This southern Alberta river flows from Bow Lake in Banff National Park and through the beautiful Canadian Rockies before cutting through the city of Calgary, and continuing its journey toward the Canadian Prairies. The Bow offers a myriad of scenes and fishing opportunities as it changes character on its journey from a freestone river in the wilds of Banff National Park to a somewhat tamer tailwater upon passing through Calgary.

The Bow River Chapter focuses on the Bow River from the Bearspaw Dam, which is just above Calgary, to the confluence with the Oldman River. The Chapter also closely monitors activities on the Bow's two major spawning tributaries, the Sheep and Highwood rivers. The Jumping Pound Chapter based in Cochrane, AB and the Upper Bow Chapter based in Banff, AB monitor activities on the upper stretches of the Bow. The primary section of river that the Bow River Chapter monitors can be looked at in three different reaches:

The City of Calgary Reach The Chapter's primary activities in this section are advocacy and education. The primary issues affecting this section are:

• Urban development
• Stream bank stabilization projects
• Elbow River stream flows
• Fish Creek stream flows

Calgary to Highwood Confluence Reach Advocacy and cottonwood protection are two focus areas for the chapter in this section of the river. This section is also affected by:

• Urban development
• Grazing practices
• Loss of cottonwood forest

Highwood Confluence to Carseland Weir Reach The chapter is involved in advocacy, cottonwood protection, pipeline crossings, and game fish salvage efforts in this section of the river. Issues affecting this section of the river include:

• Grazing practices
• Loss of cottonwood forest
• Stream flows below Carseland Weir.