Watershed Protection Plan

The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority is launching a watershed and aquifer planning process for the Swift Current Creek Watershed.

The Swift Current Creek Watershed is located in southwest Saskatchewan and is part of the South Saskatchewan River basin. For planning purposes, a portion of the Old Wives Lake watershed has been included to reflect those areas which are affected by irrigation waters from the Swift Current Creek.

The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority is partnering with the Swift Current Creek Watershed Stewards Inc. in the production of the watershed production plan. The Swift Current Creek Watershed Stewards Inc. is a primarily volunteer, not-for-profit corporation formed by local people in the Swift Current Creek and Rush Lake Creek Watersheds. The mission of the Stewards is to enhance water quality and stream health of the Swift Current Creek Watershed by promoting awareness and understanding among water users.

The planning process will bring together local leaders from municipal governments and various non-government organizations, who will work in partnership as members of Watershed Advisory Committees to protect and secure source water to ensure present and future safe drinking water needs are met. Currently, a Technical Committee made up of natural resource experts from the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Energy and Resources have been assembled to support the work of the Watershed Advisory Committee.

At the conclusion of the planning process, the committee will release the Swift Current Creek Source Water Protection Plan. This action plan will be based on the water protection priorities that have been identified by people living in the watershed. It will provide a clear indication of what needs to be done and by whom, and will specify realistic and acceptable timelines for these actions to be completed.