This year’s event welcomes everyone back to beautiful Banff, Alberta to celebrate the Assocation’s 50th Seminar Anniversary! The week will feature technical sessions, networking opportunities along with many other special features to celebrate fifty years.
The 2025 Seminar offers a variety of in-person technical presentations on water & wastewater industry topics and trends worth 0.9 CEUs plus a half-day "Friday Session" worth an additional 0.3 CEUs. The event will feature an outstanding two-day trade show showcasing the latest industry products and services as well as our Thursday night Gala to present our industry awards along with entertainment for the evening.
Seminar attendees include: operators, supervisors, managers, system owners, suppliers, contractors, government officials, consultants and many other industry professionals.
Questions? Contact register@awwoa.ca or visit the Registration Desk on-site (hours listed each day in the Schedule)
NOTE: The app includes all events taking place throughout the week. Your paid registration still indicates what you have access to onsite at the event.
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Sylvan Lake's storm pond, situated on the south end of town, has a significant goldfish infestation, compelling the dewatering and manual removal of goldfish due to the unavailability of approved chemical solutions like rotenone. This presentation sheds light on the hurdles faced during manual removal efforts and aims to share challenges that municipalities, constrained by chemical availability, are encountering.
NOTE: You must have a separate, paid registration to attend this workshop (NOT included in a full seminar registration). If you have not received a receipt and confirmation of workshop registration, entrance will not be permitted. On-site registration or walkups are NOT accepted.
Presentation Overview With the absence of rotenone, our team embarked on manual removal techniques, employing methods such as netting and dewatering. The difficulties of this approach were compounded by unpredictable weather conditions and a persistent natural spring feeding the pond, highlighting the limitations municipalities face without access to approved chemical solutions.
Regulatory Compliance and Enumeration Navigating Alberta Environment and Protected Areas regulations, our team was required to secure a fish research license, a process including collaborative effort needed with regulatory bodies when conventional chemical solutions are unavailable. Enumerating, identifying and reporting the goldfish population became imperative. Community Engagement and Shared Struggles Recognizing this problem is created by lack of knowledge and education by residents. To address the challenges faced by municipalities without rotenone availability, we have initiated a public education campaign. This campaign aims not only to inform our local community but to raise awareness, understanding and support for municipalities fighting with similar issues. This is with interdepartmental collaboration (Public Works, Parks and Recreation and Communication Departments)
Lessons Learned and Collaboration The presentation will highlight the lessons learned throughout this project, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and shared experiences. By addressing the issues faced without rotenone, we hope to spark a broader conversation on the need for accessible and effective solutions for municipalities navigating goldfish infestations.
Conclusion Sylvan Lake's experience can serve as a case study, not only in goldfish eradication but also in highlighting the pressing need for accessible and approved chemical solutions for municipalities facing similar challenges. By sharing our struggles, successes, and lessons learned, we aim to incite a collaborative approach to environmental restoration within the broader municipal community.
