Finding the Balance Between Water Consumption and Environmental Protection in the South Saskatchewan River Basin

Alberta Environment is developing a water management plan to maximize the benefits of water in the South Saskatchewan River Basin (SSRB) in a sustainable and environmentally responsible way.

Using a phased approach to address priority subjects first, the plan involves input from four multi-sector stakeholder basin advisory committees and the general public. The Basin Advisory Committees provide advice on water management in each of the four sub-basins.

Phase One of the water management plan was approved in June 2002 and authorizes water allocation transfers within the SSRB, subject to Alberta Environment approval and conditions.


Phase Two will address water management issues, including the availability of water for future allocations and river flows for the aquatic environment. Scheduled for completion in mid-2005, Phase Two seeks to find the best balance between water consumption and environmental protection in the SSRB. This includes defining water conservation objectives (i.e. the flow to remain in rivers) after consideration of economic and social values and ecological requirements.

For more information on the SSRB water management plan, please refer to the SSRB Phase Two website or contact the Project Coordinator, Doug Ohrn (Alberta Environment) at (403) 297-6462 (call toll-free in Alberta by first dialing 310-0000).

A copy of the Basin Advisory Committees' recommendations is provided below. These recommendations were presented to Alberta Environment in July 2004 to assist in the development of the Phase Two SSRB Water Management Plan.

SSRB Water Management Recommendations (1,456 KB PDF)