The plan is intended to help guide the province through drought conditions, prioritizing water for human health and safety
The Government of Alberta has released their Drought Response Plan. The plan provides guidance on drought response to all users of water, including municipalities. Drought conditions can change rapidly and impact different areas in very different ways. The Drought Response Plan is intended to help government, irrigators, communities, businesses, and others respond quickly and effectively to a wide range of drought conditions. The plan outlines:
- The five stages of Alberta’s drought response.
- The roles and responsibilities of partners, including government, to help everyone collaborate and communicate.
- The regulatory and non-regulatory approaches and tools that may be used in various drought conditions.
- How and when emergencies would be declared, with recognition that declaring an emergency is used as a last resort.
As noted above, the plan sets out five stages of drought response. The current situation in Alberta is “Stage 4: significant water shortage in multiple areas.” In Stage 4, the province is working with major water users to employ regulatory and non-regulatory solutions. This includes creating water shortage response plans, fast-tracking temporary diversion licenses to allow water to be temporarily diverted from new sources, and water-sharing agreements announced on April 19, along with other steps being implemented across southern Alberta.
The RMA will continue to review the Drought Response Plan and other drought initiatives to keep members up to date.
Warren Noga
Policy Advisor
825.319.2285
warren@RMAlberta.com
Wyatt Skovron
General Manager of Policy & Advocacy
780.955.4096
wyatt@RMAlberta.com