Full program - International Institute for Sustainable Development

The
Prairie
Water Policy
Symposium
FROM CUMULATIVE THREATS TO INTEGRATED RESPONSES
Hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development
http://www.iisd.org
September 22-23, 2005
Inn at the Forks, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Welcome to the Prairie
On behalf of the Government of Canada, I thank the
International Institute for Sustainable Development for organizing
this Prairie Water Policy Symposium.
Environment Canada is very pleased to both sponsor and participate
in this symposium and I welcome IISD’s vast inter-provincial,
and international experience in sustainable development issues.
This experience is critical in contributing insights to the challenges
and innovations that can guide the future policy framework for water management
across prairie watersheds and elsewhere in Canada.
The goal of clean, safe and secure water is universal, and not confined to any one geographic
locale. It is through this kind of event that other watersheds can gain knowledge
to achieve better integrated water management models.
Participants should take this opportunity to offer their ideas on where the need for
progressive water policy is most acute.
I also welcome the participation from provincial governments in outlining their
respective water strategies, and look forward to the results of the symposium.
The Honourable Stéphane Dion
Federal Minister of the Environment
On behalf of the citizens and Government of Manitoba, it is my
pleasure to welcome all participants to the Prairie Water Policy
Symposium here in Winnipeg.
Discussion of the use and management of fresh water in the prairie
provinces is of the utmost importance at this time. Manitoba is
rich with fresh water—the province has over 100,000 lakes alone.
Nevertheless, diligence is required to ensure our fresh water is
available for future generations. I would therefore like to commend
the International Institute for Sustainable Development and sponsors for making this
symposium a reality. The list of keynote speakers and participants is impressive and represents
the finest expertise we have in the prairies. I am confident that the ideas and
information exchanged will be beneficial and constructive, with the ultimate goal of
improving the prairies’ water sources.
In closing, please accept my best wishes for a successful symposium.
Gary Doer
Premier of Manitoba

Water Policy Symposium
On behalf of the City of Winnipeg, it is my pleasure to extend greetings
to all those attending the Prairie Water Policy Symposium. We
are honoured to be your hosts for what will undoubtedly be a great
conference and I hope that our city will exceed all your expectations.
This conference will provide you with the opportunity to discuss
important issues with many national and international experts concerning
sustainable development and water resource management.
I would encourage each of you to take advantage of the networking opportunities
with other industry professionals. I am certain that the educational sessions, informative
speakers and social events will prove to be both enlightening and rewarding. It
takes initiative, vision and hard work to make an event such as this happen and I
would like to recognize the International Institute for Sustainable Development for
making this event possible.
It is my hope that our visitors will experience the warm hospitality that our city offers
and take the time to explore some of our city’s many attractions. Winnipeg is a vibrant
young city that offers a variety of restaurants, great shopping and a host of cultural
activities that I am sure you will enjoy. We truly have something for everyone.
Once again, on behalf of my esteemed colleagues on city council, I would like to
extend best wishes for a successful and rewarding conference.
Sam Katz
Mayor of Winnipeg
Welcome to The Forks.
Six thousand years ago, this was a great place to meet. It still is
today.
Located in the heart of the city, at the junction of the Red and
Assiniboine Rivers, The Forks is an open and inviting expanse of
riverside property where lush greenspaces mingle freely with
unique shops, restaurants and entertainment.
It is a site for all reasons, a place for all seasons: shopping at The Forks Market and
Johnston Terminal, live theatre, a luxurious spa and hotel, a children’s museum, fine
dining, quick service kiosks, stunning on-site attractions and non-stop entertainment.
The Forks is the quintessential one-stop shop, feeding your body, mind and soul all
in one beautiful setting. The Forks is a perfect destination for anyone who lives, works
or plays in downtown Winnipeg, offering everyone something to love.
You’re welcome.
Bill Norrie
Chair, The Forks North Portage Partnership

