What are Watershed Planning Advisory Councils (WPACS)?

WPACs are intended to lead watershed planning, develop best management practices, foster stewardship activities within the watershed, report on the state of the watershed, and educate users of the water resource. These multi-stakeholder councils do not have a direct reporting relationship to the Alberta Water Council, but they will benefit from their guidance and mentoring. (Source: Water for Life)

A number of the watershed councils (WPACs) have been set up and are at various stages, some of which are completing state of the basin reports. A few have started to develop watershed plans. Bow River Basin Council has completed Phase 1 of its watershed management plan. (Source: Renewal Report)

Watershed management plans differ from water management plans. Watershed management plans focus on watershed boundaries and contemplate land use issues and water quality issues; the Water Act does not recognize them, however. Water management plans are defined under the Water Act and primarily address water quantity issues. The South Saskatchewan River Basin (SSRB) has a water management plan, approved August 2006, not a watershed management plan. It restricts new water use in three of the four SSRB sub-basins, allows water allocation transfers, and sets out added considerations for licensing decisions. It does not address water quality or land-use issues, for example, which should be central components of watershed plans.

What are Watershed Stewardship Groups (WSGs)?

Watershed Stewardship Groups are most often made up of volunteer citizens, often supported by local businesses and industries, who have taken the initiative to protect their local creek, stream, reach of river, or lake. The groups and individuals are proactive and continue to develop on-the-ground solutions to ensure the protection of their specific watersheds. These groups will continue to play a vital role in water management in the province. (Source: Water for Life)

While action by non-governmental stakeholders (e.g., WPACS, WSGs) should be contemplated, the immediate control over decisions that protect critical ecosystems lies with government agencies. (Source: Renewal Report)