Water conservation objectives

Water conservation objectives protect natural water bodies and their aquatic environments.

These objectives relate to the volume and quality of water to remain in rivers for the protection of a natural water body and its aquatic environment. They are flow targets under the first-in-time, first-in-right priority water allocation system and will apply to all new licences and existing licences with a retrofit provision.

The objectives recommended in the South Saskatchewan River basin's management plan provide direction on how to increase flows in the highly allocated Bow, Oldman and South Saskatchewan River sub-basins and permit allocations in the Red Deer River sub-basin. They are subject to future review and refinement in light of improved knowledge and information about the aquatic environment and water quality.