Water Allocation Conflicts on the Canadian Prairies

Abstract

The conflicts between water demands for energy production and irrigation development on the Canadian prairies and the available supply are reviewed. The water requirements for energy production in the western provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan arise from the development of oil sands and heavy oil. Manitoba has a large amount of developed and potential hydroelectric capacity. While a considerable area in the prairies is presently irrigated, a very large increase in irrigated area is possible in the forseeable future. All major rivers in the prairie provinces, flow from west to east. Consumptive uses in the western parts of the region reduce the potential for water-based developments in the east. Ground water is not a feasible source of supply across much of the region. A water allocation agreement is currently in force among the three provinces. While there are no problems apparent with the present allocation, areas of potential conflicts have been identified. A growing imbalance between supply and demand suggests that increasingly severe water shortages may be anticipated in many areas in the near future.