Key Water Management Milestones

Over time, several significant events have shaped the current system of water and watershed management in the Athabasca watershed. While this list is not exhaustive, we highlight some of these key events below.

If you have an event or initiative you would like to see included, please contact us at  SCIENCE@AWC-WPAC.CA

Key Water Management Events in the Athabasca Watershed

1967

The Great Canadian Oil Sands project, the first oilsands project in Alberta, is initiated.

1970s

Alberta Environment begins monitoring water quality in the oil sands region.

1975 – 1976

Weirs are constructed on the Rivière des Rochers and the Réveillon Coupé, outflowing channels linking Lake Athabasca to the Peace/Slave system.

1993 – 1996

The Peace-Athabasca Delta technical studies are produced.

1996

The 4 year Northern Rivers Basin Study is completed.

1997

The Mackenzie River Basin Transboundary Waters Master Agreement is signed and the Mackenzie River Basin Board is established.
The Regional Air Quality Coordination Committee is reformed as the Wood Buffalo Environmental Association, the airshed council for the lower Athabasca.
The Regional Aquatics Monitoring Program, an industry-funded, multi-stakeholder environmental monitoring program, is initiated.

1998

The 5 year Northern Rivers Ecosystem Initiative is initiated.

2000

The Cumulative Environmental Management Association is established as a multi-stakeholder organization to provide recommendations to manage the cumulative environmental effects of regional development on air, land, water and biodiversity.

2003

The Water for Life Strategy is released by the  Government of Alberta.

2007

The Athabasca River Conference, organized by the Crooked Creek Conservancy, Athabasca University, and several other partners, is successful in raising awareness about water management in the Athabasca River.

2008

The Government of Alberta facilitates a Watershed Planning and Advisory Council Initiators Group to undertake planning for an Athabasca WPAC.

2009

The Athabasca Watershed Council is established and its first Board of Directors is elected. Between 2010 and 2012, the AWC released several State of the Watershed reports.

2011 - 2014

The Athabasca State of the Watershed Reports and Traditional Knowledge Summary were produced by the Athabasca Watershed Council.

2012

Several smaller regional monitoring programs were combined to create the Oil Sands Monitoring Program.
The Lower Athabasca Regional Plan is approved by the Government of Alberta.
The Lower Athabasca surface water quality management framework is approved and a monitoring framework is established.

2015

The Alberta-NWT Mackenzie River Basin Bilateral Water Management Agreement is signed.
The Lower Athabasca surface water quantity management framework is approved and implemented.

2018

The AWC produced its State of the Athabasca River Watershed Summary report.
The Athabasca Watershed Shorelines Initiative was started with a successful application to the Watershed Resilience and Restoration Program.

2020

Assessments of the Pembina River watershed shorelines were completed.

2021

The Lac La Biche Watershed Management Plan is approved by Lac La Biche County and its partners.
Development of an Upper Athabasca Surface Water Quality Management Framework is announced by the Government of Alberta.

2022

The Athabasca Watershed Council approves and begins implementing the Athabasca Watershed Management Plan.
An assessment of the Tawatinaw River watershed shorelines was completed.