About Us
The Lesser Slave Watershed Council is a non-profit, charitable organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.
The Council
The LSWC is an Alberta non-profit (2006), registered charitable organization (2010) governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, a diverse group of individuals from towns, municipalities, Indigenous & Metis communities, industry, landowners, recreational users, partner non-profit organizations, and watershed residents who have an interest in how the waters of Lesser Slave Lake and its tributaries are managed.
The group began as a group of concerned citizens in the late 1990s, meeting to discuss lake and watershed management concerns. A few years after Alberta’s Water for Life strategy was adopted in 2023, the LSWC became a not-for-profit society, and in 2007 was recognized by the province of Alberta as the Watershed Planning and Advisory Council (WPAC) for the Lesser Slave watershed. The council is governed by Society Bylaws, and the Board of Directors is governed by Board Governance Policies.
Vision
A healthy resilient watershed that is valued and stewarded by engaged citizens and communities.
Goal
A healthy Lesser Slave watershed
Guiding Principals
- Be accountable to all stakeholders and citizens within the watershed.
- Work collaboratively with stakeholders and citizens to improve the health of the lake and its watershed.
- Share responsibility for the health of the lake and its watershed by involving communities and stakeholders in watershed management.
- Promote a better understanding of natural watershed processes and the interaction between land, water, ecosystem and human activities.
LSWC Strategic Goals
- Maintain Good Governance
- Be a Convener and Collaborator
- Engage in Policy and Planning
- Lead or Support Monitoring and Reporting
- Promote Education, Literacy, Stewardship
Water for Life
Alberta’s Water for Life strategy outlines the Government of Alberta’s commitments to manage and safeguard Alberta’s water resources. The strategy has been the vehicle for managing Alberta’s water resources since its release in 2003. Water for Life’s 3 goals are:
- Safe secure drinking water,
- Healthy aquatic ecosystems
- Reliable, quality water supplies for a sustainable economy.
These goals will be met through 3 key directions: knowledge and research, partnerships & water conservation. The Water for Life strategy identifies 3 types of partnerships. Each focuses on participation at a different geographic scale:
- Alberta Water Council (AWC) – provincial scale
- Watershed Planning and Advisory Councils (WPACs) – watershed scale
- Watershed Stewardship Groups (WSGs) – local scale
Alberta’s WPACs
Watershed Planning and Advisory Councils are important stewards of Alberta’s major watersheds.
They are independent, non-profit organizations that are designated by the province to report on the health of our watersheds, lead collaborative planning, and facilitate education and stewardship activities.
WPACs engage representatives of key stakeholders in the river basin area, including municipal, provincial and federal governments; industrial sectors; conservation groups; aboriginal communities; academia; and the public. In their work, they seek consensus on land and water resource management strategies that support the achievement of shared environmental, social, and economic outcomes for the watershed.
While each WPAC is an independent organization, four key roles have been established to guide WPAC work:
Convener & Collaborator
Maintain forums and create
opportunities for stakeholders to share perspectives, exchange
information and stories about our shared watershed resources & responsibilities
Monitoring & Reporting
- Fill knowledge gaps
- Inform stakeholders and the public on how we can protect our watersheds
- Maintain or improve water quality and aquatic ecosystem health
- Use reports to inform land use planning and watershed management
Watershed Planning
Collaborate on water and land
management planning activities with stakeholders and Indigenous
communities
Provide input on watershed
management issues that affect quality and quantity of groundwater, surface water, riparian zones, wetland, and biodiversity.
Education & Literacy
- Create opportunities for public engagement
- Increase awareness of watershed management issues
- Ensure the public is aware of stewardship and other initiatives