What is a WPAC?

WPAC stands for Watershed Planning and Advisory Council. WPACs are regional not-for-profit organizations that have been established under Alberta’s Water for Life strategy for each of the province’s major watershed basins. 

How many WPACs are there?

The Oldman Watershed Council (OWC) is one of 11 WPACs in Alberta. The others are:

• Athabasca Watershed Council

• Battle River Watershed Alliance

• Bow River Basin Council

• Lesser Slave Watershed Council

• LICA – Beaver River Watershed

• Mighty Peace Watershed Alliance

• Milk River Watershed Council Canada

• North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance

• Red Deer River Watershed Alliance

• South East Alberta Watershed Alliance

What do WPACs do?

WPACs supplement the Government of Alberta’s work on watershed management. WPACs assess watershed health and work with community (partners, citizens, governments, First Nations, academia, industry, and non-government organizations) to develop plans and engage in adaptive management actions to benefit the health and sustainability of the watershed. The OWC works with hundreds of community partners; this access to local expertise is one of our strengths.

WPACs also conduct education and outreach and promote environmental stewardship. They are tasked with preparing a State of the Watershed report, highlighting the current conditions of their watersheds, and an Integrated Watershed Management Plan to achieve the goals set out in the Water for Life Strategy.

The OWC aims to strengthen relationships between WPACs and allow for mutual support and assistance in addressing province-wide priority topics. Successful collaboration between WPACs means we can have more of an impact in improving the health of our watersheds across the province.

As a WPAC, the OWC reaches thousands of people every year through education and outreach. OWC’s restoration programs result in resilient communities and valuable ecosystem services, multiplying the Government of Alberta’s investment.