Alberta's water resource, as measured by its major rivers, is quantified in two tables (based on natural and recorded data). How much does Alberta consume each year, how much is licensed, and what proportion do these volumes represent when compared to natural river flows?

Total Allocations of water in Alberta By the end of 2005, Alberta had allocated more than 9.5 billion m³ of water for various uses throughout the province. The majority (97%) of this was from surface water sources. Although we rely less on groundwater than surface water, groundwater is typically a much more important source for individual domestic water supplies in rural areas. Many smaller communities may rely on groundwater as well as some industrial and commerical operations where surface water supplies are not sufficient.

Water is not allocated uniformly across the province. Most allocations are in the eastward-flowing Saskatchewan River Basin (the North and South Saskatchewan Rivers and their tributaries), where 88% of the population of Alberta is located. As shown in the graph below, the allocations in each of the major basins is graphed according to the amount of surface and groundwater sources.

When shown as a percentage of total surface and groundwater allocations, the South Saskatchewan River Basin is the most licensed basin in terms of total allocations. It accounts for over 58% of all allocated water in the province. The second largest in terms of overall allocation is the North Saskatchewan River Basin (29%).

Allocations of water in Alberta over time
Water allocations have grown significantly since the 1940's and 1950's, about the time when the population and industrial growth in the Province began to increase. In the first part of the last century, water was mainly allocated to irrigation in the southern part of the Province. However, the growth of municipalities, industries, and demand for electricity have driven up total water allocations from about 2 billion m³ after Alberta was founded to over 9 billion m³ today. It is important to note that allocations do not measure actual water use - but the growth in allocations is still a reflection of an increasing demand for available water in order to support all the activities and development in the Province. The two charts below show the growth of water allocations over time (by decade). The first one classifies allocations by the major basin where they occur, and the second chart shows allcations by the major sector using the water.

Alberta Environment also has an Indicator that tracks water allocations by sector on the State of the Environment web site.

Besides knowing the total amount of water that has been allocated, it is also useful to know how the water is being used. The Allocation by Purpose link explains how much surface and groundwater has been allocated for various purposes.