Integrated water resources management takes hold.

Like air, water is a resource that transcends society's boundaries. Watersheds and aquifers cross property lines and municipal, provincial and even national borders. Surface and groundwater resources supply competing demands from agriculture, recreation, energy and other sectors. And the multiple

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Obviously, attempting to manage water within jurisdictions and sectors is unrealistic. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)--an approach to water use that attempts to co-ordinate water management across various boundaries--is gaining acceptance in Saskatchewan and worldwide. IWRM helps society to navigate the complexities of water management in ways that acknowledge and integrate conflicting interests and issues.

IWRM is now being used is Saskatchewan at the watershed level to assist communities to improve the ways they share, manage and protect water supplies. It is based on a few guiding principles.

First, IWRM recognizes that fresh water is a finite, vulnerable resource that must be sustained for future generations. Water is required to sustain the environment and at the same time to support economic development. Balancing the short- and longer-term needs of society and the environment can best be accomplished through a management approach that integrates land and water uses across whole catchment areas and aquifers.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Second, the complexities of water use require that all the players--water users, planners and policy makers at all levels--be actively involved in planning, decision making, and policy implementation. A participatory approach makes it essential that all stakeholders are well informed of the issues so thoughtful decisions can be made at the grassroots level, through public consultation.

Third, it is important to recognize that water is not simply a free "gift of nature." It has an economic value in all its competing uses and should be recognized as an economic good. Past failures to recognize the economic value of water have led to unsustainable and environmentally damaging uses. Managing water as an economic good is an important way of achieving efficient and equitable use, and of encouraging conservation and protection.

These and other related principles have been incorporated in IWRM approaches around the world and in the Prairies. Alberta's strategy is called Water for Life. Manitoba has the Manitoba Water Strategy. In Saskatchewan, elements of IWRM are articulated in the Water Management Framework, the Green Strategy, and local Source Water Protection Plans. In addition, Canada and Saskatchewan have begun to work together, as a follow up to the Green Strategy consultations on water, to develop the Integrated Water Management Framework for Saskatchewan.

The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority (www.swa.ca) has developed a planning model based on consensus building, collaboration and stakeholder involvement at the watershed level. The process involves collaboration between a Watershed Advisory Committee and a Technical Committee. The Watershed Advisory Committee represents rural, urban and Aboriginal governments and includes Conservation Area Authorities, Watershed Associations and Irrigation District representatives. The Technical Committee, comprised of natural resource experts from the Authority and other federal and provincial agencies, provides expertise and technical support for the planning process.

Planning activities are underway in six watersheds and for aquifers in the Yorkton area. When completed, watershed and aquifer management plans will contain background information, an environmental scan of the watershed, an analysis of issues and threats, recommendations for key actions, timelines, responsibilities, accountability measures and evaluation criteria.

The growing understanding of the importance of water resources has led to an increased demand for information. The Canada-Saskatchewan Water Supply Expansion Program, for instance, is currently funding the development of third generation of geology and groundwater resource maps. These maps will ultimately be accessible to the public on the Internet.

Harm Maathuis is the Hydrogeology Business Unit Manager at the Saskatchewan Research Council.