Drought – What government is doing

Sharing and conserving water across Alberta

When it comes to water, we are all in it together. Alberta’s government is working closely with communities, water users and all our partners, to take strong action to prepare for drought. This includes effective and collaborative steps to help conserve and manage water now and be prepared for future water shortages.
 

Water-sharing agreements

Major water users in the South Saskatchewan River Basin have signed water-sharing agreements to help mitigate the risk of severe drought.

These agreements represent the largest water-sharing initiative in Alberta’s history, allowing the province to make the most of limited water supplies and reducing the impacts that a severe drought could potentially have on Albertans and our communities, environment and economy.

• News release: Major water-sharing agreements ready for Alberta (April 19, 2024)

Highlights of water-sharing agreements

Water-sharing agreements are designed to be proactive, risk-based and agile enough to be adjusted in real time. In broad terms, the agreements call for the following:

• Participating municipalities will reduce water consumption by between 5 and 10%.
• Participating industry will use only the minimum volume of water practical to maintain safe, reliable operations.
• Participating irrigation districts will use less water and allow other users to get their water first, then use the remaining water available for licensed use.

There are 4 water-sharing agreements in total, one to cover each of the following sub-basins: the Red Deer River, the Bow River, the mainstem of the Oldman River and the upper tributaries of the Oldman River. Thirty-eight major water users have signed on to one of the agreements. Details of each of the 4 agreements are outlined below.

• 2024 Water Sharing Memorandum of Understanding – Red Deer River Basin
• 2024 Water Sharing Memorandum of Understanding – Bow River Basin
• 2024 Water Sharing Memorandum of Understanding – Oldman South Saskatchewan River Basin
• 2024 Water Sharing Memorandum of Understanding – Southern Tributaries

To ensure the water conservation efforts of southern Alberta’s largest water users have maximum effect, Minister Schulz has requested that all other licence-holders (who are non-signatory to the agreements) match the water conservation and reductions as those set out in the agreements. Find full details of these expectations on Drought – Information for Water Licence holders and municipalities.

Negotiation process

Alberta’s government began meeting with major water users and other key stakeholders in the South Saskatchewan River Basin (Red Deer, Bow and Old Man basins) in February. The finalization process for these agreements and next steps were outlined in a letter from Minister Schulz to participating organizations and other stakeholders at the end of March.

• Letter from Minister Schulz regarding finalization of water-sharing agreements (March 28, 2024)

Over 50 organizations participated in the project either as a potential signatory or as an observer, including all irrigation districts, TransAlta, Treaty 7 First Nations, various municipalities and ENGOs. The negotiation of water-sharing agreements was part of a larger effort to ensure water licence holders and all Albertans are well prepared for drought.

Alberta’s Drought Response Plan

Alberta’s updated Drought Response Plan will help Albertans better understand and respond to the conditions in their area. The province is now classifying drought stages by river basin, or even sub-basin, and an online map helps the public easily understand conditions in their community.

The Drought Response Plan is a multi-stage roadmap, covering everything from conservation plans and water-sharing agreements to declaring an emergency and prioritizing water for human health and safety. Alberta’s criteria for assessing the severity drought conditions and corresponding management actions has not changed. The only change is that each basin now receives its own specific conditions ranking.

The plan outlines:

• the stages of Alberta’s drought response
• roles and responsibilities of partners, including government, to help everyone collaborate and communicate
• regulatory and non-regulatory approaches and tools that may be used in various drought conditions
• how and when emergencies would be declared as a last resort

Plan objectives

Alberta’s Drought Response Plan outlines the government’s actions during all stages of drought response. The objectives of the plan are:

• Protecting the health and safety of Albertans from the impacts of drought.
• Minimizing the impacts of drought on Alberta’s communities, economy and the environment.
• Implementing a proactive, risk-based approach, to rapidly assess, prepare for and respond to the impacts of a drought.
• Ensuring response to drought conditions are agile and adjusted in real time as information changes.
• Enabling all Albertans to take appropriate action, to conserve water and work together.

Triggers for Stage 5 – Declaring an emergency under the Water Act

Under the 2024 Drought Response Plan, Alberta would only declare an emergency under the Water Act as a last resort. Alberta has never declared an emergency under the Water Act. The 3 triggers that may lead to an emergency declaration are:

1. If there is not sufficient water available for the priority uses - human health and safety is the top priority, followed closely by ensuring sufficient water supplies for critical infrastructure, livestock welfare and critical environmental needs.
2. If there is increasing distress from local authorities or if local authorities are unable to respond to issues caused by drought. For example, if a state of local emergency is declared or if the Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre is activated at level 3 or higher.
3. If Alberta’s water management system becomes so overwhelmed that the number of requests for water cannot be addressed.

Emergency declarations are temporary and allow the government to prioritize water uses. They do not replace the regulatory requirements of the Water Act and would only apply to a specific location.

Priority uses for water in an emergency

In the event that Alberta declares an emergency under the Water Act, water use for human health and safety is the top priority, followed closely by ensuring sufficient water supplies for critical infrastructure, livestock welfare and critical environmental needs.

Human health and public safety

• Drinking water
• Potable water for cleaning, bathing and cooking
• Water for health care facilities
• Maintaining adequate pressure in municipal distribution and wastewater collection systems

Critical infrastructure

• Power plant operations essential to maintain core service levels and electricity grid stability
• Emergency services (for example, maintaining fire flow pressure within municipalities)

Critical environmental needs

• Prevent the loss of a species at risk or associated critical habitat
• Flow to dilute wastewater releases

Livestock welfare

• Livestock watering
• Disease prevention and containment

Resources

• Alberta River Basins
• Alberta Rivers: Data and Advisories (Alberta Rivers App)
• Drought and Flood Protection Program

Contact

Connect with Environment and Protected Areas’ Outreach Services:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Toll free: 310-3773 (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]