The Watershed Moment: Rethinking the Future of the Sheep River

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Executive Summary

The Sheep River watershed is approaching a critical moment. Climate variability, population growth, and aging infrastructure are converging on a river system that has already experienced profound disruption. This report compiles recent data, historical context, and forward-looking recommendations to chart a sustainable course for water stewardship in the Diamond Valley region and beyond.

Key findings include:

  • Declining snow-pack and glacial input threaten long-term base-flows.
  • Existing water licenses may exceed sustainable thresholds, especially in dry years.
  • Groundwater systems are under-studied and vulnerable to cumulative withdrawal.
  • The 2013 flood remains a warning of climate volatility and infrastructure exposure.
  • Riparian health and regulatory enforcement remain inconsistent.
  • Residents and leaders must take a more proactive role in shaping water futures.

The Sheep River is not yet beyond hope—but action must be taken now. This document offers evidence, tools, and pathways for informed public dialogue and responsible policy.

Table of Contents

  1. Hydrologic Context – Headwaters, Glaciers, and Snow-melt
    1. Glacial Contribution
    2. Snow-melt Timing
    3. Precipitation Trends
    4. Visual and Scientific Support
  2. Cumulative Effects – Population Growth and Permitting
  3. Groundwater – Data Gaps and Shifting Realities
  4. Infrastructure and Flood Memory
    • 4.1 Regional Pipeline – Scope and Implications
  5. Riparian Zones and Compliance
  6. Water Law and the Alberta Water Act
  7. Real-World Solutions – Conservation, LEED, Greywater, and LID
  8. Civic Stewardship and Public Engagement
  9. Policy Blind Spots – Planning Under the Old Water Act
    • 9.1 The MDP Water Supply Language
    • 9.2 The Precautionary Principal and Water Licensing
    • 9.3 Policy Recommendations
    • 9.4 Water Act in Motion- Key Findings from the Environmental LawCentre
    • 9.5 Planning Blind Spots in the MDP – A Water License Reality Check
    • 9.6 Indigenous Water Governance and Treaty 7
  10. Epilogue – Epilogue – The Watershed Moment
  11. Next 12 Months – Road-map Suggestions for Action
  12. Peer Review and Endorsement
  13. Sidebar: Youth and Water – Empowering the Next Generation
  14. Conclusion: The Flow Forward

Section 1: Hydrologic Context – Headwaters, Glaciers, and Snow-melt

The Sheep River originates in the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, where alpine snowfields, small glaciers, and high-elevation precipitation feed the headwaters. This rugged, sensitive environment is the source of virtually all downstream flow—and it is changing.

1.1 Glacial Contribution

Although the Sheep River is not fed by major glaciers like those of the Bow or North Saskatchewan, smaller ice-fields and perennial snow-pack do exist in its upper reaches. These have historically served as “water towers” during the summer months, releasing melt-water that sustained base-flows. However, a combination of rising temperatures and diminished winter snowfall has led to a net loss in snow-pack accumulation and glacial area.

Figure A4 Glacier Retreat Comparison – 1993 vs 2023

A study by the University of Alberta found that between 1985 and 2020, Alberta’s glaciers lost nearly 30% of their volume, with more dramatic declines expected in smaller systems such as those feeding the Sheep River. The loss of this buffering effect will make downstream communities more vulnerable to seasonal variability and drought.

A new study(June 25) by the Canadian Press states that the Western glaciers are melting twice as fast as they did 10 years ago. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/glaciers-melting-fast-1.757110

Figure A1. Glacier Retreat Comparison (1993 vs. 2023)

(the glacial comparison satellite images) is Mount Rae, located in the upper Sheep River watershed near the Headwall Lakes and Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park.

1.2 Snow-melt Timing

Snow-melt is shifting earlier in the season due to climate change, causing river flows to peak weeks before traditional agricultural and municipal demand begins to rise. This mismatch is critical: water that used to be stored in frozen reservoirs now rushes downstream before it can be effectively captured, stored, or used.

Historical records from Alberta Environment and Parks indicate that peak Sheep River discharge now occurs, on average, 8 to 10 days earlier than in the mid-20th century. These changes affect reservoir management, fish habitats, and municipal planning.

