Clearwater
Introduction
The Clearwater area is a diverse area rich in natural resources. It offers distinctive and scenic landscapes of panoramic mountain views, rolling foothills, forests, lakes and rangeland that support a variety of flora and fauna. The Foothills Natural Region forms the majority of the area, flanked by segments of the Rocky Mountain and Boreal Forest natural regions. The area extends from Drayton Valley in the north to Sundre in the south, and from the Banff National Park boundary in the west to Eckville on Highway 11 in the east.
Where to find us
The area head office is in Rocky Mountain House. Fishing and hunting permits and Christmas tree licences can be purchased at SRD offices in most major towns in the area. See map for locations of area offices.
The local economy
The Clearwater area supports forestry, oil and gas, agriculture and grazing activity. SRD processes about 1500 disposition applications annually in the area for activities such as well sites, pipelines and roads. The area also administers more than 16 000 industrial dispositions.
There are three large Forest Management Areas in the Clearwater area, and 1.6 million cubic metres of timber are harvested annually. Approximately 500 000 acres of rangeland are managed for domestic grazing.
Area wildlife
The Clearwater area boasts a wide variety of wildlife species such as:
- bighorn sheep,
- grizzly and black bear,
- elk,
- deer,
- moose, and
- a number of species at risk.
Tourism and recreation
The Clearwater area provides a large recreation base for many Albertans. The recreational opportunities, like the users, vary greatly.
Camping, hunting and fishing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, canoeing, rafting, and the use of motorized vehicles are only some of the activities that take place over this magnificent landscape. Many kilometres of rivers and streams provide angling enjoyment.
Other
A unique feature of the Clearwater Area is the R 11 Forest Management Unit, which is the same geographic area covered by the Bighorn Access Management Plan. Within this landbase, the timber is not committed and there is limited industrial development. Decades of fire suppression and lack of traditional aboriginal burning has altered the distribution of mature forests to unnatural levels. A planning team of government staff and public has developed a management plan for this region, which focuses on restoring natural disturbance patterns and rates.
This website provides information about how we manage this special region's natural resources for sustainable use. Welcome to the Clearwater area!
