Intra-Basin Water Movement

In 2007, at the request of the Minister of Environment, the Alberta Water Council created a project team to determine if the current approach on moving water from one sub-basin for use in another sub-basin was still valid and what, if any, changes should be made to the policy and under what conditions.  A complete description of their work is included in their Terms of Reference.

The Council’s Intra-Basin Water Movement Project Team reviewed concerns and other materials that had been filed with the Government of Alberta and solicited input from interested parties via an on-line questionnaire. The survey responses were summarized in their What We Heard report. The team also engaged a consultant to review intra-basin water movement decision-making practices in other jurisdictions. This information guided the team in its analysis and subsequent recommendations. 

Principles and Recommendations

The Intra-Basin Water Movement Major Principles and Recommendations report was approved by Council in June 2008. The report outlines major principles to guide the decision-making for water licence applications in Alberta and recommends improvements to the current approach. Key recommendations in the report focus on improving openness and transparency, balancing risk with level of review, and clarifying roles and responsibilities. The report also identifies specific areas that require further clarification by Alberta Environment.