"Everything seems pretty quiet when you're in the water, lots of time to reflect on things," said Nichole Robinson. On Saturday, Robinson had nearly five hours to reflect on why she had chosen to tackle the 14-kilometre swim across the Oldman River Reservoir in southern Alberta. The now 26-year-old swam competitively while she was a student at the University of Alberta, where she studied environmental science. But Robinson has concerns, especially because the Oldman River watershed provides all of Lethbridge's water, and the new rules open the door for open-pit mines in the Crowsnest Pass area, near where the headwaters of the Oldman River are located. Nichole Robinson, 26, said some Lethbridge residents may not realize that their drinking water comes from the Oldman River watershed.

Source: CBC News August 23, 2020 12:00 UTC