We live on the west ridge of the Tawatinaw valley, about 20 minutes south of Athabasca. We were in town yesterday, so I took some pictures of the Athabasca River and thought I would share them along with pictures of the river when Ben Stewart visited us a few years ago. It will give you an idea how big this river is! Sadly, this river flows through the tar sands projects just north of Fort McMurray and is horribly polluted as a result. Yes, we only live a few hours away from the worst gaping sore Mother Earth has encountered. When I visited there, my heart ached!
Smile Ben! I love this man deeply.
Same location, only a little different now with 2 feet of snow covering the river.
Owl prints in the snow.
I decided to add this picture because it happened just outside our earthship door. Beautiful. So now that there is an owl around, we need to watch out for the puppies.
This is the location where the Tawatinaw River meets the mighty Athabasca. If you ever get a chance to visit the river, I recommend it highly. It is a powerful and beautiful river. Water is sacred and all of this needs to be protected. This river is being threatened over the years and needs to be protected.
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Billion+litres+coal+mine+muck+leaks+into+Athabasca+River/9118180/story.html
https://www.thestar.com/news/atkinsonseries/2015/09/04/tailings-ponds-a-toxic-legacy-of-albertas-oilsands.html
Please be aware that our daily activities do have an impact and each individual can make a difference!