New Policy Brief Calls for Long-Term Lake Monitoring to Protect Peace-Athabasca Delta

A new policy brief from the Waterloo Climate Institute led by Dr. Laura Neary, Prof. Roland Hall and Prof. Brent Wolfe is urging governments and stewardship bodies to act quickly to establish long-term lake monitoring in the Peace-Athabasca Delta (PAD), the world’s largest freshwater boreal delta, amid growing pressures from climate change and major energy developments.

Drawing on seven years of research, the brief outlines practical, action-oriented solutions to overcome long-standing barriers to effective and sustainable monitoring of the Delta’s lakes. The authors emphasize that consistent, science-based monitoring is essential to detect early signs of ecosystem degradation, identify likely causes, and evaluate whether management actions are working.

The brief highlights the importance of decision-making that includes Indigenous rightsholders and integrates multiple knowledge systems, including Indigenous communities’ deep, place-based understanding of the Delta. It also provides guidance on assessing proposed remediation measures currently under consideration, such as installing weirs to raise lake levels and using strategic water releases from the W.A.C. Bennett Dam to trigger ice-jam flooding—key components of the federal Action Plan for Wood Buffalo National Park.

By offering clear methods and approaches, the policy brief aims to support informed stewardship decisions and help safeguard the PAD’s freshwater resources for future generations.