Alberta’s largest spring-fed river

The North Raven River in west-central Alberta is the province’s largest readily accessible spring-fed river. Its waters teem with brown and brook trout, its banks with deer and moose, and its shores with birds.

Fifty years ago, it wasn’t so. Its banks were trampled and overgrazed, its headwaters muddy cattle watering holes.

A group of local anglers recognized the potential of the river’s clear, clean water that runs at an even temperature year-round.

Starting in the mid-’60s, volunteers and contractors began rebuilding and fencing the banks, designing watering troughs for cattle. A streamside corridor was rented from landowners. The four main springs were cleaned and protected.

The work took thousands of hours and cost about $10 million, Benz said.

It paid off.