Spanning approximately 159,000 square kilometres, the Athabasca River Basin (ARB) covers 24% of Alberta1. The headwaters of the ARB begin at the snow dome Columbia Icefields in Jasper National Park, also referred to as the hydrological apex of North America. The ARB continues into the northeastern corner of Alberta and western Saskatchewan, draining into Lake Athabasca through the Peace-Athabasca Delta.
There are four distinct Natural Regions in the ARB including the Rocky Mountains, Foothills, Boreal Forest and Canadian Shield. Each Natural Region has its own distinct climate and physical geography.
With a density of only one person per square kilometer, the population of the ARB is sparce, especially compared to most other regions of Alberta4. The region does, however, contain abundant natural resources including water, forests, coal, oil and gas, minerals, and agriculture5. These resources are the economic engines of the region and provide livelihoods for those living in the area.
The Athabasca River plays an important role in supporting the ecosystems in the ARB. In particular, the area where the Peace and Athabasca Rivers meet near Lake Athabasca, called the Peace-Athabasca Delta, is one of the most ecologically significant areas in the world and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
To determine the climate of a region, scientists compile data from various instruments including air temperature sensors and precipitation gauges. In the ARB, the climate is not the same across the entire region. This variability is because the Basin covers a large area and because there are so many differences in the four Natural Regions, including average air temperature and precipitation levels.
To provide a rough understanding of the climate across the ARB, the table below shows average air temperature and precipitation at four locations. The data are from the instrument record compiled by Environment Canada.
| Location | Natural Region | Average maximum temperature for summer days (oC) | Average maximum temperature for winter days (oC) | Average total precipitation during summer (mm) | Average total precipitation during winter (mm) |
| Jasper | Rocky Mountains | 21 | -3 | 153 | 136 |
| Hinton | Foothills | 23 | -2 | 242 | 100 |
| Athabasca | Boreal Forest | 23 | -4 | 324 | 133 |
| Fort McMurray | Boreal Forest | 22 | -8 | 214 | 97 |
Because the instrument record is relatively short (only approximately 100 years), scientists use information from the natural world to gain a better understanding of what the climate looked like thousands of years ago. Old trees, for example, provide a record of wet and dry years because the amount of growth each year is dependent on the amount of water available to the tree.
In the ARB, tree ring data from the past 900 years shows that there was much more variability and greater climate extremes than can be seen in the relatively short instrument record6. The tree rings show periods of wet weather that lasted for one to two decades, as well as periods of drought lasting over ten years that resulted in low flows in the Athabasca River 6.
p>This information is significant because what happened in years past will theoretically happen again. Because of climate change, people living and working in the ARB need to be prepared for the possibility of even greater climate variability and extremes, as well as an overall trend of warming.
Climate projections for the ARB show that the Basin will likely experience warmer air temperatures and more precipitation in the future. Specifically, there will likely be much warmer and wetter winters, with warmer and slightly wetter summers.7 8
The models also project that the climate could be increasingly variable from year to year, and may be very different from one decade to the next. Therefore, although the trend is toward warmer and wetter, there are also likely to be serious droughts at times, resulting in occasions where there are very low water flows in the rivers.
The ARB includes mountain areas with glaciers which typically begin to melt in July and August of each year. Glacial melt contributes up to 20 per cent of the total streamflow in the Athabasca River. The timing of this melt is critical, as the extra water comes when agriculture and other industries typically need more water because it is hot and there is less rain. Because climate change is expected to result in warmer air temperatures across the ARB, snow will likely melt earlier in the spring and glaciers will likely melt faster8. This change in timing could negatively impact water supplies in the Athabasca River because less water would be available in the late summer when it is most needed. There could also be increased flooding in the spring and early summer if too much snow melt comes at the same time as heavy rain events.
The extra precipitation that is projected will likely result in more water available for the whole year, but the timing of when it enters the river is important to consider. Later summer is the time when the river is typically at its lowest flow and the ecosystem is potentially most stressed, but there is still high demand for water for many different human activities. Because of the projected decline in glaciers, it is projected that summer flows in the Athabasca River in 2080 could be 21% lower on average than they are now.9
Because of the projected changing climate in the ARB, water users in the region can expect the following challenges:
In the future, it is likely that the ARB will receive more water at unpredictable and inconsistent times of the year. This variability creates the necessity for adaptability and resilience, especially in terms of community planning. Examples of resilient community planning include building homes and infrastructure farther away from river banks, ensuring bridges are built to withstand higher river waters, and passing legislation so that toxic waste is stored where it will not enter the river systems in the event of an unexpectedly large flood.
Communities also need to protect ecosystems as a means of ensuring resiliency against climate change. Wetlands, for example, are particularly important for moderating streamflow and will help protect downstream communities from extreme wet weather events. In the ARB, high priority ecosystems should be identified and safeguarded.
And finally, ensuring water availability in the future is essential. A few ways to work towards this include:
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Ross has extensive executive experience in Operations, Governance, Information Technology and Strategy at the board and senior management level including Mancal Corporation, Mancal Energy, Highridge Exploration and Atlantis Resources. He has worked in Oil and Gas, Coal, Commercial Real Estate, Portfolio Management, Recreation, Retail and Water and Wastewater Treatment. His experience is also geographically diverse having overseen operations in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Additionally, he has been on the board of companies with operations in Argentina, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Kazakhstan, and Russia. He has served on numerous Public, Private and Not for Profit Boards across a number of industries.
Ross has been active on several industry Boards and committees including the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and The Schulich School of Engineering Industry Advisory Council at the Schulich School of Engineering.
Brian is a seasoned Cleantech entrepreneur with a proven history of successfully bringing complex water technologies to the market. With over 25 years of experience, he has led various organizations to achieve significant milestones in the industry.
Having started as the founding CEO of the Pressure Pipe Inspection Company (PPIC) and later taking the helm at the Water Technology Acceleration Project (WaterTAP), Brian’s entrepreneurial spirit has been instrumental in driving innovation and growth within the sector.
He is an active investor in the cleantech sector and has served on many boards including the Ontario Clean Water Agency.
Actively engaged in industry associations like AWWA, WEF, IWA, and ASCE, Brian enjoys collaborating with fellow professionals to promote advancements in the field.
Brian holds an undergraduate degree and a PhD in Physics from Queen’s University, which has provided him with a solid technical foundation. As a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, he brings valuable insights to corporate governance.