parks

Rick works with AEP to ensure that the water systems (Dams, Weirs, Pumphouses) in the North/Central region operate correctly. He operates, inspects, and repairs any issues found throughout the Vermilion river system (Vegreville to Morecambe and the Vermilion Dam). Rick moved to Alberta 6 years ago for the job with AEP and with this new job was asked to be the government representative on our board. He looks forward to sharing my stream enhancement experience and reports on what the AEP is doing throughout the Vermilion system.

Beaver County

I’m the councillor from division 4 Beaver County and I volunteered to be a representative from our county for a couple reasons. First of all, one of the tributaries of the Vermilion runs through my farm. As the third generation on this farm, I’ve enjoyed all the things a river can bring and I want to see my children and grandchildren have the same opportunity. I also want to gain more knowledge about our water body’s so that I can promote these valuable natural resources when ever possible. I’ve been very happy with the leadership and dedication of the people of VRWA and I’m sure that the future of our little river is in good hands.

Alberta Drainage Council

Al works with the Drainage Council as their Education and Awareness coordinator in the three watersheds where drainage districts are active (North Saskatchewan, Battle, and Red Deer basins).

“I believe watershed health improvement is best tackled through land and water management in the headwaters areas of both large and small tributaries where many drainage districts are located. Watershed improvement must start with land management improvement where landowners and municipal governments are in the front line.”