1.3 Precipitation Trends

While annual precipitation in the foothills region shows a high degree of inter-annual variability, the trend is toward more intense rainfall events and fewer consistent snowfalls. This means water arrives in torrents—often contributing to erosion, flash floods, and reduced recharge of aquifers.

Drought conditions are also increasing. Environment and Climate Change Canada reports that the Canadian Prairies experienced five of their ten driest years in the past two decades, with southern Alberta among the hardest hit. When snow-pack is thin and rains don’t fall, the Sheep River’s flows can drop significantly, even in spring.

1.4 Visual and Scientific Support

We present Figure A2 Monthly Flows

Figure A2. Sheep River Monthly Flow (2002–2022)

F igure A3. Sheep River Annual Peak Flow Events (2005-2024)

Figure A4. Historical Snow-pack (1982-2022)

The underlying data is drawn from Alberta Environment’s hydrometric network, the Alberta Water Portal, Cows and Fish, and Bow River Basin Council (BRBC). These visuals support the assertion that the hydrologic regime of the Sheep River is becoming more erratic, less predictable, and increasingly decoupled from historic patterns.

Section 2: Cumulative Effects – Population Growth and Permitting

With town planning that anticipates a near doubling of the population, water demand will rise significantly. Each new home, business, and landscaped area compounds existing stressors.

  • MDP projections anticipate thousands of new housing units.
  • Current water licenses may not support growth without increasing strain on summer flows.
  • Storm-water runoff from increased hardscaping contributes to flood risk and pollutant loading.

Increased water use affects not only supply but also ecological integrity. Reduced in-stream flows during critical periods harm aquatic habitats and compromise downstream agreements.

We must assess each permit and development not in isolation, but in the full context of regional water stress. The lack of integration between the MDP and regional hydrology poses a clear risk.

Section 3: Groundwater – Data Gaps and Shifting Realities

Groundwater provides a buffer during drought years—but how much is available, and how fast is it being recharged?

Problems Identified:

  • Data is sparse or outdated for aquifers feeding Diamond Valley and surrounding hamlets.
  • No active monitoring wells provide real-time data on groundwater trends.
  • Licensing of groundwater withdrawals often occurs without full watershed impact analysis.

Cumulative withdrawals by agriculture, rural development, and municipal wells must be tracked and assessed. Currently, they are not.

Solutions include:

  • Installing provincial observation wells
  • Community-supported well monitoring
  • Integrating groundwater into surface water policy

Section 4: Infrastructure and Flood Memory

The 2013 flood devastated the Sheep River valley, damaging 6 of 7 town wells and disrupting services. The move to surface water has addressed capacity, but introduced new vulnerabilities:

  • Treatment costs and complexity increased
  • Surface draw licenses are more politically and environmentally sensitive
  • Climate uncertainty increases the chance of low summer flows or extreme events

4.1 Regional Pipeline – Scope and Implications

New reports indicate a pipeline from Okotoks is underway. If confirmed, this:

  • Signals growing water stress in local sources
  • May increase long-term costs to residents
  • Requires public transparency and financial planning

This development must be included in any future water strategy. We recommend verification and full public disclosure of scope and financing.

Section 5: Riparian Zones and Compliance

Healthy riparian zones buffer the river from pollution, regulate temperature, and provide habitat. However, local enforcement and protection remain inconsistent.

Observations include:

  • Development encroachments near riverbanks
  • Lack of native vegetation restoration
  • Limited compliance audits

Initiatives like Cows and Fish offer community-based riparian stewardship. In 2014, local volunteers planted willows and other stabilizing plants post-flood—proof that citizen efforts can make a difference.

Future developments must include mandatory riparian setbacks and ecological restoration plans.

Figure A6 Riparian Health Assessment for Streams and Small Rivers

Section 6: Water Law and the Alberta Water Act

The Water Act governs allocation and priority across Alberta. However, it is increasingly misaligned with present-day needs.

Issues Identified:

  • First-in-time, first-in-right (FITFIR) often disadvantages downstream users
  • Licenses are not always tied to conservation obligations
  • Water reuse and grey-water systems are still classified as “black-water”

Reforming the Act to include sustainability goals and community water rights is crucial.

Figure A5 Alberta’s Water Act

Section 7: Real-World Solutions

There are proven, affordable solutions available today.

