Water – How we manage it

Why do we need to manage water?

The use of water is increasing as urban, industrial, and agricultural expansion has led to increasing competition for the same water supply. Water management involves the anticipation and/or resolution of user conflicts in a manner that protects the environment. Good water resource management maintains a balance between growing social and economic demands and the continued ability of our freshwater resources to support them.

Who is responsible for water management in Canada?

In Canada, the responsibility for water management is shared by the federal, provincial, and municipal governments, and in some instances, by Aboriginal governments under self-government agreements. For the most part, waters that lie solely within a province's boundaries fall within the constitutional authority of that province. The waters flowing in the national parks, First Nation reserves, and other federal lands come under federal jurisdiction. The federal government is also responsible for waters that form or flow across the international boundary between Canada and the United States, and for waters in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, with the exception of certain limited authorities for Aboriginal governments as defined in self-government agreements. On April 1, 2003, responsibility for the management of water resources in the Yukon was transferred to the Government of the Yukon. 

The shared responsibility for fresh water in Canada necessitates close cooperation and collaboration among all levels of government, Aboriginal peoples, and the public.

Who is responsible for water management in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut?

The federal government, specifically Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) , has the overall responsibility for the management of water resources in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Through land claims agreements, First Nations and the Inuit, and the territorial governments share in this management through participation on joint resource management boards. As well, Aboriginal governments have certain limited authorities as defined in self-government agreements.

The Northwest Territories Water Act, the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, and the Nunavut Waters and Nunavut Surface Rights Tribunal Act  and the proposed Nunavut Water Act provide a unique framework for managing water resources. Among other things, they establish a water board in each territory that is responsible for conservation, development, and use of water resources. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) is responsible for enforcing the legislation and for resource planning, collecting data, and supplying information to territorial water boards and the public. The department is also involved in water quality issues and the effect of contaminated water on the health of northerners. Furthermore, under its Northern Water Research Studies Program, INAC's Water Resources Division shares responsibility with Environment Canada's Water Survey of Canada for the hydrometric network that monitors flows on major water courses and shares responsibility with Environment Canada for collecting water quality data.

What are the major water issues in the Yukon?

Because the Yukon is a subarctic desert and water is relatively scarce, water is of critical concern to its industries, communities, and ecosystems. However, flooding connected with ice formation and breakup is also a common concern, as most communities are built in valleys. In addition, water quality-related mining issues are of major concern. From a management point of view, boundary questions are also relevant, as water flows across the Yukon's borders with Alaska, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories.

What are Historic Canals?

Initially built for transportation, trade, and, in some cases, defence, a number of Canada's canals no longer serve commercial purposes. These canals, now referred to as Historic Canals and managed by the Canadian Parks Service, have developed into places to appreciate and enjoy cultural and natural heritage through land- and water-based activities.

The Historic Canals vary from the single locks of the St. Peter's Canal in Nova Scotia, the Sainte-Anne, Carillon, and Saint-Ours canals in Quebec, and the Sault Ste. Marie Canal in Ontario, to the complex systems of interconnected locks, channels, and natural waterways of the Chambly Canal in Quebec and the Rideau Canal and its Tay Branch, and the Trent-Severn Canal and its Murray Canal Branch in Ontario.

The objective of the Historic Canals is to foster their appreciation, enjoyment, and understanding by providing for navigation, by managing cultural and natural resources for purposes of protection and presentation, and by encouraging appropriate uses.

The larger canals have an impact that goes far beyond the movement of boats from one lock to another. They form extensive heritage corridors that link cities and towns and whose drainage basins encompass large geographical areas. The canal corridors encompass rivers, lakes, wetlands, channels, and locks. To provide adequate water for the canals, a complex water control system is in place using dams and monitoring systems. Natural landscapes and habitats along the canals complement the cultural resources and contribute to the environmental quality of the canals. The Historic Canals are managed to provide the optimum balance between the use of the natural resources, especially water, the safety of the public, and the protection of the historic resources.

In some cases, the management of these heritage corridors is subject to federal-provincial agreements. Various levels of government, as well as groups and concerned individuals, have a role in fostering public appreciation, enjoyment, and understanding of the values represented by the Historic Canals.

