Why are our Watersheds important?

"Alberta’s watersheds are vast and are vitally important to our way of life. Everything within a watershed is connected. Changes that happen within a watershed have huge effects on everything living within it, even if those changes are hundreds of kilometres away. For instance, land pollution in the Rocky Mountains could leach into rivers and lakes, impacting drinking water supplies on the other side of the province in Lloydminster. Alberta’s watersheds also flow into our neighbors’ lands on all sides, making our actions in protecting them important on an inter-provincial, and international level." Source: Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA)

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"Watershed management is the study of the relevant characteristics of a watershed aimed at the sustainable distribution of its resources and the process of creating and implementing plans, programs, and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant, animal, and human communities within the watershed boundary.

Adopting a watershed approach is founded on the basis that Alberta’s water resources must be managed within the capacity of individual watersheds and that all Albertans recognize there are limits to the available water supply. What happens on the land and water in a watershed can affect the water supply that rivers, lakes and groundwater provide. While land and water are closely linked, these resources have not historically been managed in a fully integrated manner. Focusing efforts at the watershed level provides a comprehensive understanding of local management needs, and encourages locally led management decisions." Source: Watersheds 101, Athabasca Watershed Council.

Did you Know? The word 'Saskatchewan' is derived from the Cree word 'Kisiskatchewan' which roughly means 'swift flowing'.