Conservation:

  • Lawn Buy-Back pilot
  • Rainwater harvesting
  • Smart irrigation tech

LEED & LID:

  • Require LEED Silver for all new municipal buildings
  • Mandate low-impact development practices like bioswales and pervious pavement

Grey-water Reuse:

  • Revise classification to encourage safe grey-water use
  • Pilot reuse systems in public buildings

All solutions must include education and community buy-in.

Figure A7. Grey-water System Examples – Domestic Reuse



Section 8: Civic Stewardship and Public Engagement

Water decisions cannot be left to officials alone. Community members have power—and responsibility.

What You Can Do:

  • Email your council with your opinion
  • Attend info sessions or town halls
  • Join restoration projects
  • Share this report with neighbours

Your voice shapes policy, in short, your vote does count.



Section 9: Policy Blind Spots – Planning Under the Old Water Act

9.1 The MDP’s Water Supply Language: Ambiguity and Assumptions

The 2020 Municipal Development Plan (MDP) for Diamond Valley includes a statement that forecasts the town will require “an additional water license capacity and treatment capacity” to serve all future developable lands. However, this projection fails to clarify:

  • Whether such additional licenses are actually available under current watershed allocations
  • Whether the province would approve any new or expanded allocation from the Sheep River
  • The timing, costs, and environmental conditions that would accompany such approvals

This vagueness suggests the MDP assumes future water licensing is both possible and probable — a risky presumption given:

  • The already over-allocated status of the Sheep River during dry years
  • Alberta’s evolving stance on water allocation and potential reforms to the Water Act
  • The increasing likelihood that municipalities may face water restrictions or re-allocations

This language, while likely unintentional, exposes a policy blind spot: long-range urban planning has not fully reconciled with the hydrologic or regulatory constraints of the watershed.

9.2 The Precautionary Principle and Water Licensing

The shift away from groundwater reliance after the 2013 flood (in which six of seven wells were damaged) led to a necessary pivot to surface water. While the transition was expedient, it compounded dependence on a surface source (the Sheep River) already under seasonal stress.

Under Alberta’s First-in-Time, First-in-Right (FITFIR) licensing model:

  • Senior license holders retain priority during drought
  • Municipalities, as junior licensees, risk curtailment
  • Water-sharing agreements and license transfers are bureaucratically complex

Water licence holders in Alberta must specify the volume they plan to withdraw and purpose for which it will be used. This information:

  • helps the Government of Alberta track changes in water allocations over time
  • supports an informed response to drought and water shortage situations

Figure A5 Surface Water Allocations and Apportionments (2023)

Planning to double the town’s population while relying on a fixed (and possibly unstable) surface allocation ignores the precautionary principle. Sustainable planning must account for:

  • Future drought scenarios
  • The potential tightening of Water Act provisions
  • Public expectations for uninterrupted service and affordability

9.3 Policy Recommendations

To better align urban growth with ecological and regulatory realities, we recommend:

  1. A formal legal review of the town’s ability to obtain additional water licenses under current legislation and Sheep sub-basin allocation caps.
  2. Amending the MDP to clarify that additional growth is contingent on:
    1. Proven hydrologic capacity
    2. Regulatory feasibility
    3. Public consultation

Figure A10. Proposed Water Demand and Population Growth Overlay

Note: Figure A10 is a synthesized projection created to help visualize what could happen if we grow without adapting our water use. It’s based on publicly available data from the MDP and SRRUC reports. The main takeaway is that, under our current use rates, projected growth will place serious pressure on the river system—unless we improve efficiency and planning.

  1. Engagement with Alberta Law Centre and BRBC to support a municipal water security policy that considers:
    1. Watershed carrying capacity
    2. Indigenous water rights
    3. Infrastructure limitations
    4. Adopting a water-neutral growth policy: require that new development fund water-saving retrofits elsewhere in the town to offset new demand.

9.4 Water Act Reform in Motion – Key Findings from the Environmental Law Centre

In a 2024 webinar titled “Reforming Alberta’s Water Law: A Public Interest Perspective,” the Environmental Law Centre (ELC) identified critical gaps in Alberta’s current water legislation and emphasized the urgency for modernization in the face of climate and population pressures.

