What do you think of when you hear about river piracy? A grizzled criminal with an eye patch and a wooden leg wearing a cocked hat and shouting “Avast ye landlubber! Prepare to walk the plank!” as he floats down the Assiniboine on a raft?
Well not exactly.
Westman Naturalists have a different story, and you can join in this weekend.
Come and join Dr. Alex Koiter on a nature walk through the Souris River Bend Wildlife Management Area and learn about the natural history of this region. In addition to learning about the physical landscape, we will have the opportunity to walk through both woodlands and prairie where we can hope to see a range of plant and animal species.
Trip details:
We will meet at the trailhead at 10 am on Sunday July 31st. It is approximately a 40 min drive from Brandon and the last 15km of driving is on gravel roads. Directions to the trail head can be found here. There is no parking lot so please use caution when parking along the side of the road.
Trip difficulty: This outing involves walking along a well established, but uneven, trail. A good pair of walking shoes, sunscreen, bug protection, water, and a snack are strongly recommended. The walk will be approximately three hrs in duration and 4km in length.
Registration is required: please fill out our online form. It's due by 5pm Saturday July 30th (the day before).
What is River Piracy?
River Piracy, also known as river capture, is an event where a river is diverted from its original channel into a neighbouring river. There are lots of different processes that can result in river piracy including erosion, damming by glacial ice or landslides, glacial retreat, or tectonic movement. The Souris River begins in Saskatchewan and flows southeast into south North Dakota and loops back into Manitoba.
Approximately 20 km southeast of Wawanesa the Souris River takes a sharp 90-degree turn and joins the Assiniboine River east of Brandon. It wasn’t always like this as the Souris used to continue to flow southeast in the Pembina Valley back into North Dakota. What changed the course of the Souris River? A tributary of the Assiniboine River eroded a channel through the Tiger Hills moraine and “captured” the Souris River and diverted the water into the Assiniboine River abandoning its original channel.
All Westman Naturalists events are open to all skill levels, join us to share or improve your skills, or just enjoy nature. We are a group of amateur naturalists with the goal of exploring and enjoying the natural beauty and history of south-western Manitoba, Canada. From wildlife to wildflowers and everything in between. Come experience what Westman has to offer!
