Documents and Proceedings
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Geographical Analysis of Cumulative Threats to Prairie Water Resources: Mapping water availability, water quality, and water use stresses - DRAFT (PDF - 8.8 mb)
Dryland agro-ecosystems such as the Canadian Prairie Provinces have been identified by the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment as "hotspots" for future environmental degradation, because of the compounding effects of climate change-induced water scarcity, and nutrient over-enrichment. The objective of this study is to gain an integrated perspective on water quality and quantity vulnerabilities across the Canadian Prairie Provinces. We use environmental indicator methods and GIS techniques to rank and map water quality, water use, and water availability and their compounding effects across the prairie agro-region. A composite index identifies "hotspot" areas of concern with high cumulative stresses. We then compare the hotspot analysis with parallel geographic analyses of water conservation practice, and water conservation policies to illustrate where integrated water resources management will be a policy priority. -
Prairie Water Strategies: A Synthesis of Innovations and Challenges in Strategic and Coordinated Action at a Provincial Level
Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have each articulated a water resources management strategy to help address challenges within their provincial jurisdiction. Additionally, the inter-provincial allocation of water is being managed through the Prairie Provinces Water Board, a federal-provincial partnership. Other individual watershed groups are also playing local and regional planning and management roles.
Each jurisdiction is currently grappling with the inherent challenges of this process including leadership, planning, implementation, monitoring, learning and adapting, multi-level coordination and participation. This synthesis report provides an in-depth study of the common challenges and innovations in these aspects of water management and the findings constitute a pragmatic toolbox.
- Supporting case studies:
The Prairie Water Policy Symposium (PWPS)
The Prairie Water Policy Symposium (PWPS) was hosted by IISD on September 22-23, 2005, in Winnipeg, at the forks of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. This event brought together approximately 100 policy-makers, researchers and scientists from across the country. Symposium presentations are available in Real video format as well as PowerPoint.
The PWPS discussions and recommendations evolved into our current explorations into sustainable water resources management using a “Soft Paths” approach in Manitoba, and research into institutional capacity frameworks for integrated water resources management and linkages to payments for ecosystem services on the Prairies.
Key Publication
Conserving the Peace: Resources, Livelihoods and Security
» Mark Halle, Richard Matthew, Jason Switzer, IISD, 2002.Conserving the Peace is a collection of case studies illustrating the relationships among security, the environment and human well-being. Collectively, the studies make the case that conservation activities can motivate peace-building, thereby creating a stable future for all. More...
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