Welcome friends and colleagues to IISD’s Prairie Water Policy
Symposium.
Water is the staff of life. We know this, we feel this, we live this on
the prairies. Our communities, our livelihoods, the prairie economy
thrive or suffer with the vagaries of hydrology.
Water connects societies with the ecosystems that sustain us in
fundamental ways. Water quality is an immediate and fundamental
indicator of ecosystem integrity, and our success—or lack thereof—at
managing ecosystems sustainably. We can’t make it rain, but we can wisely use
what we get. We reveal our commitment to future generations in our water consumption
habits today.
Do we manage our water resources as a precious ecosystem service? Should we? Will
the cumulative threats to water resources on the prairies compel us to seek bold and
inventive new ways to manage water?
IISD is honoured to host you at this gathering of water policy experts at the forks of
the Red and Assiniboine Rivers—a meeting place and the hub of a vital transportation
network for 6,000 years. We hope you feel a sense of community, collaboration
and duty to future generations as we challenge ourselves and each other with these
questions.
Henry David Venema
Director, Sustainable Natural Resources Management
International Institute for Sustainable Development
A few words about the Sustainable Natural Resources
Management Program at IISD
IISD’s Sustainable Natural Resources Management program promotes the
integration of policy, science and community as the key to Adaptive
Management and increased resilience in Manitoba, Western Canada and
around the world. IISD’s research in Sustainable Natural Resources
Management bridges the gap between research and implementation through
constant engagement with policy-makers and communities. Our litmus test
for good policy is the community experience: are local ecosystems more
resilient? Are livelihoods protected? Is the best available science being
applied? Our challenge and our mission is to engage policy-makers and
advance the policies and processes that ensure a positive answer to these
questions.

Prairie Water Policy Symposium
Partners
The International Institute for Sustainable Development
The International Institute for Sustainable Development contributes to sustainable
development by advancing policy recommendations on international trade and investment,
economic policy, climate change, measurement and assessment, and natural
resources management. Through the Internet, we report on international negotiations
and share knowledge gained through collaborative projects with global partners,
resulting in more rigorous research, capacity building in developing countries and better
dialogue between North and South.
IISD’s vision is better living for all—sustainably; its mission is to champion innovation,
enabling societies to live sustainably. IISD is registered as a charitable organization
in Canada and has 501(c)(3) status in the United States. IISD receives core operating
support from the Government of Canada, provided through the Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA), the International Development
Research Centre (IDRC) and Environment Canada; and from the Province of
Manitoba. The institute receives project funding from numerous governments inside
and outside Canada, United Nations agencies, foundations and the private sector.
Canada West Foundation
The Canada West Foundation is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit public policy
research institute dedicated to introducing western perspectives into current
Canadian policy debates.
Partners FOR the Saskatchewan River Basin
Since 1993, Partners FOR the Saskatchewan River Basin has promoted stewardship
and sustainability of the Saskatchewan River Basin. The Basin is an International
watershed stretching over the three Prairie Provinces and a portion of Montana. More
than three million people live within the 420,000 sq. km Basin that includes the
North Saskatchewan, Battle, Red Deer, Bow, Oldman, St. Mary, South Saskatchewan,
Saskatchewan and Carrot Rivers.
We uphold our mission “To promote watershed sustainability through awareness,
linkages and stewardship” by:
1 Developing public awareness and educational materials;
2 Facilitating partnerships and networks; and
3 Designing and implementing stewardship action projects.
Partners FOR the Saskatchewan River Basin is comprised of a growing network of
participating partner organizations. To date, there are over 100 active members and
1,400 readers on our newsletter mailing list. We welcome you.

PRAIRIE WATER POLICY SYMPOSIUM
Program at a Glance (subject to change)
Main Ballroom (unless otherwise indicated)
Inn at the Forks, Winnipeg, MB
September 22-23, 2005
All sessions held in plenary
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
7:00 p.m. Meet & Greet Reception and Registration
to 8:30 p.m. Upstairs Foyer (Cash bar)
Thursday, September 22, 2005
8:00 a.m. Deluxe Continental Breakfast and Registration
to 8:30 a.m. Upstairs Foyer
Welcome
8:30 a.m.
to 9:00 a.m.
Henry David Venema, Director, Sustainable Natural Resources
Management, IISD
Bill Glanville, Vice President and COO, IISD
Paul Jordan, COO, Forks North Portage Partnership
9:00 a.m. Morning Session – Biophysical Challenges
to 12:30 p.m. Chair – Bill Rannie, Professor and Chair of Geography, University of
Winnipeg
Surface Water Challenges on the Canadian Prairies – Risk and Adaptation
Dave Kiely, Manager, National Water Supply Expansion Program,
AAFC-PFRA
Information Systems Required to Ensure Sustainable Groundwater
Supply
Harvey Thorleifson, Director, Minnesota Geological Survey
Urbanization: Physical Realities and Policy Trajectories
Roger Gibbins, President and CEO, Canada West Foundation
Nutrition Break (10:45 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
Water Quality in the Lake Winnipeg Watershed
Kevin Cash, Chief, Ecological Sciences Division, Environment Canada,
Prairie and Northern Region
Alberta’s Water for Life Strategy: Implications for the Oil and Gas
Industry
Sue Lowell, Director, Sustainability Strategy, Suncor Energy
Geographical Analysis of Cumulative Threats to Prairie Water Resources
Henry David Venema, Director, Sustainable Natural Resources
Management, IISD
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Lunch Break
1:30 p.m. Afternoon Session – Watershed Governance at Multiple Scales
to 4:30 p.m. Chair – Ian Campbell, Senior Project Director, Policy Research Initiative
A Prairie River: Challenges and Opportunities
Susan Lamb, CEO, Meewasin Valley Authority
Prairie Water Strategies: Innovations and Challenges in Strategic and
Coordinated Action
Darren Swanson, Project Manager, IISD

