Elk-Kootenai/y Watershed Study Board opens public comment period

The International Elk-Kootenai/y Watershed Study Board is seeking public feedback on its draft Plan of Study.

The Study Board will take the gathered feedback and work it into the finalized plan over the next 19 months.

“This is an exceptional opportunity for the public to help guide the work on this study,” said US Study Board Co-chair, Tom Bansak.

“We are grateful for the chance to work together, engage all interested parties and involve knowledgeable experts with the unified goal of understanding the impacts of pollution in the watershed.”

The independent body is made up of experts and knowledge-holders from Canada, the United States and the Ktunaxa Nation under the International Joint Commission (IJC).

The group will explore the impacts of transboundary water pollution in the Elk-Kootenai/y watershed.

“At the end of this two-year process, the Study Board, with input from the public, will be delivering findings and recommendations to the International Joint Commission,” said Canadian Study Board Co-chair Oliver Brandes.

“It is critical for the Study Board to listen to the public in the basin as we carry out our work.”

The study was launched in September 2024 and will conclude in September 2026.

Members of the public are invited to share their thoughts on the Plan of Study until February 17.

The Study Board is also hosting a virtual information session on Tuesday, February 11 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to give the public an opportunity to learn more about the Plan of Study, ask questions and provide input.

You can find a registration link here.

More: International Elk-Kootenai/y Watershed Study Board Plan of Study


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R McCormack
R McCormack
Born and raised in Cranbrook, they graduated from Lethbridge College in 2019. They came back for a practicum position with 2dayFM in Cranbrook, resulting in a job as the Saturday show host before moving into the newsroom. They have covered a wide variety of topics ranging from federal politics to local interest. Their after-hours passion lies in local history, gardening and coin collecting.

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