ABwater.ca is your comprehensive resource for insights into the state of water resources and the ongoing drought situation in Alberta.
What You Need to Know
Presently, Alberta grapples with a multi-year drought, and its effects are becoming increasingly evident. In some areas, creeks have dwindled to mere dry beds, springs and wells have run dry, and municipalities are resorting to transporting water by truck. The severity of the situation has led the Alberta Government to move to water management stage 4—with the final stage (5) being the declaration of a state of emergency. To rebuild our dwindling water supplies, it is imperative that we receive substantial snowfall on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains before the end of March. In light of this pressing concern, it is the collective responsibility of every individual to contribute to water conservation efforts.
Check this space regularly for up-to-date news, videos, and blogs.
News
November 2024
2024/11/08 | The Calgary Herald| ‘One extreme to another’: Year started bone-dry, but Alberta farmers happy with harvest| “After taking their crops off their fields, southern Alberta farmers are satisfied with this year’s crop. They’ll take it, says industry reps, given what they faced going into the growing season.”
June 2024
2024/06/20 | The Narwal| Calgary’s water crisis drags on — and its future looks dry. Can cities across the globe point to solutions?| “Earlier this year, alarm bells were ringing about Alberta’s reservoirs running dry. Those fears have largely dwindled — for now.”
2024/06/15 | CBC| Alberta sees drought turnaround in much of the south, but little relief for Peace River region| “Rainy May helps many southern producers, but farmers warn the risk isn't over ”
May 2024
2024/05/15 | CBC| Buying and selling water is a reality in Alberta — sometimes for big money| “Benchmark prices have been set in the water market, but it remains broadly opaque”
April 2024
2024/04/16 | CBC| A race against time': Alberta community chasing solutions after months of hauling water | “Not far from the town of Pincher Creek, resting in the eastern shadow of the Canadian Rockies, two men wearing coveralls are in the midst of a task that, by now, they've done hundreds of times.” With comments and insight from OWC Executive Director, Shannon Frank.
2024/04/02 | Lethbridge Herald| SPC hears update on water conservation measures | “Lethbridge residential water consumption is among the highest in Alberta behind Coaldale and Medicine Hat, the Assets and Infrastructure Standing Policy Committee of city council heard Thursday during a report on water conservation.”
2024/04/02 | CBC| A pipeline to send water to southern Alberta? Ideas float to the surface in times of drought | “Last year, as the Oldman Reservoir dropped to a level not seen since 2001, the Municipal District of Pincher Creek was forced to take action.” With comments and insight from OWC Executive Director, Shannon Frank.
March 2024
2024/03/28 | Calgary Herald | Alberta environment minister Rebecca Schulz sets mid-April deadline for water-sharing agreements | “Alberta’s environment minister has extended a March 31 deadline to complete four water-sharing agreements….to conclude the largest water-sharing negotiations in Alberta’s history.”
2024/03/14 | Calgary Herald | 'Water allocation and priority': Worst drought in years could lead to Alberta state of emergency | “There will be policy or regulatory changes that we can make sooner rather than later just to help give us the flexibility we need to manage the drought that we are anticipating this year”
2024/03/13 | Government of Alberta | Protecting Albertans from drought | New investments will make Alberta more naturally drought-resistant and create a more modern water-management system to support growing communities.
2024/03/06 | CBC | As drought persists on the Prairies, some farmers are selling off their herds | As the multi-year drought in the Prairies continues, some ranchers are being forced to sell off livestock. With little moisture in the ground and water sources drying up, feed for livestock is becoming difficult to grow.
2024/03/04 | CBC | Alberta outlines $125M drought and flood grant program as water-sharing talks continue | The Alberta government says it will accept applications from municipalities and Indigenous communities across the province who want to design and construct projects that protect from flooding and drought. It is pegged to launch later this year.
Read the Government of Alberta Press Release about the program here.
