Water management options for the Milk River, Alberta

The Milk River, flowing from Montana to Alberta and back into Montana, is the sole water source for many of the farmers, ranchers and communities in south-eastern Alberta. A number of factors including the existence of an international treaty regarding water issues and the fact that water supply does not temporally meet demand, contribute to the problem that there is a dearth of management of the Milk River water resources. This study assesses five policy options for the management of the Milk River: water marketing, water banking, joint operations and on- and off-stream storage facilities. A survey of Milk River Basin residents, interviews with key stakeholders and case studies reveal that only a combination of such policies will solve the Milk River water management problems.