First Nation Watershed Program
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In order to raise awareness on water, watersheds, source waters and stewardship initiatives in First Nation communities across Alberta, the First Nations Watershed Program is being developed by First Nations (Alberta) Technical Services Advisory Group through support by Environment Canada and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. The FNWP will build capacity through promotion and awareness of water conservation and protection initiatives, stewardship actions and tools for management of watersheds and source waters.
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The North Saskatchewan River running through Edmonton.
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The program also aims at identifying potential watershed and source water management projects and programs and assisting communities in integrate them into Tribal Council and community infrastructures and land use planning. This will be completed through educational programs, building local capacity and identifying, facilitating and deploying actual projects and programs that meet the needs of the various communities involved. Development of training materials, organizing and delivering workshops on watershed and source water management will be the activities and measures that are can be carried out at the household and community levels. These workshops are offered to residents, band council members and technical service providers and make use of tools and techniques that improve the potential for implementing watershed and source water projects and programs.
Potential projects and programs that receive the backing and interest of the communities concerned are aimed at being identified in each Treaty area of Alberta. The promotion net will be cast wide in this awareness and identification process and incorporate, for many communities, all potential new watershed and source water projects and programs including watershed management and planning tools, such as initiating In-flow Stream Needs assessments, State of Watershed reports, conservation and protection tools and initiation and development of watershed groups. FNWP will provide assistance in locating project and program funding through various Federal, provincial and ENGO funding initiatives open to communities for programs or projects aimed at conservation and protection of watersheds and source water.
This program provides a mechanism for First Nation communities to become, within a very short time, more actively involved in managing of watersheds and source waters issues that affect them on reserve. Its intention is to promote conservations and protection of water in communities through increasing the deployment of tools and practices that help build local self-sufficiency, provide water management opportunities, and develop capacity, all the while respecting local customs, traditions and beliefs.
For more information about watershed and source water, please refer to our
Watershed Glossary of Terms,
visit the links on our Watershed link page, or e-mail or telephone
Denise Hammel at TSAG (780-483-8601).
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