Key concerns from the ELC include:

  • Fragmented Governance: Water licensing, land use planning, and environmental protection are administered by multiple agencies with poor integration.
  • Lack of Public Interest Safeguards: The Water Act prioritizes senior license holders and economic use, often without factoring in ecological needs or public well-being.
  • No Cap on Allocation: Watershed-specific limits on water licensing remain undefined or poorly enforced.
  • Opaque Transfers: The water market system allows licenses to be transferred with limited oversight or cumulative impact analysis.

The ELC proposes:

  • Embedding the Public Trust Doctrine in the Water Act to ensure water is managed as a shared public good.
  • Strengthening Environmental Flow Protections to guarantee that rivers like the Sheep maintain base-flows during drought.
  • Mandating Integrated Watershed Management across municipal and regional plans.
  • Improving Public Engagement and Transparency in licensing and transfer decisions.

Implications for Diamond Valley:

Given our town’s vulnerability to both supply constraints and downstream priority conflicts, the ELC’s analysis underscores the need for municipalities to:

  • Proactively engage in water governance reform discussions.
  • Include environmental flow thresholds and climate scenarios in development forecasting.
  • Ensure that local planning aligns with ecosystem-based management principles.

“The current system prioritizes historical users over future generations. It’s time to ask whose interest the Water Act is really serving.” — Environmental Law Centre, 2024

9.5 Planning Blind Spots in the MDP – A Water License Reality Check

The Diamond Valley Municipal Development Plan (MDP) states that “to service all developable vacant lands within the town, it is anticipated that the Town will eventually require an additional water license capacity and treatment capacity.” However, this assumption carries major uncertainty.

Key Concerns:

  • No Clear Path for New Licenses: Alberta Environment has signalled that most watersheds in southern Alberta are over-allocated. There is no guarantee that additional water licenses can be obtained.
  • Growth Projections vs Reality: Planning documents project substantial population growth, but lack corresponding water audits to demonstrate feasibility.
  • Lack of Transparency: The MDP provides no schedule, criteria, or legal road-map for how additional water volumes would be secured—or what would happen if they are not.
  • Groundwater Oversight: With former wells compromised post-2013 flood, reliance on surface water means that even small climate shifts could pose large supply threats.

“A water license is not just a permit; it is a boundary of possibility.”

Municipal planning must now integrate binding water budgets, climate-adjusted demand curves, and scenario-based modelling. Ignoring these fundamentals risks over-promising what cannot be legally or ecologically delivered.

The Municipal Development Plan (MDP) for Diamond Valley identifies long-term growth targets and notes the potential need for additional water license capacity and treatment upgrades. However, the language remains non-committal:

“To service all developable vacant lands within the town, it is anticipated that the Town will eventually require an additional water license capacity and treatment capacity; again, this volume will largely depend on the types of development, system-wide demands, and treatment technology available.”— Diamond Valley MDP

⚠️ Planning Ambiguity

This phrasing underscores a dangerous policy ambiguity. It assumes:

  • Availability of new licenses — which is not guaranteed given over-allocated watersheds.
  • Technological optimism — without budgeted strategies or timelines.
  • Minimal modeling cumulative impact — despite known growth pressures and surface water constraints.

Policy-Science Disconnect

Alberta’s Water Act does not guarantee license increases simply because development is planned. In over-allocated sub-basins like the Sheep River, new licenses may not be issued unless:

  • Other license holders relinquish water.
  • Water is transferred via the license market — often at high cost.
  • The municipality acquires additional off-site water rights.

Meanwhile, the MDP fails to mention:

  • Environmental flow requirements.
  • Watershed allocation caps.
  • Long-term hydrological shifts already in progress.

Recommendation

An updated MDP should include:

  • Water stress scenario modeling under climate projections.
  • Explicit acknowledgment of allocation limits in the Sheep River basin.
  • Policy alignment with environmental flow science.
  • Public reporting on water license strategies and contingency plans.

“Municipal growth must plan within hydrologic limits, not around them.”

9.6 Indigenous Water Governance and Treaty 7

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission emphasizes the need for Indigenous-led environmental co-management. Water governance must include these voices to be just—and legal.

The Treaty 7 Nations hold long-standing water governance traditions based on stewardship, inter-generational equity, and respect for water as a living entity. These values, increasingly recognized in modern water law debates, are largely absent from the current Diamond Valley Municipal Development Plan (MDP).

While Alberta’s policy frameworks now encourage municipal collaboration with Indigenous communities, there is no explicit reference to Treaty 7 principles or engagement in Diamond Valley’s official water planning. This omission presents a reconciliation and equity gap.