February 2024
2024/02/15 | CBC | Priority? Licence transfers? Here's how Alberta's water system works| Alberta's relationship with water has changed over the past century and a half — not only how we use it, and how much of it we use, but also how it gets allocated.
2024/02/07 | CBC | Alberta government forms committee to prepare for severe drought | The Alberta government has formed a new committee to prepare for severe drought in some parts of the province this year.
2024/02/01 | CBC | 'A societal issue': Drought-plagued Alberta braces for even worse conditions | Province will push 'water sharing.' Cities will restrict usage. This year could get drastic.
January 2024
2024/01/31 | CBC | Alberta to launch 'unprecedented' water-sharing negotiations Thursday amid drought fears | Alberta will kick off negotiations with major water licence holders to strike water-sharing agreements for the Red Deer River, Bow River and Old Man River basins Thursday as concern over looming water shortages grows.
2024/01/22 | CBC Climate scientists raising concerns over Alberta's groundwater levels amid Prairie drought | As predicted by climate change models, drought is desiccating the Prairies, especially southern Alberta. The province has already warned municipalities to plan for another dry summer, is preparing help for farmers and aims to mobilize firefighting teams early.
2024/01/08 | CBC How a potential drought would affect highly-coveted water in Alberta's south | While the whole province will be affected, dry southern Alberta's agricultural sector will face particular challenges due to its reliance on irrigation, which supplies water via a network of canals.
2024/01/08 | Global News Alberta facing water restrictions, ‘agricultural disaster’ if drought conditions persist | John Pomeroy, University of Saskatchewan professor and Canada Research Chair in Water Resources and Climate Change, said last year’s drought conditions were the “worst of a lifetime” for many parts of Alberta.
2024/01/05 | CBC Alberta government warning municipalities about water use this year due to drought | Alberta's environment minister is reaching out to municipalities asking them to find ways to use less water this year in light of the province's drought.
December 2023
2023/12/15 | Calgary Herald | Southern Alberta wishing for snow as water levels at historic lows: “Southern Alberta is experiencing an exceptional drought, the driest it has been in the last 50 years, says the Oldman River Watershed Council.”
2023/12/15 | The Globe and Mail | Alberta may cap water for oil and gas companies: “The AER, which oversees oil, natural gas and coal producers in Alberta, issued a bulletin this week advising energy companies to prepare for water shortages, particularly in the southern part of the province. Some companies may not be able to divert water toward their operations in 2024, the regulator said.”
2023/12/13 | Lethbridge News Now | Minister Schulz shares op-ed on current drought situation: “The Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, the Honourable Rebecca Schulz has written an opinion editorial on the current drought situation in the province.”
2023/12/05 | CBC | Watershed groups express concern over water levels as Alberta looks for solutions: “As Alberta grapples with low rivers, dry fields and minimal snowpack, the provincial government is asking for help with its drought modelling for next year.”
Learn
Blog series
Blog 1: Low Flow, Where Did the Water Go?
The Oldman Reservoir's new sandy appearance indicates a low water supply throughout the Oldman watershed. Signs of drought have persisted for the third consecutive year, with prolonged periods without significant rain and snowfall contributing to low water levels.
Blog 3: Sharing the Shortage: A Collaborative Approach to Water Management
Human actions have consequences for the broader environment—this sentiment is not new. Consider drought as an example: while drought is a natural phenomenon in Southern Alberta, human activities can intensify its impacts beyond what would occur under natural conditions. In this blog, we will explore the effects of drought on plants and animals, examine how human activities influence these conditions, and highlight practical solutions to address drought concerns through natural infrastructure.
Blog 5: Well, what about groundwater?
The challenges of the ongoing drought raise important questions about groundwater levels. Groundwater, invisible until it surfaces or is accessed via a well, presents a significant challenge in quantification compared to surface water. This concealed water plays a crucial role in the water cycle, contributing to stream flows and lake levels, and serves as a vital water supply in Alberta. Despite its importance, the characteristics of groundwater in southern Alberta are complex and not fully understood.
