To address two large information gaps and support implementation of the Water for Life strategy, Alberta Environment released two reports late this November:

» Current and Future Water Use in Alberta

» Information Synthesis and Initial Assessment of the Status and Health of Aquatic Ecosystems in Alberta: Surface Water Quality, Sediment Quality and Non-fish Biota

These two reports provide a baseline assessment for water use and aquatic ecosystems in Alberta. These areas of information are crucial to improving water management in Alberta, and ask the important questions of how much water do we actually use? And how healthy are our aquatic ecosystems?

While Alberta Environment keeps close tabs on how much surface and groundwater it allocates in the province, actual water use has not been so closely monitored. To measure the effectiveness of our conservation efforts and to truly grasp and change how sectors (e.g. irrigation, municipalities, industry) are using water, we must know how much water they actually use.

Current and Future Water Use

The report, Current and Future Water Use in Alberta, assesses and compares by sector and by basin how much water is allocated to users and how much each user is expected to consume (i.e., not returned to the river or water source). It also compares how much water is allocated and how much is actually used. Much of the water-use data are estimates because actual use has not been closely monitored.

The report then forecasts water use for 2025 from 2005 information based on a "business as usual" scenario, where few changes are made to efficiency. The results show irrigation is the biggest water-using sector and the Bow and Oldman River basins use the most water, with Athabasca being the third largest user of water due to oil sands operations.

This report is a first step to understanding and achieving a sustainable economy. It provides a place to start—a place for government and Albertans to begin to understand their water as well as they understand their oil and natural gas. The report is a wealth of information but highlights the current gaps in actual water-use data and the need to monitor all Albertans' water use.

Healthy Aquatic Ecosystems

And how healthy are our aquatic ecosystems? This Status and Health of Aquatic Ecosystems report summarizes current knowledge about Alberta's major basins and key water bodies, focusing on water quality, sediment quality, and non-fish biota. The assessment draws from data in easily accessible written reports and other sources spanning the 1980s to 2004. Not surprisingly, the report identifies data gaps and recommends ways to fill those gaps.

The report's assessment found that the water quality in many of our rivers and the other selected water bodies ranged from fair to excellent. However, a general lack of data on sediment quality and non-fish biota prevented evaluation of the health of Alberta's aquatic ecosystems. Lack of appropriate ecological indicators for lakes and wetlands also contributed to this inability to fully assess Alberta's aquatic ecosystem health.

Similar to the first report, the second report highlights the need for much more data collection and interpretation if we truly want to improve water management and aquatic ecosystem health in the province.

Sources:

D'Aliesio, Renata, with files from Joel Kom. December 4, 2007. Alberta in dark on use of water: Conservation efforts hindered by lack of data. Calgary Herald.

AMEC Earth and Environmental. 2007. Current and Future Water Use in Alberta. Prepared for Alberta Environment.

North/South Consultants Inc. 2007. Information Synthesis and Initial Assessment of the Status and Health of Aquatic Ecosystems in Alberta: Surface Water Quality, Sediment Quality and Non-fish Biota. Prepared for Alberta Environment.