On December 10, 2010, NSWA invited representatives from rural municipalities to a round table to discuss issues in our watershed.

The purpose of this forum:

• Learn about the State of the Saskatchewan River Basin and the major vulnerabilities of the big watershed.
• Learn about The Beaver Hills Initiative. A regional watershed initiative that addresses issues and vulnerabilities and works towards a common approach among participants
• Explore measures and mechanisms to manage regional watershed issues (e.g. water quality) in support of the NSWA's Integrated Watershed Management Plan.

AGENDA

• Update on NSWA and its purpose.

• NSWA attended a workshop in October of all watershed groups in the Saskatchewan River basin in the three provinces. Bob Halliday and Sheldon McLeod presented the State of the Saskatchewan Basin Report.
• NSWA wanted to share this important report with you, and to identify watershed management issues important to the counties.

• Main issue: Integration of different planning processes under Water for Life (W4L), Land-use Framework (LUF) and Cumulative Effects Management System (CEMS), rural planning under the Municipal Government Act (MGA), and now the implementation of watershed plans.
• New Studies and Data need to be translated, interpreted and provided to local governments to enable or support their planning activities, and to support our collaborative planning efforts.
• NSWA is increasing effort to provide information to Rural Municipalities.
• See: Final Report "Engaging Rural Municipalities, Forum Final Report.http://nswa.ab.ca/resources/nswa_publications/engaging_rural_municipalities

• Described how all the different planning processes (W4L's "shared governance", LUF and CEMS) converge around the same opportunities and challenges: how knowledge, regulation and stewardship work together to achieve desired outcomes.
• Today's discussion will lay the foundation for future discussions with rural municipalities and other stakeholders, by first describing the challenges faced in the Saskatchewan River Basin, the specific watershed issues rural municipalities face in relation to these basin-wide challenges, and then by identifying other stakeholders who should join the discussion on how to address these challenges.
• Abells Henry PPT presentation

• Reviewed the key vulnerabilities facing the Saskatchewan River Basin including: landscape modification; water supply; water use trends; instream flow needs (IFN); dams and diversions; municipal water needs, storm water and waste water disposal; climate change; floods and droughts; invasive species; institutional development needed to meet these challenges.
• Bob Halliday's PPT Presentation 
• State of the Basin Summary
• State of the Basin Full Report 

• Facilitated group discussion regarding how these identified vulnerabilities at the Basin scale translate into issues at the local municipal/county scale.
• Comments recorded during this discussion are included in Summary Reports for each round table discussion: 

• Focused on the value of working together to meet challenges that impact us all.
• See presentation: TBA

• Participants were divided into four tables for group discussions: Headwaters, Downstream and two tables discussing Central watershed issues. Summary Reports for each round table discussion: 

• Headwaters: Key issues: information about water (water bodies; ground water; water for livestock; drainage of wetlands); surface run-off from cut-blocs. Stakeholders: We should invite developers and real estate agents (development has a huge impact on the watershed) and stewardship groups.
• Downstream: Key issues: loss of wetlands and illegal drainage; access to information; Ecological Goods & Services (EG&S). Stakeholders: Grain producers.
• Central -Table A: Key issues: climate change impacts; invasive species. Stakeholders: Ducks Unlimited and land trusts (to help address invasive species issue).
• Central: Table B: Key issues: septic compliance for private sewage systems; water supply for livestock; country residential sprawl; access to information; stakeholders: Developers; Approval authorities.

• On-going discussion to follow up with issues and comments from this forum.
• On-line survey and/or emails with comments to be sent in by others who could not attend today's meeting.
• More Dialogue with Land-use Secretariat (LUS) and Sustainable Resource Development (SRD).
• Organize meetings in the sub-regions where stakeholder can share issues of mutual concern.
• NSWA to work with County Councils to raise the profile of these discussions in each area.
• IWMP - People need real time to integrate the issues and process the discussion.
• Share the results of this meeting with the participating municipalities and other stakeholders.