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North America Drought Monitor
Hot Spots
From Devils Lake to the Columbia River: Western
Water Issues -Nigel Banks, University of Calgary, 2008 for the Institute for United States
Policy Research
Devils Lake
Devils Lake is a closed basin in North Dakota
within the Hudson Bay drainage.5 Water levels
in the lake have been rising over the last number
of years causing flooding leading the state
to seek an outlet. Various options have been
considered over the years all involving the diversion
of Devils Lake water into the Sheyenne
River and thence into the Red River into Canada
and ultimately into Lake Winnipeg. Downstream
interests on the Sheyenne in both the
United States and on the Red River in Canada
(and especially the province of Manitoba) have
vehemently opposed the construction of an outlet...
/more - Nigel Banks, University of Calgary 2008
The Milk and St. Mary Rivers
The Milk and St. Mary Rivers form parts of
two different continental watersheds. The Milk
River rises in the United States, flows north
into Canada and then loops back into the
United States and forms part of the Missouri
drainage. The Milk is also fed by various
streams (known as the eastern tributaries) that
rise in Saskatchewan and cross the boundary
before joining the Milk in the United States.
The Milk River was first used for irrigation
purposes in the United States in the 1870s. The
St. Mary River also rises in the United States
and like its sister rivers the Waterton and Belly
flows south into Canada forming part of the
Oldman and South Saskatchewan drainage and
ultimately flowing into the United States.
Apportionment of these two streams became an
issue when the United States proposed to divert
water from the St. Mary River into the Milk
and claimed the right to use the Canadian
stretch of the Milk to convey this additional
water to downstream interests in the United
States.../more - Nigel Banks, University of Calgary 2008
The Flathead
The Flathead is part of the Columbia Basin on
the west side of the continental divide. The
Flathead and its tributaries rise in the south
eastern part of British Columbia and then flow
south into Montana. The river for part of its
length forms the western boundary of Glacier
National Park in Montana and is designated as
a Wild and Scenic River. Glacier Park along
with Waterton in Canada is a World Heritage
Site.
There are currently two initiatives to develop
resource projects in the British Columbia portion
of the Flathead Basin.20 One is the proposed
Lodgepole Coal Mine (Cline Mining
Corporation). This is a proposed open-pit operation
located in the Foisey Creek\Crab Creek
area approximately 40 kms north of the border.
Various interests in Montana have expressed
serious concerns in relation to the project and
have argued that the environmental impact assessment
that British Columbia is conducting is
too narrowly framed.../more - Nigel Banks, University of Calgary 2008
The Columbia River Treaty
Originally signed in 1961 but not ratified until
1964 with its accompanying protocol, the Columbia
River Treaty (CRT) provides for cooperative
measures for hydroelectric power generation
and flood control for the waters of the
basin. The CRT accomplished this by requiring
Canada to build and operate three storage facilities
in Canada: Duncan, Mica and Keenleyside.
These facilities are to be operated in accordance
with agreed plans to provide for flood
control and power generation. In addition Canada
agreed to let the United States build Libby
dam on the Kootenay River and to allow the
reservoir behind that dam (Lake Koocanusa) to
flood land in Canada. In return, Canada was to
receive two types of benefits: (1) a lump sum
to represents the flood control benefits that the
facilities and planned operations would confer
on the United States and, (2) half of the socalled
downstream power benefits (energy and
capacity).31 In addition British Columbia also
expected to receive benefits associated with the
operation of Libby since Libby would firm up
capacity at existing and proposed (Corra Linn)
facilities on the Kootenay downstream of
Kootenay Lake.../more - Nigel Banks, University of Calgary 2008
The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA)
The GLWQA is another Canada–US agreement pertaining to water. The GLWQA was signed in 1972 and was last revised in 1987. It expresses the commitment of each country to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem. The Agreement identifies 43 Areas of Concern, which are targeted for remediation. In Canada, it is largely implemented through the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. The GLWQA provides for periodic, comprehensive reviews of its operation and effectiveness; a report on the most recent review was submitted to the governments in the fall of 2007. In 2006, the IJC had recommended a new, more action-oriented agreement.
Freshwater management initiatives have also been undertaken at the state and provincial level. For example, the Great Lakes Charter is a “good faith” agreement signed by the Council of Great Lakes Governors (which includes Quebec and Ontario as associate members) that addresses concerns regarding the potential for adverse effects from diversions and consumptive use of Great Lakes water on the environment, economy and welfare of the region. In 2001, an Annex was signed that led to a binding system of permits to regulate withdrawals of water from the Basin.