Some other historic canal systems, such as the Shubenacadie Canal in Nova Scotia, have fallen into a state of disarray. Originally built for defence and commerce in the early 1800s, it provided a transprovincial route from Halifax to the Bay of Fundy and then on to the Gulf of St. Lawrence via a marine railway. Small portions of the system have been restored and are currently maintained by the Shubenacadie Canal Commission, a voluntary board of provincial and municipal representatives.

What are Canadian Heritage Rivers?

The Canadian Heritage Rivers System, established in 1984, is a cooperative program of the Government of Canada and all of the provincial and territorial governments. The program objectives are to give national recognition to the important rivers of Canada and to ensure long-term management that will conserve their natural, historical, and recreational values for the benefit and enjoyment of Canadians, now and in the future. 

Since 1984, sections of 39 rivers, with a total length of more then 8000 kilometres, have been added to the system. For more information on the Canadian Heritage Rivers System, contact:

Marketing and Communications
Canadian Heritage Rivers System
Parks Canada 
Ottawa, ON K1A 0M5
Tel.: 819-997-4930
Fax: 819-953-4704
E-mail: max_finkelstein@pc.gc.ca

What laws do we have in Canada to protect lakes and rivers?

Water resources in Canada are primarily the responsibility of the provinces. All provinces have laws to manage and protect lakes and rivers. Some examples of provincial legislation include Manitoba's Water Protection Act, Ontario's Safe Drinking Water Act, and Newfoundland and Labrador's Water Resources Act.

The federal legislation related to the protection of our lakes and rivers includes over 14 statutes, administered by several federal departments including its direct constitutional authority for navigation and fisheries. The most recent federal legislative initiatives to strengthen environmental protection, including water, are the renewal of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and amendments to the International Boundary Waters Treaty Act. 

What is the 1987 Federal Water Policy?

The 1987 Federal Water Policy was formulated after several years of intensive consultation, both within and outside government.

The policy's overall objective is to encourage the use of fresh water in an efficient and equitable manner consistent with the social, economic, and environmental needs of present and future generations. The policy is premised on two main goals: to protect and enhance the quality of the water resource and to promote the wise and efficient management and use of water. 

The policy stresses that government action is not enough. Canadians at large must become aware of the true value of water in their daily lives and use it wisely. We cannot afford to continue undervaluing and therefore wasting our water resources.

What is the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act?

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA)  was proclaimed on January 19, 1995. A compulsory five year review of the Act is now underway.

The act sets out, for the first time in legislation, responsibilities and procedures for the environmental assessment of projects involving the federal government. It establishes a clear and balanced process that brings a degree of certainty to the environmental assessment (EA) process and helps responsible authorities (RAs) determine the environmental effects of projects early in their planning stage.

The act applies to projects for which the federal government holds decision-making authority, whether as a proponent – when it makes or authorizes funding to enable a project to proceed, when it sells, leases, or disposes of federal lands, or when it issues a permit or license, or grants an approval – or takes any other action for the purpose of enabling the project to be carried out.

Objectives
The act has four stated objectives:

• to ensure that the environmental effects of projects receive careful consideration before RAs take action
• to encourage RAs to take actions that promote sustainable development, thereby achieving or maintaining a healthy environment and a healthy economy
• to ensure that projects to be carried out in Canada or on federal lands do not cause significant adverse environmental effects outside the jurisdictions in which the projects are carried out
• to ensure that there is an opportunity for public participation in the EA process

Guiding Principles
In general, the following principles should be used in the application of the act:

• Early application. The process should be applied as early in the project's planning stages as practicable and before irrevocable decisions are made so that environmental factors are incorporated into decisions in the same way that economic, social, and policy factors have traditionally been incorporated.
• Accountability. The self-assessment of projects for environmental effects by federal departments and bodies is a cornerstone of the process.
• Efficient and cost effective. Each project should undergo only one EA, and the level of effort required to undertake an EA for the project should match the scale of the project's likely environmental effects.
• Open and participatory. Public participation is an important element of an open and balanced EA process.

Overview of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA): 
To learn more about the purpose and types of environmental assessment, see "Basics of Environmental Assessment" on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency's Website.

Does water resource development take into account environmental considerations?

Under the self-assessment role, federal departments hold themselves accountable for following the assessment process described under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA). This process requires all departments to screen proposals for potentially adverse environmental effects and to ensure that public concerns have been considered.

All water development projects affect some part of the environment. Smaller projects, such as constructing a weir or operating a water intake pipe, will harm the environment to a lesser degree than, for instance, a large-scale hydroelectric project that diverts or stores large quantities of water.