Indigenous Peoples and Watershed Management: A Discussion of
Rights, Interests and Interesting Approaches
Merrell-Ann Phare, Executive Director/Legal Counsel, Centre for
Indigenous Environmental Resources
Nutrition Break (3:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.)
Prairie Water Partnerships in Governance
Phil Adkins, Acting Manager of Ag-Water Directorate, AAFC-PFRA
Transboundary Watershed Governance: Experiences of the Red River
Basin Commission
Lance Yohe, Executive Director, Red River Basin Commission
6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Evening Reception – Upstairs Foyer (Cash bar)
7:15 p.m.
to 9:00 p.m.
Symposium Dinner
Speakers – Terry Duguid and Norm Brandson, Co-Chairs, Lake Winnipeg
Implementation Committee
Friday, September 23, 2005
8:00 a.m.
Deluxe Continental Breakfast – Upstairs Foyer
to 8:30 a.m.
8:30 a.m. Morning Session – Integrating Best Practices
to 12:00 p.m. Chair – Rick Findlay, Director, Water Programme, Pollution Probe
Keynote Address
Steve Ashton, Minister of Water Stewardship, Manitoba Government
Saskatchewan Provincial Overview
David Forbes, Minister of Environment, Saskatchewan Government
Alberta Provincial Overview
Beverly Yee, Assistant Deputy Minister, Alberta Environment
Nutrition Break (10:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.)
Watershed Evaluation of Beneficial Management Practices Across Canada
Brook Harker, Manager, WEBs Project, AAFC-PFRA
Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture and Water Quality:
A Tri-National Collaborative Initiative
Tim Marta, Associate Director, AAFC-Agri-Environmental Policy Bureau
Best Practices: Australia
Jim Robinson, Associate Professor, University of Waterloo
12:00 p.m.
to 1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m.
to 4:00 p.m.
Lunch Break
Speaker – The Honourable Lloyd Axworthy, President of the University of
Winnipeg and former Minister of Foreign Affairs
Policy Discussions – Critical Policy Innovations and Gaps
Facilitators – Henry David Venema and Stephan Barg, Senior Corporate
Advisor, IISD
Nutrition Break (2:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.)

