The St. Mary and Milk Rivers, governed by the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty, are vital transboundary resources shared by Canada and the United States. While the Treaty aims to ensure fair water distribution, procedural constraints and evolving climate conditions have created ongoing challenges for both countries in fully accessing their water allocations. To address these issues, the International Joint Commission (IJC) launched the St. Mary and Milk Rivers Study (ISMMRS) to explore structural and non-structural options for enhancing water apportionment. The study incorporates comprehensive stakeholder engagement, particularly with Indigenous rights holders, and seeks to establish socio-economic indicators tailored to the basin, fostering equitable and adaptive water governance. In this talk, Prof. Alain Pietroniro will discuss the basin's historical context, challenges, and the governance and study structure designed to ensure mutually beneficial outcomes for both nations. He will highlight data-backed recommendations that uphold each country’s water entitlements, bolster climate resilience, and address longstanding shared water management challenges in the St. Mary and Milk Rivers region.
Joint the event
Speaker
Prof. Alain Pietroniro
Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Water Systems in a Changing Climate
UNU Hub at University of Calgary
