Runoff from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains is the major source for the larger southern rivers of the Prairie Provinces. These larger rivers flow eastward across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba to empty into the Hudson Bay. Some streams originate off the Prairies and from heights of land, such as the Cypress Hills. These streams may also flow east across provincial boundaries before joining the larger rivers or forming landlocked lakes. The ownership of the waters of a river system flowing through two or more jurisdictions can create administrative and water use problems.

 AN EVOLVING MANDATE

Agreement to Set Up the PPWB

To resolve conflicts between upstream uses and downstream needs, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Canada agreed on July 28, 1948 to establish the Prairie Provinces Water Board. The Board's mandate was to recommend the best use to be made of inter-provincial waters in relation to associated resources in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta and to recommend the allocation of water flowing from one province into another province.

In the beginning, the Prairie Provinces Water Board (PPWB) carried out its mandate by approving the water requirements of individual projects. This method worked well until the 1960s, when the provinces began requesting large allocations of water. To allow long-term water planning by the provinces and to facilitate a cooperative approach for development and management, a more consistent system for sharing this limited resource was required.

Master Agreement on Apportionment

The four governments entered into the Master Agreement on Apportionment on October 30, 1969, which provided an apportionment formula for eastward flowing inter-provincial streams, gave recognition to the problem of water quality, and reconstituted the Prairie Provinces Water Board. The Master Agreement was amended in 1984 to clarify apportionment arrangements for the Battle, Lodge and Middle Creeks which are international, as well as inter-provincial streams; in 1992 to add a Water Quality Agreement; and in 1999 to define inter-provincial lakes as water courses under the agreement.

The Master Agreement contains a simple formula based on the principle of equal sharing of available water in the Prairies. The formula states that Alberta and Saskatchewan may each take up to one half of the natural flow of water originating within their boundaries and one half of the flow entering the province. The remainder is left to flow into Manitoba.

Natural flow, an important part of the Master Agreement's formula, is broadly defined as the volume of flow that would occur if a stream river had never been affected by human activity. The calculation of natural flow results in the three provinces, even in drought periods, receiving approximately equal shares of the total water flow. The provinces then decide how they will use their share of water.

Prairie Provinces Water Board

The PPWB is made up of one representative each from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and two from the federal government, Environment Canada and the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA). The Board administers the Master Agreement on Apportionment and ensures eastward flowing inter-provincial streams are, in accordance with the provisions of that Agreement, shared equitably; ensures water quality at inter-provincial boundaries is maintained at acceptable levels, and facilitates a cooperative approach for the integrated development and management of inter-provincial streams and aquifers to ensure their sustainability for the benefit of the people of the Prairie provinces.

The day-to-day work of the Board is performed by the PPWB Secretariat, which has its office in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Secretariat:

·        reviews and analyzes monitoring data; calculates natural flows at the boundaries;

·        determines if water quality objectives are exceeded; and

·        reports on apportionment and water quality at the inter-provincial boundaries and activities that could affect trans-boundary surface or groundwater.

The PPWB has three permanent committees that assist in technical work and provide advice to the Board. The Committee on Hydrology studies questions related to the quantity of water in streams crossing provincial borders and reviews natural flow calculations for use in the Master Agreement's formula. The Committee on Water Quality coordinates the PPWB water quality monitoring program, addresses issues about the quality of water crossing inter-provincial borders and is responsible for the Water Quality Contingency Plan, which informs downstream jurisdictions about any spills or unusual water quality conditions. Environment Canada is considered the agency responsible for fulfilling the monitoring conditions. The Committee on Groundwater deals with questions related to the use and the quality of groundwater shared by the provinces. Over time, the PPWB has formed other committees to deal with other issues.

Water Quantity Monitoring

Natural flows are calculated using information provided by Environment Canada for seventy‑five (75) long term water quantity monitoring stations and sixteen (16) meteorological stations. Other agencies provide information from an additional thirteen (13) water quantity monitoring stations. Five of the water quantity stations are also used for international apportionment calculations. Water flow is monitored at fourteen (14) locations along the Alberta-Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan-Manitoba borders to enable the PPWB to inform the parties to the Agreement whether the three provinces are staying within the limits of the water sharing formula. While the Agreement applies to all inter-provincial streams which cross the inter-provincial boundaries in an easterly direction, formal apportionment calculations are limited to a selection of streams with significant water use. These streams include:

·        Lodge, Middle and Battle Creeks,

·        North Saskatchewan River

·       South Saskatchewan River,

·        Cold Lake,

·        Saskatchewan River,

·        Churchill River, and

·        Qu'Appelle River.

 

Easterly flowing streams not apportioned, but where monitoring is conducted, include:

 

·        Beaver River,

·        Battle River,

·        Carrot River,

·        Red Deer River, and

·        Assiniboine River.

The remaining sites are located in the upstream portions of the basins.          

Water Quality - Monitoring

Water quality objectives were added to the Master Agreement as Schedule E through a 1992 Amendment. Environment Canada has twelve (12) long-term water quality monitoring sites located along the Alberta-Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan-Manitoba borders; eight sites are monitored monthly, one site bi- monthly and three sites quarterly. Water samples are collected and analyzed for a range of parameters and compared with the PPWB water quality objectives listed in Schedule E of the Master Agreement.         

PROMOTING COOPERATIVE INTERPROVINCIAL WATER MANAGEMENT

Since water is important in the Prairies, deciding how to share it to the satisfaction of all parties can be a difficult process. A spirit of cooperation and mutual respect has been the key ingredient in making it work. The PPWB has a responsibility to promote and facilitate a cooperative approach to the integrated development and use of inter-provincial waters. The Board fulfills this responsibility by fostering communication amongst the members about projects which could affect inter-provincial surface and ground waters; by coordinating monitoring so current and historical information about flows, climate and water quality is available; and by identifying and promoting research for the sustainable water development.

Contact Prairie Provinces Water Board, Room 300, Park Plaza, 2365 Albert Street, Regina, SK, S4P 4K1.

 

The ownership of the waters of a river system flowing through two or more jurisdictions can create administrative and water use problems.