Blog 8: Fall 2024 Drought Update: How Did We Fare?
The weather has been all over the place since we last checked the forecast for our watershed in our May blog. If you think we had more rain this year than the last one, you are right! In addition to more precipitation, two Water Sharing Agreements were activated this season in the Oldman watershed to get us through the drought; both factors have been critical to supporting our water supply and ensuring nobody has to go without water.
Blog 2: Actions and Consequences of Drought in the Watershed
Human actions have consequences for the broader environment—this sentiment is not new. Consider drought as an example: while drought is a natural phenomenon in Southern Alberta, human activities can intensify its impacts beyond what would occur under natural conditions. In this blog, we will explore the effects of drought on plants and animals, examine how human activities influence these conditions, and highlight practical solutions to address drought concerns through natural infrastructure.
Blog 4: Celebrating Every Drop
With Alberta's population on the rise, so too has the demand for water. Seven pivotal sectors are instrumental in supporting the province's economy, infrastructure, and the quality of life for most Albertans. These sectors, tasked with reporting their water usage, are encouraged to adopt more efficient water conservation and usage practices.
Blog 6: Building Resiliency To Multi-Year Drought Workshop
On February 29th, the Building Multi-Year Drought Resiliency Workshop was hosted by four southern Watershed Planning and Advisory Councils (WPACs). This workshop, designed by the Alberta Water Council (AWC) in alignment with 'Water for Life: Alberta's Strategy for Sustainability,' reflects a collective effort to enhance drought resilience.
Blog 7: Not So Cut And Dry: Spring 2024 Drought Update
Flowers are blossoming, grass is growing, birds are chirping, the temperature is rising, rain is falling, and people are wondering: are we still in a drought? The short answer is yes; read on to find out why.
Video series
“Understanding Drought” 3/5: Water Management.
Learn about water management in a brief 86 seconds.
“Understanding Drought” 5/5: Shared Responsibility
Learn about water responsibility in 104 seconds.
“Understanding Drought” 2/5: Urban Water Conservation.
Learn about urban water conservation in a brief 76 seconds.
“Understanding Drought” 4/5: Sustainable Agriculture
Learn about water management in 108 seconds.
Resources
What You Can Do
Conserve Water: Tips for conserving water at home
Caring for urban trees during drought: Tips from the City of Lethbridge
Xeriscape your yard: Drought tolerant landscaping technique using native plants that need less water, and support pollinators
Become a member or volunteer with your local Watershed Planning and Advisory Council
Learn More
Government of Alberta: Types of drought, water management stages, sharing arrangements, and more.
Water management in Southern Alberta: How the province manages water resources in Southern Alberta, through the South Saskatchewan Water Management Plan.
Shared history: First Nations perspectives on Naapi, Old Man, and the watershed.
Rivers website: Up to date GoA data on river flows, snowpack depths, reservoir storage, water shortage advisories, and water forecasts.
Precision agriculture: A precise way of farming using technology to minimize inputs like water, fertilizer and pesticides.
Rural Routes to Climate Solutions podcast | Episode 65: Grazing Through Drought - RRCS speaks with Ralph Thrall of McIntyre Ranch who shares his experience managing grass and cows in a dry part of the province.
Other Resources
Drought response resources for
northern communities: A collection of resources from the Government of Alberta for northern communities.
Alberta Water Council Drought Resiliency Project: Guiding documents and workshops for small municipalities to develop multi year drought plans.
Alberta Water Council Building Resiliency to Multi-Year Drought Guidebook
Slideshow presentation given at the March 2024 Building Resiliency to Multi-Year Drought workshop.
Drought funding for livestock producers: The governments of Alberta and Canada are providing $165 million to support livestock producers affected by drought. Apply through the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation.
Agknow: Alberta farm mental health network.
City of Camrose Water Conservation and Water Use Bylaw and Policy
Town of Okotoks Water Shortage Response Plan and Water Bylaw
