Athabasca River Case Study

Athabasca River Case Study

Recommendations from Solving the Puzzle

Land

Establish 50% protected areas

The Alberta Government should legislatively protect at least 50% of its public forest lands from industrial development. Protected areas should be developed and co–managed with Aboriginal peoples.

Implement a wetlands and biodiversity offset policy

Require establishment of biodiversity offsets for all oil sands development to offset impacts to all habitat types. To ensure a net positive environmental benefit and address existing cumulative effects, offsets should be established with a 3:1 offset ratio – three hectares of land should be conserved or restored for every hectare of new disturbance that occurs within the Boreal Forest Natural Region.

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Protect the Athabasca River from water withdrawals during low flow periods

Alberta Environment should complete a water management plan that identifies a science–based Ecosystem Base Flow (EBF) for the lower Athabasca River, as a low–flow threshold below which all water withdrawals would cease. The EBF should be legally enforceable and all water permits issued by the Alberta Government at any one time should be accountable to meet that EBF. In the interim, the low–flow threshold for the lower Athabasca River should be at least 100 m3/s.

Define sustainable groundwater yield

Measure and map the quantity and quality of groundwater and surface/groundwater interactions, to determine both the short and long–term sustainable yield of non–saline groundwater in the Lower Athabasca's groundwater management areas. Set legal requirements to implement and enforce the sustainable yield of

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