Farmers and acreage owners will hear an update on the health of local groundwater supplies at the Medicine River Watershed Society’s annual general meeting Oct. 15.

In recent years, the MRWS has been raising awareness about the health of both the area’s aquifers and the Medicine River itself.

Jessica Liggett, a senior hydrologist with the Alberta Energy Regulator, will present the latest data at the AGM.

“The spoiler alert is that the groundwater levels are declining,” says Dana Kreil, MRWS chair and Lacombe County councillor.

Kreil spoke with Liggett beforehand and says the PhD candidate will present comprehensive data in an understandable, easy-to-follow format. The data compares current groundwater levels with historical records dating back to the early 1950s.

It’s not all doom and gloom, says Kreil, as the evening will feature a discussion on future strategies to protect water supplies.

Achieving that goal, however, will likely require policy changes at the provincial level and within the AER, says Kreil, who represents Division 7 on Lacombe County council.

Ultimately, she hopes the MRWS — armed with the latest data — can be a “link” to provincial decision-makers to enact change.

Out of curiosity, Kreil recently commissioned a groundwater-level test on her own Lacombe County property. The results showed groundwater levels had declined 23 feet over the past 15 years.

She cautions that the result came from a single test on one property and should not be considered representative of the entire area.

Those interested in attending the AGM are asked to RSVP by emailing medicineriverwatershed@gmail.com.

The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15, at 6:30 p.m. at Gilby Hall. A light supper will be provided for those who RSVP.

The Medicine River is an approximately 80 km long river “as the crow flies”, which starts from Medicine Lake in Clearwater County and resolves near Dixon Dam in Red Deer County. However, its meandering nature causes it to stretch to around 400 km in total.