Building Drought Resilience with First Nations of Treaty 6 - Phase 1 Needs Assessment

Building Drought Resilience with First Nations of Treaty 6 - Phase 1 Needs Assessment

This Needs Assessment was guided by the voices and knowledge of First Nations across Treaty No. 6 territory, gathered through workshops, one-on-one conversations, and collaborative dialogue. The process was built on a commitment to ensuring that the assessment reflects the lived experiences, priorities, and knowledge systems of the First Nations communities it is meant to serve.

The Needs Assessments project came about through a partnership with the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations, who served to link the project to key members of First Nations communities across the Treaty territory, advised on project design and delivery, and were instrumental in shaping the final assessment.  
ClimateWest logo The project was generously funded by the ClimateWest Adaptation in Action Program, which helps develop and support the regional partnerships needed to respond to a changing climate across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

Understanding Drought

Drought is a layered challenge with social, cultural, environmental, and economic dimensions that affects different communities in different ways. We describe four main types of drought, each capturing different aspects of how water shortages can unfold across the landscape and within communities.

Dry Skies – Meteorological Drought

This is the most familiar form of drought, defined by a prolonged period of below-average rain and/or snow. Meteorological drought is marked by unusually dry weather patterns that can last for weeks, months, or even years. 

Dry Earth – Agricultural Drought

Dry skies can lead to reduced soil moisture or agricultural drought, which directly affects crops, pastures, and the ability to grow food. Even short-term moisture deficits can devastate yields and threaten food security.

Dry Waters – Hydrological Drought

Over time, dry skies and dry earth can lead to lower water levels in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and aquifers, also known as hydrological drought. Its impacts are far-reaching, affecting drinking water supplies, water availability for industry and agriculture, and aquatic ecosystems.

Dry Nations – Community, Socio-Economic Drought

The final and often most visible layer of drought is its effect
on people and communities. Socio-economic drought occurs
when water shortages begin to disrupt daily life by impacting
households, businesses, health, and local economies. These effects are typcially compounded for First Nations communities. 

Key Links and Resources

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Project Details

Two Treaty No. 6 territory-wide workshops served as the primary engagement forums. The first brought together 25 participants from eight Nations, and the second workshop expanded participation to include 21 participants from 11 Nations.

The workshops were supported with one-on-one conversations with workshop participants and staff from the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations to gather deeper insight and ensure that individual perspectives were captured. 

Special thanks and appreciation to the many Treaty Six First Nations who participated in the workshops and other conversations. They include:

  • Alexis Nakota Sioux First Nation
  • Cold Lake First Nation
  • Enoch Cree Nation
  • Ermineskin Cree Nation
  • Frog Lake First Nation
  • Goodfish Whitefish Nation
  • Kehewin Cree Nation
  • Montana First Nation
  • O’Chiese First Nation
  • Paul First Nation
  • Samson Cree Nation
  • Sunchild First Nation
  • Whitefish Lake First Nation #128.