PARCS UPDATE #218

The Water Security Agency at Work in 2022

You will find a copy of this newslettter in the NEWSLETTER section on our website

This past week the PARCS Board of Directors were invited to a meeting with the Water Security Agency for the purpose of providing input into a proposed Saskatchewan Wetlands Policy.

Background Information

The Water Security Agency defines itself as an "arm's length organization responsible for the management of the province's water resources to ensure safe drinking water sources and reliable water supplies for economic, environmental, and social benefits in Saskatchewan". (Wikipedia) Established in October of 2012, the Agency's role has evolved over the decade of its existence. The establishment of the WSA followed an event in 2001 when a number of people in North Battleford became very ill from consumimg unsafe drinking water. After a follow-up investigation, a judge ruled that it was the responsibility of the province to ensure that communities are providing safe drinking water for their residents - a mandate called SOURCE WATER PROTECTION.

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One of the ways that the province took to protect drinking water was to fund the establishment of local associations charged with ensuring the protection of the water bodies that were the sources of the drinking water for our communities. These associations, to be coordinated by the Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds (SAW) & funded by the province, were ultimately established on 11 of our 30 watersheds

The Assiniboine River Watershed Association
The Carrot River Watershed Association
The Lower Qu’Appelle River Watershed Association
The Lower Souris River Watershed Stewards
The Moose Jaw River Watershed Stewards
The North Saskatchewan River Watershed Stewards
The South Saskatchewan River Watershed Stewards
The Swift Current Creek Watershed Stewards
The Upper Qu’Appelle River & Wascana Creek Watershed Stewards
The Upper Souris River Watershed Stewards
The Yorkton Area Aquifers Stewards
The Old Wives Lake Watershed Stewards

In the spring of 2022, the province announced that it will NO LONGER FUND most of these watershed stewardship groups. (except for the Assiniboine River and Moose Jaw River Stewards) Instead, the WSA will direct funding to SAW and new regional watersheds.

Meeting with the Water Security Agency

"The WEA's Agricultural Water Mitigation Policy"

At the November 28th meeting, it was announced that this meeting with PARCS was one of 70 meetings of Water Security Agency with:

32 agricultural groups
8 environmental groups
5 research groups (But they did NOT include the UNIVERSITIES !)
4 municipal groups (PARCS, SUMA, SARM, RMAA)
21 Indiginous groups

THE INTRODUCTION - Although Shawn Jaques is the President and CEO (interim) of the WSA and spoke at our PARCS Convention, he was not part of this consultation meeting. The meeting was conducted by two SWA consultants. During the introductory remarks the SWA speakers stated that Saskatchewan has 1,900 miles of drainage ditches, of which 95 to 99 percent are illegal, that we are in need of policies around drainage, that we must stop high risk drainage and provide reports to the putblic.

THE PRIORITIES - Water quality, flood mitigation, habitat protection, along with soil health and the management of green house gases.

THE MITIGATION POLICY will allow for new development, have a flexible approach, allow landowners to select areas to retain, point out potential negative impacts (ex.: flooding).

GUIDING PRINCIPLES:

A growing economy of wetlands
An innovative and responsible approach
A collaborative and balanced approach
Transparant and accountable practices

TIMELINE FOR DEVELOPING THE POLICY:

Fall of 2022 (these 1 on 1 meetings)
Winter of 2022/23 (planning for outcomes & mitigation)
Spring of 2023 (longer meetings)
Summer of 2023 (draft policy)
Fall of 2023 (Final policy)

DISCUSSION FROM PARTICIPANTS:

Change the name of the policy -
Recognize that there has to be limits on drainage -
Address the myth that ground water belongs to the owner -
Look at the Arm River demonstration project -
Why were the universities left out ?
We need a regulator approach -
A small number of farmers are maximizing profit at the cost of the environment -
Who Owns the Lakes? Why no limits on develpment ?
Enforcement - Have a dedicated compliance arm !

A comparison of Sask with Manitoba and Alberta showed that our neighbours have policies that protect biodiversity, manage nutrient loading, and that they WILL NOT INCREASE THE TOTAL DRAINAGE IN THEIR PROVINCE.

It was also admitted that in Saskatchewan we have no discussion with downstream stakeholers; nor do we have a maximum on development.

It was further admitted that the WSA is dis-establishing the province's Watershed Stewards.