An Overview

The Prairie Provinces Water Board (PPWB) administers the Master Agreement on Apportionment, signed on October 30, 1969 by Canada and the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

The Agreement provides for an equitable sharing of available waters for all eastward flowing streams that cross interprovincial boundaries, including interprovincial lakes. It also serves to protect interprovincial aquifers and surface water quality. Schedules to the Agreement describe the role of the Board, stipulate how the water shall be apportioned, and set water quality objectives for the water passing from Alberta to Saskatchewan and from Saskatchewan to Manitoba.

The Board consists of three provincial members, representing the Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba and two federal members, representing Environment Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

PPWB activities are jointly funded by the provinces and the federal government, with the provinces each contributing one-sixth and the federal government contributing one-half of the annual budget. The federal government pays for the costs of surface water quantity and quality monitoring. The Board approves the annual budget and work plan.

Apportionment Monitoring Of South Saskatchewan River

The Master Agreement on Apportionment states that all eastward flowing streams are subject to apportionment. Currently, the Board conducts apportionment monitoring of Cold Lake, North Saskatchewan River, South Saskatchewan River below the Red Deer River, Battle Creek, Lodge Creek, Middle Creek on the Alberta- Saskatchewan border; and Churchill River, Saskatchewan River, Red Deer River, Qu’Appelle River, Assiniboine River, and Pipestone Creek on the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border.