The Future of the South Saskatchewan River Basin: Stakeholder Perspectives

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to report the opinions of 42 water users and stakeholders regarding the future of water quantity and quality in the South Saskatchewan River Basin (SSRB) in Alberta, Canada. The SSRB provides a challenge to sustainability as it is an international watershed draining three Canadian prairie provinces and Montana. This project was developed to document the statements of Alberta stakeholders regarding their preferences for future water use in their portion of the SSRB. The project staff consisted of nine graduate students who interviewed 42 water users within the SSRB. Interviewees included members of the First Nations, farmers, small business owners, land developers, persons affiliated with conservation groups, environmentalists, staff from cities, provincial government, and water districts, as well as scientists from the University of Lethbridge, the University of Calgary, and the University of Alberta. The goal of the interview process was to listen to stakeholders’ diverse concerns over water use in South Saskatchewan River Basin and to describe stakeholder preferences for future use of the basin’s water. This project was funded in part by the IC² Institute.