Planning for Canada’s water future: Prioritizing water for ecosystems, people, and rights

A WaterLeadership Snapshot

WaterLeadership Snapshots feature articles written by graduate students participating in the Water Institute’s WaterLeadership training program, which focuses on skills development in knowledge mobilization, leadership, and research communication. Here, students describe the value of their research and its potential for ‘real world’ impact.

WaterLeadership is open to all University of Waterloo graduate students, particularly those studying water. Learn about how you can participate in future sessions.

By Nathanael Bergbusch

“As long as the sun shines, the grass grows, and the river flows.” When Treaties were signed in Canada, they were meant to last forever. At the time, it was inconceivable that water could stop flowing. Yet, in some places, that is now a potential reality. Fifty-three out of Canada’s 167 river basins are already in trouble because of water scarcity, pollution, and climate change.

New research by doctoral student Nathanael Bergbusch, who is working in Dr. Simon Courtenay’s research group through the Water Institute at the University of Waterloo, explores some of these ideas.

Nathanael Bergbusch, Ph.D. student in Social and Ecological Sustainability l Limnology | Environmental Flows | Water Governance | Cumulative Effects.

This project considers what regional water needs, values, and alternatives should be considered when assessing water withdrawal and drainage projects in one of Canada’s most highly stressed watersheds. Located in the prairies, the Qu’Appelle River basin sits between the South Saskatchewan and Assiniboine basins. The Qu’Appelle is Nathanael’s home watershed and the home of Treaty Four First Nations with whom Nathanael is collaborating with a Tribal governance centre. Water and economic researchers anticipate both costs and benefits from a proposed irrigation expansion, potash mines, canola and straw biomass plants, city development, shoreline development, land use, and climate change in this watershed.

Bergbusch has conducted interviews with government representatives, rightsholders, and stakeholders, while also examining long-term water quantity and quality data and assessing current sustainability initiatives. Findings from this research suggest that regional and downstream water values and needs are difficult to consider in these development proposals because of conflicting ideas about what constitutes a baseline, difficulty finding consensus on how much development is too much, and challenges of current regulatory processes. If regional water values are considered, benefits of greater water allocation and investment could potentially be shared more broadly and equitably to maximize opportunities for ecosystems and people. For example, enough low-nutrient, clean water at the right time could be guaranteed downstream to the Calling Lakes and Cumberland Marshes to ensure there is a priority goal of ecosystem improvements and upholding Inherent and Treaty Rights. Additionally, opportunities for small farmers to benefit from irrigation and other alternative sustainability-based projects, such as micro-irrigation, hydroelectricity, and solar energy, to grow and continue should be considered.

The research highlights the need for government ministries in the prairies to create a more collaborative regulatory environment for development proposals. First and foremost, a regulatory environment for development should ensure that Indigenous regulators and Tribal governance centers are part of the current decision-making model for development. Second, a regional communication plan is needed to share timely and relevant information so that decisions can be made together. Third, water allocation, water quality, and wetland rules and policies for wet and dry periods must be created collaboratively so that there is consensus on how water will be managed and what impacts can reasonably be expected in times of flooding and drought.

These steps, among others, facilitate a potential pathway forward for more sustainable and inclusive water decision-making processes that will ensure the rivers continue to flow with the water quality needs of downstream ecosystems and communities.

This research is funded by a Doctoral Vanier Graduate Scholarship. We would like to thank the Government of Canada for this funding.

Listing photo: Buffalo Pound Lake' on the Qu'Appelle River by SriMesh