The negative impacts of such a large project, however, can be reduced. After a site has been chosen, field studies, monitoring, and a literature review will provide an understanding of the existing environmental conditions. This permits prediction of the impacts that the project will have on the environment and is the essence of the Environmental Impact Statement, which is produced for a project under CEAA. Based on these predictions, design engineers working with other professionals such as biologists can mitigate impacts by adjusting the project design.

What does environmental screening try to achieve?

Screening determines whether a water resource proposal, such as building dykes, filling a reservoir, or dredging a harbour, will have potentially adverse environmental effects and whether these can be corrected. If so, the project may go ahead without detailed environmental impact studies, but only after scientists and water managers have designed adequate measures to protect the environment or minimize negative environmental effects.

For water development projects, these measures might include the construction of fish ladders for migrating fish, the creation of wetland habitat for waterfowl nesting, and the establishment of industrial processes to reclaim pollutants and prevent their entry into the hydrologic cycle. These measures along with their costs are then considered part of the overall project.

What do we mean by an "ecosystem approach" to water management?

An ecosystem or holistic approach to water management requires an understanding of the interrelationships of the biological, chemical, and physical properties of an aquatic ecosystem. Once we understand the ecosystem, we can take certain measures to minimize large-scale and long-term impacts resulting from human uses.

In cases where these impacts cannot be avoided, alternative measures can be taken. For example, the loss of fish habitat caused by dam construction may require the operation of a fish hatchery to replace young fish that can no longer be supplied by the lost habitat.

Are there any rules on how to deal with sensitive water development?

Manuals and handbooks dealing with habitat protection are produced by environmental and regulatory agencies as well as nongovernmental organizations and universities. Guidelines to maintain water quality for stream crossings and fish passage and for waste disposal are developed and continually improved. Such guidelines recommend conditions that should not be exceeded in order to sustain a particular water use and the well-being of the aquatic environment.

Provincial and federal environmental legislation is also updated periodically to ensure comprehensive protection of our ecological resources from the impacts of development.

Why is it necessary to obtain a licence for surface water or groundwater use?

To share the resource equitably, a provincial or territorial licence is required to define the allowable quantity and timing for each use. Although seemingly abundant, the groundwater supplies in certain regions of North America are coming close to depletion and are being threatened with contamination.

Can floods be predicted?

To some extent, heavy rain forecasting and warning systems minimize flood damage effects, and help prevent the loss of life.

There are a number of forecasting centres across Canada that monitor conditions that influence flooding. When it is determined that there is a potential for flooding, the forecasters notify dam operators, municipal officials, emergency personnel, and the media. Warning systems and emergency procedures are put into effect to allow residents to protect their homes, move valuables to safe ground, and, if necessary, to evacuate. The warning system also allows officials time to prepare such protective actions as sandbagging along river banks.

Water management also deals with flood protection. What are some methods of protection?

The most recognizable methods of flood protection are engineering works such as dams, dykes, and diversion channels. These types of projects can be expensive to build and maintain and yet they do not necessarily provide a complete guarantee of safety. During extreme events, floodwaters may overtop dykes and exceed the capacity of reservoirs and diversion channels.

During the 1970s, an alternative to the structural approach was developed to reduce the amount of damage and suffering caused annually by floods. In 1975, the federal government initiated the National Flood Damage Reduction Program in cooperation with provincial and territorial governments. One of the main objectives of the program was to produce maps identifying flood-risk areas within selected floodplains and designating them as such. The active mapping phase of the program was finished in the late 1990s. New development in designated areas was discouraged under the program. Cities were encouraged to adopt suitable land use policies and appropriate zoning to restrict development in designated floodplains. Although this approach stressed nonstructural methods for reducing flood damages, it was also recognized that a combination of structural and nonstructural methods would be necessary in certain conditions.

Existing buildings or new construction may be protected by various flood-proofing methods. For example, buildings may be elevated on posts, piers, or landfill. Flood walls or ring dykes can protect groups of buildings. Foundations and basements can be designed to allow some flooding. Consideration should also be given for the protection of electrical, sewage, and other services.

What is the importance of reservoirs to water management?

