SaRWAC focuses mainly on recommending specific courses of action in the planning and management of the watershed, while the SRA focuses more on hands- on rehabilitation of the river with its many enhancement and restoration projects, and public education programs. Both groups are extremely important in protecting and preserving the river, and have been working together from SaRWAC's beginning. Each member brings their experience in watershed issues to the meetings, and takes information discussed back to their respective organizations. This kind of co-ordinated approach to management of the watershed is the key to keeping everyone informed on current issues of concern in the watershed, recognizing problems and taking positive action to prevent damage before it occurs. One of the major concerns of SaRWAC is managing the runoff of silt entering the river, which is eventually deposited on the bottom of the Bedford Basin as it flows out of the river.
Silt causes a number of problems for both natural habitats and humans.
It is very harmful for fish in the river when it gets into their gills and they can t breathe, blocks their vision, and slows down the movement and level of the water in the river. Also, without the fish, recreational fishers are left without much of a sport. Silt deposited in the basin makes it difficult for boats to moor properly, and when there is too much build-up, the silt must be removed. Soils in the Sackville watershed have a naturally high rate of erosion, and when activities like residential development disrupt the soil, the erosion rate becomes much higher. The intense development in the watershed in the past 30-40 years has greatly increased the amount of silt running off over land and depositing into the river.