The Vermilion River Water Supply and Demand Study is in support of the Vermilion River Watershed Management Project (VRWMP).  This study will serve to integrate and assess existing information, generate new knowledge, and provide tools to support planning and management. This study focuses on addressing water management challenges but forms part of a comprehensive approach that will lead to development of a watershed management plan to support environmental and economic sustainability in the Vermilion River sub-basin. The contract for the Water Supply & Demand Study was completed by Golder Associates in 2009. The final report is available for viewing in our publications section.

• State of the North Saskatchewan River Basin (2005) http://nswa.ab.ca/content/state-of-the-watershed


• Current and Future Water Use in the NSRB (2007) http://nswa.ab.ca/content/current-and-future-water-use


• Water Supply Assessment for the NSRB (2008) http://nswa.ab.ca/pdfs/NSWA_NSRB_WaterSupply_Final_AB-Apr18a1.pdf


• The Vermilion River Operations Advisory Committee http://www.vroac.ca/


• Alberta Environment/Ducks Unlimited Wetland Inventory for the Vermilion River Watershed (viewer at http://arcntsrv.ducks.ca/public/vermilion/viewer.htm)

• Provide technical information to assess the water management issues surrounding drainage activities in the headwaters, flooding in the middle reaches, and unreliability of water supplies in the lower reaches. 


• Evaluate how landscape alteration and climate variability in the basin may be contributing to the current water management challenges.


• Evaluate the effectiveness of current water infrastructure in meeting water supply and management needs now and in the future.


• Facilitate the development of local knowledge and expertise that can be applied to water management challenges in the basin.

Water Supply

• Task 1: Evaluate current hydrologic and hydro-geologic data for the Vermilion River basin and identify data gaps and related monitoring/research needs


• Task 2: Determine current basin and sub-basin yields and yield variability


• Task 3: Determine the effects of drainage systems and wetland loss on current system hydrology


• Task 4: Determine effects of operation of the present flood-control structures on river hydrology and flood attenuation


• Task 5: Develop a model to simulate basin hydrology to support future evaluation of management alternatives, growth scenarios and potential climate change effects

• Task 6: Estimate current and future water demand by sector for the Vermilion sub-basin


• Task 7: Determine the future needs for water supply and flow attenuation capacity

• Task 8: Provide recommendations for watershed, wetland and riparian management to sustain a healthy ecosystem and to support long-term water supply