The North Saskatchewan River watershed is a large land mass with a variety of hydrological systems and ecological regions. It provides water for domestic and municipal use, agriculture, forestry, petroleum and other industries, fishing, recreation and tourism. 

It is neccessary to manage the vast variety of land uses in the watershed in order to meet the environmental, social and economic needs of the people who work, play and live within its boundaries.  To this end, the NSWA initiated an Integrated Watershed Management (IWMP) planning process in 2005.

Managing 57,000 square kilometres for a variety of water quality and quantity needs is not a straighforward excercise. Population density, multiple jurisdictions, evolving interest groups, changing land use, as well as different perceptions and expectations make collaboration and cooperation paramount to success.