In response to pressures in the United States to supply water to expanding urban areas just outside of the Great Lakes Basin, the eight Great Lakes governors and the premiers of Quebec and Ontario signed, in 2005, the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement and the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (the Annex 2001 Implementing Agreements). The two documents detail how the states and provinces will manage and protect the Basin, and provide a framework for each state and province to enact laws to this end. Despite the re-drafting of the original proposed agreements, there remain some concerns that loopholes could permit inter-basin transfers to communities close to the Basin, potentially leading to large-scale transfers to the southwestern United States. Following the passage of legislation in all eight Great Lakes states to implement the Compact, it was approved by the US Congress and signed by the president in the fall of 2008..../more Water issues: Managing the Great Lakes - Canadian Library of Parliament
Georges Bank
In the 1970s, Canada and the USA extended their
offshore jurisdictions to 200 nautical miles and the
Gulf of Maine became the exclusive domain of the
Canadian and US fisheries.
Although the two countries
periodically exchanged scientific information, their
fisheries were managed independently.
In the 1970s, Canada and the USA extended their
offshore jurisdictions to 200 nautical miles and the
Gulf of Maine became the exclusive domain of the
Canadian and US fisheries.
Although the two countries
periodically exchanged scientific information, their
fisheries were managed independently.../more
Canada–USA Bilateral Fisheries
Management in the Gulf of Maine:
Under the Radar Screen -
Emily J. Pudden and David L. VanderZwaag
Pacific Salmon Treaty
The Pacific Salmon Commission is the body formed by the governments of Canada and the United States to implement the Pacific Salmon Treaty.
Interception of Pacific salmon bound for rivers of one country in fisheries of the other has been the subject of discussion between the Governments of Canada and the United States of America since the early part of the last century. In 1985, after many years of negotiation, the Pacific Salmon Treaty was signed, setting long-term goals for the benefit of the salmon and the two countries.../more Pacific Salmon Commission
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Editorial Note
President Obama left Ottawa Thursday. On Saturday at the Byward Market line-ups at the Beaver Tail Hut were long. Expectation still lingered. Canadians love Barack Obama.
Water was not mentioned in the course of the American President's short visit to Canada. A polite neighbour doesn't broach thorny subjects on his first visit.
Issues loom however. The US is running out of water.The Arctic is melting, the passage is opening.
Here at the Water Chronicles, we firmly believe that water, just as energy and climate has to be dealt with on a continental basis. This is not a popular wiew in Canada.
And, to be truthful, the US has not always earned the world's trust.
There is also genuine concern with bulk diversions natural ecosystem, sustainability and fish stock diversity and depletion. Meanwhile the opening of the North-West passage in the Arctic increases the threat of shipping, mining and oil contamination on a very fragile land and ocean. Not to mention the issue of who manages this new maritime waterway. Canadians live there, hello, but are seriously outnumbered in shipping and submarine power.
But the world has moved on and the planet is in peril. If we cannot deal effectively with this threat on a global basis lets hope we can at last lead the way in North America on a continental scale.
Our first report on the North-American Watershed took a broad look at transboundary water treaties, today, in our second report, we look at the transboundatry water hot spots that dot our common boders and oceans.
Up until now, most of these have been dealt with in a congenial fashion, but with water shortages looming, water contamination increasing, flares-ups are to be expected. Already in the US, there are inter-state water wars in both the southeastern states and in the Colorado compact, while inter-sector battles in drought-ridden states such as California are bound to flare up.
The North American map on the left pinpoints the Canada-US transboundary water hot spots, while the North America Drought map shows that Canada is not spared. Water shortages are increasing in its most intensive cattle and farming regions. This situation is replicated in the US where the most water-intensive activities, irrigation, livestock, mining and thermo-electric energy, are found in drought- prone states.
Water Withdrawals
Click on Images
Domestic
Commercial
Thermo-electric power
Hydro-electric
Industrial
Mining
Livestock
Irrigation
Total
Source:USGS - 1990
Learn more...
Devils Lake File
Water.ca
Water - Devils Lake update
Council of Canadians
Devils Lake: Cross-Border Controversy
CBC
Milk and St. Mary Rivers Drainage Basin - Map
Department of Natural Resources & Conservation,Montana
St. Mary and Milk Rivers Water Management Initiative
Department of Natural Resources & Conservation, Montana
Flathead Wild
Flathead.caLaval University
Montana Governor Letter to C. Rice 2005
Flathead Coalition
Changes needed to Pacific Salmon Treaty
David Suzuki Foundation
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