Without a water supply from reservoirs, many of our farming communities in western Canada (the British Columbia interior, southern Alberta, and Saskatchewan) would have drastically reduced populations and economic activity. During the past several years, Regina and Moose Jaw have greatly depended on the Diefenbaker Reservoir. The water supplying the Lac Seul Reservoir averted a major power outage in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario in 1988.

Like everything else, reservoirs are not a perfect solution, but they do substantially reduce the probability of failure of domestic water supply and power shortages. Management of reservoirs in many systems such as the Ottawa River is a compromise between low flow augmentation and flood protection. In water-short areas, there is no compromise, only conservation.

Is water research necessary for water management?

Definitely. Research is a valuable management tool. To manage water properly, we rely on a scientifically sound knowledge base. The 1987 Federal Water Policy states that "scientific and socio-economic research, technological development, and data collection are essential tools for dealing with the increasing scope and complexity of the emerging water problems". There is also growing recognition of the validity of Aboriginal traditional knowledge regarding the environment and the holistic interaction of various elements.

In addition to the St. Lawrence Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Environment Canada operates the National Water Research Institute (NWRI) with major facilities in Burlington, Ontario, and in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. These sites conduct a Canada-wide program of research and development in water science in partnership with other Canadian research establishments and the international freshwater scientific community. A major goal is to advance our understanding of the physical, chemical, and biological processes controlling the quality and health of aquatic ecosystems.

The NWRI publication Research into Action to Benefit Canadians contains short summaries of how practical, applied science supports the development of regulations, guidelines, policies and international agreements; and the tangible economic and health benefits that stem from sound stewardship of our aquatic resources. 

Why do we need all this information on water?

Environmental monitoring, resource inventories, and field studies all provide a record of past or present water resource conditions. The data describe the state of the resource for different geographic locations and at different times; the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the water; and the economic, social, and institutional makeup of the system of which the water resource is a part. For example, the information includes data on water quantity and quality, runoff characteristics, water user needs, fish and waterfowl numbers, vegetation distributions, and habitat inventories.

Other information is obtained by studying changes in the resource over time. For this, an understanding of the cause and effect relationships between different environmental components, the water resource, and human activities is necessary. These relationships can be determined from experimental research in the laboratory or in the field and from physical or numerical models, including computer simulation. From models, scientists can forecast trends in water quantity and quality. Based on this and information obtained by monitoring the water resource, managers develop water management strategies, plan the development of river basins, and operate water facilities such as dams for the greatest benefit to all users.

Why is computer modelling used?

The use of mathematical models to simulate real situations represents an important step in both the understanding and appreciation of the governing factors in a typical water management problem. Models can also be used as a comparatively cheap, fast, and safe way in which to test the viability of various water resource management strategies before deciding which to implement.

What are these computer models supposed to achieve?

Mathematical models are used by water managers both for planning purposes and for simulation of operational conditions.

The planning models use water quantity, water quality, and various socio-economic data collected over 30 years or so to study the impact on the environment of proposed dams, changes in operating procedures, dykes, diversions, effluent treatment plants, and new water uses. Such studies usually assume that past meteorological conditions are representative of future ones. A planning model was used to design the weirs for the Peace-Athabasca delta, the world's largest freshwater delta, to mitigate the detrimental effects of the upstream Bennett Dam constructed in 1970.

Operational models are used to forecast flows, levels, and water quality over a relatively short period of several days or weeks. An operational model is used for the Ottawa River basin to determine flow releases from the 13 major reservoirs in the system.

Are the developments in computer and communication technology affecting the way Canadian agencies manage water resources?

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have increased our abilities to store, analyze, and distribute information and data.

Currently, supercomputers can process several hundred million operations per second. This enables water managers to cope with increasingly complex problems in a limited time frame. Satellite telecommunications make data almost instantly available from remote locations for monitoring, forecasting, and operational decision-making purposes. However, even with these significant infomatic advances, formidable problems remain in such areas as short- and long-term river flow and lake levels forecasting, and in prediction of the pathways and effects of toxic contaminants in aquatic systems. In day-to-day management, computer modeling programs are, for example, assisting in reservoir operation, flood forecasting, and municipal water demand.

The Internet, which encompasses the technologies of e-mail, listservers, the World Wide Web (WWW), file transfer protocol (ftp), e-commerce, video conferencing etc., is providing an unprecedented opportunity for decision makers, stakeholders, and the general public to have access to a wide array of information from all levels of government, industry, business, and community groups.

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