Past Event! Note: this event has already taken place.
GWI “Water Conversations” Series: Analyzing Water Allocation and Water Markets in Southern Alberta
March 20, 2018 at 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
| Location: | 3235 Mackenzie |
| Cost: | Free |
| Audience: | Anyone |
| Key Contact: | Christiane Mineau |
| Contact Email: | christianemineau@cunet.carleton.ca |
| Contact Phone: | (613)520-2600 x2516 |
Speaker: Anteneh Belayneh, PhD candidate at the Carleton School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA).
Bow River, Alberta, Canada.
Abstract: Alberta’s South Saskatchewan River Basin (SSRB) is prone to periods of water shortage. Its semi-arid climate and intensive water demands have left the basin periodically over-allocated. Water allocation in Southern Alberta was traditionally governed by a supply driven approach and dominated by irrigation and agricultural water users. The province governs water allocation through the Water Act which was the culmination of a shift in water policy orientation in southern Alberta to a more demand driven approach. The centerpiece of this new approach to water allocation is the water market, which has been described as thin. Water markets are an emerging economic instrument in water resource management. This study examines whether the water market is indeed a thin market and why there have been a paucity of water transfers to date. The study also examines the potential efficiency gains from water reallocation in the SSRB.
Anteneh is a PhD candidate at the School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA), starting in September 2014. His research interests relate to water resource allocation and management. His areas of expertise are Bioresource management and hydrology. His recent work involves studying the economic impact of mining on indigenous communities in the Canadian sub-arctic and water allocation in southern Alberta. Anteneh is also a member of the Canadian Water Network’s Student and Young Professionals Committee.