Water for Life: Alberta’s Strategy for Sustainability was created in 2003. Throughout the Water for Life public consultation process, Albertans expressed a strong interest in playing a significant role in managing Alberta’s water resources and influencing change within watersheds by directly influencing policy and legislation development, tracking, and reporting on the condition of watersheds. As a result, the strategy emphasizes collaborative, community partnerships to manage and protect water resources including designating Watershed Planning and Advisory Councils (WPACs). The Battle River Watershed Alliance was created in 2006 and soon after was selected as a WPAC for the Battle River and Sounding Creek watersheds.
There are eleven WPACs to represent the major basins in the province. Each operates as an independent not-for-profit society guided by a Board of Directors.
WPACs are vital, unbiased partners to the provincial government, uniquely positioned to support diverse water management priorities. They foster consensus across community partners, bringing together all levels of government, indigenous communities, agriculture, industry, conservation, academia, and the public.
Currently there are 11 WPACs in Alberta. From North to South:
Mighty Peace Watershed Alliance
Lesser Slave Watershed Council
Beaver River Watershed Alliance
North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance
Battle River Watershed Alliance
Red Deer River Watershed Alliance