Presenters’ Abstracts
Phil Adkins
Acting Manager of Ag-Water Directorate, AAFC-PRFA
Prairie Water Partnerships in Governance
The governance of water on the prairies is driven by necessity in the semi-arid agricultural regions
where the human population places high demands on a limited resource. The Prairie Farm
Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA), as a federal agency with prairie regional responsibilities,
has worked in partnership with the three prairie provinces, in a non-regulatory resource
care/developmental role since 1935. One of the highlights of water governance on the prairies is
the Prairie Provinces Water Board (PPWB) which was established in 1948. The Board is made
up of representatives from each province, Environment Canada and PFRA.
There is a gap in our institutional framework to address the strong interdependence between
water and agriculture. Employing the principles of Integrated Water Resource Management will
help address this gap, and be important to overall prairie water governance, as we adapt to increasing
climate variability and its affects.
Kevin Cash
Chief, Ecological Sciences Division, Environment Canada, Prairie and Northern Region
Water Quality in the Lake Winnipeg Watershed
The Lake Winnipeg watershed is faced with a vast array of environmental issues including water
availability (too much and too little); water quality; habitat fragmentation; wildlife and habitat
loss (e.g., wetlands and uplands); invasive species; wildlife disease; genetic pollution; degraded
freshwater fisheries and fish habitat; municipal water and urban sprawl; climate change; and flow
regulation. The federal government has a wide variety of interests that relate to the long-term sustainability
of the water resources within the inter-jurisdictional Lake Winnipeg Watershed and of
Lake Winnipeg. Actions are required to restore Lake Winnipeg whilst providing economic opportunities
and social benefits without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems. It also
acknowledges that sound knowledge about the watershed resources and ecological processes is a
pre-requisite to sound decision-making. This presentation will describe Environment Canada’s
current water quality program within the basin and will briefly outline a proposed path forward
to provide the science understanding required for effective management of this system.
Roger Gibbins
President and CEO, Canada West Foundation
Urbanization: Physical Realities and Policy Trajectories
Urbanization is both an established feature of, and an unrelenting trend on, the prairie landscape.
At the same time, potential water shortages are a growing trend across the prairie west. However,
the relationship between urbanization and looming water shortages is complex. For the most part,
cities are efficient consumers of water, and thus the impact of urbanization on water shortages may
be less than the impact of water shortages on urbanization. In the short term, the greatest impact
of urbanization may come from their growing demographic and political clout; the impact of what
we do in the cities with respect to water conservation may have less to do with the physical realities
of water shortages than it will with respect to the public policy frameworks through which we
will address more contentious and problematic water issues.

Brook Harker
Manager, WEBs Project, AAFC-PRFA
Watershed Evaluation of Beneficial Management Practices Across Canada
The WEBs project is an AAFC-led initiative that seeks to quantify at a micro-watershed scale
(~300ha), the relative environmental and economic performance of site-specific “Beneficial
Management Practices” (BMPs), at seven regional locations across Canada. The four-year study is
geared to facilitate multi-agency involvement and cooperation within WEBs project sites. In this
discussion we will first undertake a brief overview of the scope of the project (nationally and regionally),
then focus on linkages to other APF programs such as NAHARP, NALS, NLWIS and
Census/FEMs; as well as our relationship to companion studies such as the Conservation Effects
Assessment Program (CEAP) within the USDA. We will also examine how WEBs results might be
transferable to ag policy and on-farm applications through an integrated modelling process.
Dave Kiely
Manager, National Water Supply Expansion Program, AAFC-PRFA
Surface Water Challenges on the Canadian Prairies – Risk and Adaptation
The Canadian prairies have a long history of adapting and coping with water supply challenges.
The prairies are a region that experiences recurrent drought due to climate limitations.
Hydrologic drought has forced adaptation and structural solutions in the past. Economic and
social factors are becoming more important as surface water supplies are becoming more precious.
Experience gained from coping with current climate variability should be harnessed to address
future adaptation to climate change/climate variability.
Susan Lamb
CEO, Meewasin Valley Authority
A Prairie River: Challenges and Opportunities
Meewasin is a conservation agency responsible for about 80 km of South Saskatchewan River valley
in and around Saskatoon and the R.M. of Corman Park. A partnership of the City of
Saskatoon, the Province of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan, we provide stewardship
of this important riverine resource.
Meewasin has a 100-year plan that provides guidance as we make decisions about conserving,
developing and educating people about the valley. Our projects range from using sheep to manage
grassland, to providing interpretive programs for children, to a multi-million dollar redevelopment
of the riverfront in downtown Saskatoon. Meewasin manages the Partners FOR the Saskatchewan
River Basin, a stewardship organization for the Saskatchewan River basin from its origins in the
Rockies to its final destination in Hudson Bay.
Sue Lowell, Director
Sustainability Strategy, Suncor Energy
Alberta’s Water for Life Strategy: Implications for the Oil and Gas Industry
Water is an important resource in the Province of Alberta. The provincial government is implementing
its Water for Life Strategy which identified three key directions—knowledge and
research, partnerships and water conservation. This presentation will elaborate on how the strategy
affects the oil and gas industry, and show what roles the industry must play to continue its
growth and development.

