SEAWA's executive director Amber Coderre (front right) poses for a photo with some of the current office team, inside their space in Arcade Plaza.--News Photo Anna Smith
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
The South East Alberta Watershed Alliance has a new executive director, and new plans to take on the future of responsible water management.
SEAWA, one of 11 water planning advisory councils in the province, sits in a unique position in between government and residents, says new executive director Amber Coderre.
The organization’s multi-sectoral board invites people from all levels of governance, as well as various professions, levels of education and interests to share a room and figure out how to best manage the water and waterways that make up this corner of the province.
“What we do here is really something that Medicine Hat and area should be proud of, because now it’s recognized as a guiding sort of mandate that is innovative and transformational,” said Coderre. “Only now are other places quietly getting on board.”
Coderre has only been involved with SEAWA for a short time, but is deeply passionate about what the future could hold for the organization. Currently, she is hard at work bringing the records into a digital space for easier referencing, as well as looking forward at the State of the Watershed Report.
“The State of the Watershed is a report that helps the community understand what’s happening in our watershed, most recently, with all the shifts between flooding and drought,” said Coderre. “It helps us know, say, is our water healthy to drink? Is it too hot? Is it available where we need it to be available? How are we storing it?”
From there, they will be able to devise a research plan to help answer the questions residents, government and industry need answered about the region.
Between that, working on projects such as riparian restoration, public education and outreach and supporting those who come into the community for various water-related projects, she expects to have her hands busy in the best possible way.
Coderre is most interested in looking at the problems and opportunities in the watershed as locals, as she believes that as the people who work, live and play in the area, there is a unique insight and ability to problem solve not offered by those outside the day-to-day reality of the area.
“I think there’s a lot of really fabulous people working in this area, in new innovations and things I would love to work with them,” said Coderre. She highlighted the oil and gas sector, Indigenous community and interest in renewable energy as areas she wants to form stronger connections in.
“The other thing that’s kind of coming down the pipe is our development of a research plan so that we can map out what the needs are for southeast Alberta from within, so that we know what research we need from within, because that’s going to be more transformational than just being told from outside what we need to do,” said Coderre.
She explained that she wants to encourage people to get to know their local watershed as locals, and become invested in it, as that is how she believes they will generate answers and ideas they need.
To this end, SEAWA is currently working on a local research library to provide both digital and hard-copy information access which might otherwise be unavailable in the area for those seeking information for their studies, or are simply curious about the watershed.
“There’s so much happening here, so much to be proud of,” said Coderre. “I want to be part of bringing SEAWA forward into that discussion and being that positive, resilient force in the community. Our doors are open. If people have ideas, or they want to know more, we’re right here.”
