Addressing Nature’s Water Needs The science, policy & politics of environmental flows Tony Maas Senior Policy Advisor WWF-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) years later Generally, 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 you