Addressing Nature’s Water Needs

The science, policy & politics of environmental flows

Tony MaasSenior Policy AdvisorWWF-Canada

“for any ecosystem function to be sustained, freshwater provides the foundation for the processes involved: a

foundation that has largely been neglected in the past.” Falkenmark, 2003

Environmental Flows

“the quantity, timing, and quality of water flows required to sustain freshwater and estuarine ecosystems and the human livelihoods and well-being that depend on these ecosystems.”Brisbane Declaration on Environmental Flows

©Garth Lenz/WWF-Canada

Renewable Water Supply

Adapted from Postel, 2003

Understanding the problem

Human Water

Footprint

Nature’s Water Needs

Sustainability Boundary

Voice from the past:“Canadians have tended to undervalue instream uses in water

management decisions . . . .” (Federal Water Policy, 1987)

. . . 20 years laterGenerally, decisions to expand cities ... apportion water

supplies…are made on a project-specific basis ... Ecological instream flow needs and lake levels are often ignored or underestimated.”

(Schindler & Donahue, 2006)

Evidence of Neglect

Over-allocation• Fish in the mud

Canada dammed?• 849 large; >10,000 total• Hydropower resurgence• Water-Energy nexus

Socio-economic impacts• Watershed equity

WWF Living Planet Report 2006

Changing science

• Flow as “master variable”

• Magnitude, frequency, timing, duration, rate of change

As many as 207 methodologies….it’s complex.

Minimum thresholds

Natural flow regime

A Governance Problem

“It actually boils down to a value judgment of what we want our

world to look like.” (Instream Flow Council)

So who decides and how?

Policy

Federal• No ‘national’ statement or policy on environmental flows• Federal mechanisms - Fisheries Act, Migratory Birds

Convention Act, SARA

Provinces• Ontario

• PTTW – increased attention to eco-needs

• Low Water Response –local drought response

• Alberta - Water for Life• WCOs – protection of aquatic environment

• Conservation holdbacks – 10% on licence trade

• Crown reservations

Politics – the ‘buts’

Federal• Limited action – jurisdictional wrangling

Provinces• Science policy• Reactive responses• Discretionary decision-making

Big question – How to say ‘stop’…who says it?

Strategies for success

• Send in the scientists• Assessing environmental flows

• Setting limits through proactive planning• Integrating science and policy

• Flexible institutional arrangements• Adapting to climate change, new knowledge

• Progress on the ground• Focus on priority places• Protect Canada’s remaining free flowing rivers

Thank youtmaas@wwfcanada.org

www.wwf.ca