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Alberta’s environment minister has extended a March 31 deadline to complete four water-sharing agreements that form part of the province’s drought preparations this year, now giving licence holders until April 18 to conclude the largest water-sharing negotiations in Alberta’s history.
In a letter sent out Thursday to water licence holders, Rebecca Schulz thanks them for taking part in water-sharing negotiations over the past two months and praises them for showing the “leadership, dedication and community spirit that makes Alberta great.”
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“Negotiating water-sharing agreements is the most effective tool available to conserve water and reduce the risks posed by drought,” wrote Schulz in the letter, a copy of which was provided to Postmedia.
“Similar agreements struck in 2001 played a critical role in helping communities, irrigators and businesses survive and thrive.”
The province is currently in Stage 4 out of 5 in its water shortage management response plan, and there remain 51 water shortage advisories in place across Alberta.
“We haven’t seen a situation like this since 2001,” Schulz said earlier this month during an Alberta government announcement committing $125 million over the next five years to help protect communities from droughts and floods.
Among its preparations for drought, the province has stood up a drought command team, contracted a company to help with drought modelling, started a water advisory committee and has been holding talks on water-sharing agreements.
During those talks, the province has seen a high level of participation. Licensees with up to 90 per cent of the water allocated in the Red Deer, Bow and Oldman river basins have taken part in the discussions, leading to draft memorandums of understanding being developed covering the Bow River, Red Deer River and Oldman River basins, as well one covering the upper tributaries of the Oldman River basin.
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“While we were hoping to announce the conclusion of this important work at the end of March, it has become clear that more time will be required for each water licence holder to finalize their approval through your respective governance processes,” wrote Schulz in the letter. “I am writing you to ask that you complete this work no later than April 18th, 2024.”
The conclusion of the largest water-sharing negotiations in Alberta’s history will be “a landmark achievement for all involved and an example to the rest of Canada,” Alberta’s environment minister wrote.
To publicly mark the achievement, the province plans to hold a press conference in Calgary on April 19, the day after the deadline. All signatories are being invited to attend.
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