Tim Marta
Associate Director, AAFC-Agri-Environmental Policy Bureau
Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture and Water Quality: A Tri-National Collaborative
Initiative
The Tri-National Collaborative Initiative on Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture and Water
Quality originated from an informal agreement between the Deputy Minister for Agriculture and
Agri-Food Canada and his counterparts from Mexico and the United States of America to hold
a Tri-National Workshop, in Canada, in October 2003. Three Tri-National Working Groups
were established to collaborate in the areas of Policy Instruments, Program Delivery (focused on
Beneficial Management Practices), and Research and Information relative to environmentally
sustainable agriculture and water quality. The work consists of sharing national information and
conducting tri-national analysis for the three subject areas. The presentation will review the development,
processes, mechanisms and expected results of the Initiative.
Merrell-Ann Phare
Executive Director/Legal Counsel, Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources
Indigenous Peoples and Watershed Management: A Discussion of Rights, Interests and
Interesting Approaches
Effective and meaningful governance of watersheds involves numerous jurisdictions and their
decision-makers, including Indigenous peoples and their governing structures. Achieving cooperation
between these jurisdictions is often confounded by the evolving state of recognition of
Indigenous governance rights, the relative lack of environment-related Indigenous governance
institutions and lack of consensus among watershed governance participants as to the long-term
vision for the watershed. This presentation will outline key challenges faced by Indigenous peoples
when participating in watershed governance, including policy voids that hinder their involvement,
and will suggest possibilities for future cooperative effort.
Jim Robinson, Associate Professor, University of Waterloo
Best Practices: Australia
Australia, the driest inhabited continent, has been experiencing more severe droughts than anticipated
based on historical records. Towns and cities all have supply reservoirs that are completely
dry or are at lower levels than ever experienced. The policy and program approaches and responses
to this are varied. Melbourne has been quite proactive in developing a Water Resources Strategy
that effectively provides for significant population growth supported by water use reductions by
existing customers. Other areas are considering supply options that can be developed to meet or
stave off the crisis. A selection of cases and their anticipated resolution will be discussed, along
with suggestions of lessons we might learn.
Darren Swanson
Project Manager, International Institute for Sustainable Development
Prairie Water Strategies: Innovations and Challenges in Strategic and Coordinated Action
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 federalprovincial
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.

Harvey Thorleifson
Director, Minnesota Geological Survey
Information Systems Required to Ensure Sustainable Groundwater Supply
Surface water and groundwater systems are linked, and both human and ecosystem well-being are
dependent on the quantity and quality of this hydrological cycle. Groundwater is the key water
source for drinking water and irrigation—it is our only usable freshwater reserve, and it sustains wetlands
and stream flow. We currently are striving to ensure that our groundwater usage is sustainable
which requires sustainable pumping rates, maintenance of water quality, preservation of aquatic
environments and integrated surface/groundwater management. Mapping of soils, geology, and
groundwater systems in 3D is required to guide groundwater protection, monitoring, and management.
Geological mapping therefore is rapidly shifting from the production of paper maps to construction
of digital, interactive, 3D models that more fully characterize relevant material properties
and provide insights into the capacity and vulnerability of regional groundwater systems.
Henry David Venema
Director, Sustainable Natural Resources Management, International Institute for Sustainable
Development
Geographical Analysis of Cumulative Threats to Prairie Water Resources
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.
Lance Yohe
Executive Director, Red River Basin Commission
Transboundary Watershed Governance: Experiences of the Red River Basin Commission
The Red River Basin is a unique geographic area drained by the Red River of the North flowing
from the United States into Canada. Multiple state and provincial boundaries as well as the international
boundary create complexities for basin watershed strategies.
There have been numerous efforts to address transboundary watershed governance issues in the
Red River Basin. Some efforts have been within the framework of the two countries and other
efforts have focused on the transboundary international issues.
Working across all of the boundaries is essential to develop and implement a Red River Basin
vision for the future. The Red River Basin Commission (RRBC) has been formed to work cooperatively
across all of the boundaries with all levels of government. The RRBC Mission is to create
a comprehensive integrated basin-wide vision; to build consensus and commitment to the
vision; and to speak with a unified voice for the Red River Basin.
To accomplish this mission, the RRBC has developed a Red River Basin (RRB) Natural Resource
Framework Plan (NRFP). The NRFP has 13 basin-wide goals that become real in the “Action
Agenda” where activities in the basin become the tools that help achieve the vision. In the RRBC
experience, governance becomes a function of those who are doing things today and success a
function of everyone working to achieve the same overall goals for the benefit of this and the next
generation.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development, the
Canada West Foundation and Partners FOR the Saskatchewan
River Basin thank the following funders of the Prairie Water
Policy Symposium. We are grateful for their support.
For symposium proceedings and outputs, see
http://www.iisd.org/natres/water/pwps.asp