Module 7: Water Use and Management Flashcards
What act gives the provinces the responsibility for managing most of all natural resources, including water?
The Canadian Constitution and subsequent Natural Resources Transfer Act
What is the Federal responsibility for water management? What act do they manage with regards to water?
Navigation and fisheries (e.g., fisheries act), as well as cross-boundary water and waters located on first nations lands
In 1948, 1969 3 provinces and the federal government signed the _____ to manage transboundary waters
Master Agreement on Apportionment (MAA)
What is the purpose of the Master Agreement on Apportionment (MAA)
To apportion or share water equitably between the Prairie Provinces and to protect interprovincial surface water quality and groundwater aquifers
- Alberta is entitled to 50% of the natural flow of an interprovincial river before it enters Saskatchewan
- Saskatchewan is entitled to 50% of the water which enters from Alberta and 50% of the flow arising from within its borders
- Manitoba receives the remainder
Define Natural Flow
The flow of water that would occur in a particular river if that river had never been affected by the activities of people.
Name the different water rigths for Eastern Canada vs Western Canada
- Riparian Water Rights (Eastern Canada to Ontario)
- Prior Appropriation (Allocation) Rights (Western Canada, MB - BC)
What are the Riparian Water Rights
The right to use (not own) the water that belongs to the people who own the banks of streams or lakes in question
- each riparian landowner has the right to a REASONABLE use of the water in the stream, while not to use it in a way that will materially damage other riparian landowners
- The greater number of riparian landowners, the smaller proportion of water available to landowners
What are the Prior Appropriation (Allocation) Rights
The right to the use of the water belonged to the first person who appropriated it and made beneficial use of it (first in time, first in right); senior water rights
considered use it or lose it rightsc, the rights only exist so long as the water is used, if use stops the right is lost
- Rights are tied to the land, not the owner. Water rights are transferred with land ownership
What are the issues being criticized for the prior appropriation (allocation) rights
- Difficult to regulate
- Encourages excessive consumption to retain water rights
- Environmental values of water are not regulated like instream flows and recreational values
How has Alberta differed in water allocation rights compared to the rest of Canada
Enabled water transfer rights to increase social welfare (transfer from low value [specific agriculture productions] to a higher value use [urban or industrial needs)
What are the goals of the Saskatchewan Water Security Strategic Plan (2023)
- Water Infrastructure Drives Growth
- Current and future infrastructure
- Water as an economic driver
- Expand irrigation capacity - Clean, safe, reliable water supply responsive to change
- Ensure reliable supplies to support growth
- Support clients to be responsive to change
- Facilitate responsible drainage within resilient watersheds
- Human health by ensuring clean safe water - Service excellence
- Valus-based high performing organization
- Corporate babble
What are the two general areas of concern in water management?
water quality and quantity
What sources cause concern for water quality?
- Water quality is primarily caused by non-point sources, 10-20% caused by industrial and municipal point sources
why is dealing with non-point sources much more difficult?
requires more expensive monitoring and enforcement for command and control
List the non-point source problems
- Agricultural runoff
- Urban runoff
How do low water levels affect the environment?
- Lower water levels can damage habitat and cause increased temperatures during summer and increased freezing in the winter
- Decreased assimilative capacity for pollutants
- Affects energy by hydro electricity
What are some water conservation policies with non-price approaches?
- Adoption of water conserving technologies - standard setting for household and industry appliances
- Mandatory water use restrictions (sen in response to drought conditions)
- Education and information
- Institutional design of resource use - community solutions (irrigation groups)
What are the two different price-based approaches to water use
- Flat rate
- volumetric pricing
Describe the three different types of volumetric pricing
- Constant unit charge (uniform rate): Price per unit of water is constant regardless of water used
- Declining block pricing: price per unit of water decreases as quantity of water used increases
- Increasing block pricing: price per unit of water increases as quantity of water used increases
What would be the different incentives for declining vs increasing block pricing?
Declining block prices incentivize new economic development or large firms to move into an area
Increased block pricing is a way to reduce water usage in high output areas
