A community celebrating freshwater life in the Elbow River Watershed

Welcome to the Freshwater Friends Club (FFC)!

The FFC is a community-led club created by the
Elbow River Watershed Partnership (ERWP) and the
Bragg Creek Environmental Coalition (BCEC).

We bring people together to learn about, care for, and celebrate our freshwater friends — from beavers and trout to frogs, mayflies, salamanders, and all the tiny creatures that make the watershed thrive.

Our Purpose

Strengthening our connection to the river (and its creatures) through science, story, and community.

About Us

Land Acknowledgment 

In the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and truth, we honour and acknowledge the land on which we gather, run, and connect.

We recognize the city of Calgary — known as Wîcîspa, Guts'ists'i, and Moh’kinsstis by the Treaty 7 Nations — a gathering place where the Bow River and the Elbow River meet.

We also acknowledge the surrounding regions of Bragg Creek and the Elbow Valley, located within this broader landscape of Treaty 7 land, and recognize these lands as places of recreation, learning, and deep connection to the natural world.

This territory is the traditional land of the Treaty 7 Nations, including the Blackfoot Confederacy — Siksika Nation, Piikani Nation, and Kainai Nation — as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, comprised of the Chiniki First Nation, Bearspaw First Nation, and Goodstoney First Nation, and the Tsuut’ina Nation.

We further acknowledge that this area is home to the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, including Rocky View Métis District 4, Nose Hill Métis District 5, and Elbow Métis District 6, within the broader Métis homeland.

Finally, we acknowledge all Nations — Indigenous and non-Indigenous — who live, work, run, and play across Bragg Creek, the Elbow Valley, and the surrounding foothills, and who continue to honour and care for this land.