Assessing watershed health indicators: Strengthening indigenous co-governance and embracing climate adaptation in support of watershed resilience

This study examines watershed health indicator (WHI) frameworks across North America by assessing their alignment with the holistic principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). The research highlights collective gaps within these frameworks, particularly regarding Indigenous leadership and climate change in mainstream WHI development. It also reveals disparities and commonalities between western science and Indigenous knowledge systems, arguing that there is power in co-creative partnership approaches. This underscores the need for a more inclusive, collaborative, and co-creative WHI development that can effectively monitor and track the array of environmental, social, and economic challenges unique to the Okanagan Basin. The findings will inform policymakers and watershed managers about the importance of holistic and culturally sensitive WHI frameworks, and advocate for continuing legislative support for Indigenous leadership in WHI development via the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, Water Sustainability Act, and Watershed Security Strategy and Fund.