Since the days vast buffalo herds roamed the Prairies, the rivers, streams and waterways of the West have been taking a beating.
Last century, explorers described how buffalo herds trampled the river banks, urinated in the water and stripped vegetation beside rivers and streams.
Then, however, they would move on and the area would have a chance to recover.
Modern settlement has been less forgiving and less cyclical.
Fences have been built, livestock has overgrazed and the vegetation in river bank areas has been destroyed while banks have eroded and streams have dried up or become muddy.
In recent years, an unusual coalition of environmentalists, ranchers and governments has formed to try to reclaim some of those lost streams and rivers.
In many areas, this riparian restoration movement has started to show results.
In this special report, Calgary-based correspondent Barbara Duckworth describes the reclamation campaign in Alberta.
It is a story of both successes and continuing challenge.
