THE CHALLENGE OF INTERJURISDICTIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT IN THE MACKENZIE RIVER BASIN

Abstract

The Mackenzie River Basin, covering an area of about 1 787 000 square kilometres occupies one-sixth the area of Canada and encompasses five political jurisdictions. The 60th parallel roughly divides the basin in two with the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan being adjacent and upstream of Yukon and Northwest Territories.Unlike most river basins, the majority of development is in the upstream portion of the basin occupied by the three provinces while there is little development downstream in Northwest Territories and Yukon.Sharply contrasting political, cultural and economic conditions, as well as water use patterns exist between the upstream and downstream portions of the basin. The economics and culture of the three provinces are modern industrialized while the area north of 60 is characterized by mostly a subsistence lifestyle with the two territorial governments in the process of devolving into full provincial status.These complex geographic and socio-economic conditions form the background to the search for cooperative interjurisdictional arrangements to share and use the water resources of this enormous basin in a fair and equitable manner.