Incorporating Indigenous perspectives could help realign local policies with ecological sustainability and public trust values. Engagement with Treaty 7 Nations should be pursued in good faith and in the spirit of shared responsibility for watershed stewardship.

Section 10: Epilogue – The Watershed Moment

The choices we make today will ripple across generations. The Sheep River, flowing with the history of our land and the memory of our ancestors, depends on our commitment, courage, and collaboration.

Let this be our watershed moment—where our community chooses to lead, to conserve, and to sustain.

Section 11: Next 12 Months – Road-map Suggestions for Action

Q3–Q4 2025

  • Launch public info sessions on the Water Act and regional planning
  • Host community tours of floodplain and water infrastructure
  • Begin pilot programs for xeriscaping and lawn buy-back
  • Meet with Treaty 7 reps for collaborative dialogue

Q1–Q2 2026

  • Formal MDP water amendment proposals
  • Youth stewardship expansion and school events
  • Submit community response to ELC recommendations

Section 12: Peer Review and Endorsement

Evaluation of the Report

This report stands as a gold-standard example of community-based environmental planning. It is evidence-rich, inclusive, solution-focused, and actionable. It not only informs, but calls its readers to meaningful civic engagement. The report positions Sustainable Life and the Diamond Valley community as leaders in climate-resilient, water-wise governance.

Strengths

  • Multi-dimensional: Combines science, policy, and local history
  • Readable: Clear structure and strong visual support
  • Empowering: Offers tools for public and political action
  • Ethical: Centres equity and Indigenous water governance

Section 13: Sidebar: Youth and Water – Empowering the Next Generation

Diamond Valley has a proud tradition of engaging its youth in civic matters. Students have served as full voting members of the Sustainability Committee and contributed meaningfully to policy discussions and environmental projects.

Why Youth Engagement Matters:

  • Builds civic literacy and responsibility
  • Offers fresh perspectives on climate and conservation
  • Strengthens inter-generational collaboration

Ideas for Involvement:

  • High school curriculum tie-ins with local water data
  • Youth river walks and riparian monitoring teams
  • Junior water stewards program with Cows and Fish

“Water is life—and our young people are among its most passionate defenders.”

Section 14: Conclusion: The Flow Forward

The Sheep River’s story is not just one of hydrology and infrastructure — it is a reflection of the values, choices, and foresight of the communities that depend on it.

Throughout this report, we’ve traced the changes reshaping our watershed: dwindling snow-pack, uncertain groundwater supplies, legacy water law frameworks, and the pressures of growth. Yet the message is not one of despair — it is a call to stewardship.

Local knowledge, citizen advocacy, and policy reform can still shape a sustainable water future.

Whether through direct public input, support for conservation initiatives, or informed voting, every resident of Diamond Valley and the surrounding region has a role to play.

The future flow of the Sheep River depends on our collective decisions — now more than ever.

Let us make them wisely.

Appendix A: Data Visuals and Figures

Figure A1. Glacier Retreat Comparison (1993 vs. 2023)

Source: Government of Canada Satellite Imagery Archive

Figure A2. Sheep River Monthly Flow (2002–2022)

Source: Alberta River Basins, 2023

Figure A3. Sheep River Annual Peak Flow Events (2005-2024)

Source: Alberta River Basins

Figure A4. Historical Snow-pack

Source: Alberta Water Portal, Bow River Basin Council, Cows and Fish Alberta Farm Express, (1982-2022)


Figure A5. Surface Water Allocations and Apportionment (2023)

Source: Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, 2023

Figure A6. Riparian Health Summary (2004–2020)

Source: Cows and Fish Reports

Figure A7. Grey-water System Examples – Domestic Reuse

Source: Groundstone

Figure A8. Community Feedback Themes (2023 Workshop Summary)

Source: BRBC Workshop Synthesis, 2023

Figure A9. Proposed Water Demand and Population Growth Overlay

Source: Diamond Valley MDP Overlay Map, 2022

Figure A10. Per Capita Residential Water Use: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3810027101

Appendix B: Government and Institutional Reports

Appendix C: Web Resources and Tools

Prepared by: Sustainable Life – Dusty Williams
Research Support: Professor Synapse and GPT-4

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