Officials working to update century-old river water treaty

Southern Alberta Newspapers

An update to the process of updating a 100-year-old water treaty on the Milk and St. Mary rivers will be given in early May, officials have announced.

Two years ago the International St. Mary and Milk Rivers Study Board began reviewing the Canada-U.S. Agreement, which has been in place since 1921. It aims to update the pact, look at options to “improve access to apportionment,” and mitigate the potential effect of climate change on water supply.

A public meeting will be held May 2 in Havre, Mont., starting at 6 p.m. at the Best Western Boothill Inn.

There is no meeting in Canada currently scheduled, but officials say events in Montana, Alberta and Saskatchewan will be held in the future.

Next month, officials will provide a look at the work done to this point after beginning in 2021, as well as the forward plan and timetable through 2024.

The two rivers are connected by a canal adding flow to the Milk River that runs into Canada and back to the United States.

More information can be found on the website of the International Joint Commission (www.ijc.org).