This is a presentation made by David Marshall at Keepers of the Water in Fort Nelson, BC September 2012. He is Executive Director at the Fraser Basin Council.

1. Thinking Like a Watershed
Keepers of the Water VI – September 2012

2. Key Issues to Address
• Jurisdictional fragmentation and conflicting mandates in water
management across the country
• Need for coordination and a common framework for decision-
making
• Consistent data and models to address growing risks of
surface and groundwater depletion
• Focus on effective adaptation to current
and future climate-related stresses on
water
• Public awareness of limitations on water
availability and the need for conservation
and careful management

3. What is Collaborative Water Governance?
• Collaborative water governance may be broadly defined as
the involvement of non-state actors in decision-making for
water management
• Delegation by government of water governance to a
council, committee, or basin organization
• Involves multiple agencies and organizations (greater
participation by a wide variety of non-state actors)
• Use collaboration, dialogue and consensus to inform
decision-making (also involves trust-building)
(Nowlan, Bakker)

4. Principles of Effective
Collaboration
• Transparency and
accountability
• Equity and inclusiveness
• Effectiveness and efficiency
• Responsiveness
• Collaborative decision-making

5. Collaborative Water and Watershed Planning
Who are the Participants / Stakeholders?
• Those with jurisdictional authority and management
responsibilities:
– All orders of government (Provincial, Federal, First
Nations, Local (municipalities and regional districts)
– Water suppliers
• Those with title, rights and interests:
– Aboriginal title and rights
– Water licensees / water use “sectors” such as
agriculture, recreation
– Water and watershed stewards

6. Collaborative Water and Watershed Planning
Who are the Participants / Stakeholders?
• Water users / in stream flows for fish
and aquatic ecosystems
• Those who may impact or influence
water and watershed health
– Users of other watershed
resources (land, forests, minerals,
etc.)
– Sources of pressures on water
quantity, quality and watershed
health

7. Why is Water / Watershed Planning,
Management and Governance Important?
We need planning, management and
governance arrangements to
effectively manage water and
watersheds, including:
• Managing the use and allocation of
water
• Resolving conflicts among diverse
interests
• Mitigating pressures on water from
diverse sources

8. Water and Watershed Planning Guide
- Project Objectives
The purpose of this guide is to help communities, stakeholders,
organizations and individuals:
• Understand the value of water and watershed planning
• Navigate through the web of current and emerging water
issues
• Understand the range of planning options that are available in
BC
• Build capacity to develop and implement plans that will
strengthen watershed health, community resilience and
sustainability

9. Collaborative Watershed
Governance Initiative
• FBC is helping to bring together BC’s
watershed users (e.g., loggers, farmers,
ranchers, miners, developers) and the
four orders of government
• Tackling the question: How can we
achieve the sustainability of watersheds
for the benefit of diverse users and
ecosystem integrity?
• This group will look at new and better
ways to collaborate on watershed
management and look at current
initiatives

10. CWGI Draft Accord:
Guiding Principles for Watersheds
• Existing agreements, rights and obligations will be respected
• Ecological, social and economic considerations will be
integral parts of decision-making
• Transparency, accountability and inclusivity are essential for
effective watershed governance
• Effective working relationships will be developed
and maintained through trust and cooperation
• Decisions will be based on the best available
information, both traditional and scientific