Largest water-sharing agreements in Alberta's history now in place: environment minister

Alberta has concluded its negotiations with major water licence holders and is now outlining what it calls the largest water-sharing agreements in Alberta's 118-year history.

On Friday, the province released the first details of four agreements. 

They zero in on major water users in the Red Deer River sub-basin, the Bow River sub-basin, and the mainstem and upper tributaries of the Oldman River sub-basin.

The sub-basins are a part of the larger South Saskatchewan River Basin, which flows across the Alberta-Saskatchewan border and serves the water needs of four large Alberta cities: Red Deer, Calgary, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat.

WATCH | Alberta Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz outlines water-sharing agreements:

As a part of the agreements, participating municipalities will reduce water consumption by between five and 10 per cent. 

Those municipalities include: 

Other communities like Okotoks get their water under these licences, and so do not sign on directly, according to a spokesperson for Alberta Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz.

Water is in high demand in Alberta's semi-arid south. The region has endured several dry years, and El-Niño-type conditions indicate drier and warmer weather ahead. That's led to the risk of severe drought.

The province notes that recent snowfall has helped, but winter snowpack remains below average, many rivers are lower than normal, and multiple reservoirs are below capacity. The Oldman River sub-basin remains of particular concern.

In an interview with CBC News Thursday, Schulz said the agreements will be triggered depending on reservoir levels, river flow and snowpack. Data on peak snowpack levels is expected later this month.

"This puts us in a position where we are ready to respond, if we are, in fact, in a significant drought later this year," Schulz said.

The province believes its stated targets in the agreements can be achieved without impacting indoor water use.

The agreements also state that industrial operations and irrigation districts have agreed to reduce their water use.