NRDC says pending water crisis needs action

In the face of concerning studies predicting an impending water crisis in the Athabasca River Basin, the Natural Resources Defense Council is calling for the Alberta government to re-evaluate the water use licenses granted to the tar sands industry. As the government examines how best to do this, several initial steps are necessary, say NRDC staff Joshua Axelrod and

Roxane RÈgis in a blog. At the outset, outreach to First Nations to share traditional knowledge about changes witnessed in the Athabasca basin will help Alberta not only understand the extent of the issue, but also ensure that future actions by government and industry honour the rights of First Nations to use and access the resources they have relied on for millennia. Further, long-range modeling that accounts for climate change-driven drought conditions should be used to set minimum flow rates while tar sands operators who enjoyed no prohibition on withdrawals this summer are brought into an updated system where such prohibitions would apply. In the end, if the tar sands industry hopes to continue operating—even at current levels—it must work with First Nations and the province to strive to achieve water use levels that will preserve the health of the Athabasca River for future generations.