Implementation of the Alberta Water for Life strategy: strategic partnerships in action.

Alberta's Water for Life Strategy was introduced in 2003 with three main goals: safe, secure drinking water supply; healthy aquatic ecosystems; and, reliable, quality water supplies for a sustainable economy. The strategy establishes a framework of partnerships within the province that are charged with stakeholder consultation, integrated watershed planning, policy recommendations and implementation of a broad range of initiatives within this diverse prairie ecosystem. The Government of Alberta has established a framework of partnerships charged with implementation of the strategy: the province-wide Alberta Water Council, watershed planning and advisory councils that work on a basin-wide basis and watershed stewardship groups that deliver on-the-ground programs at the local and community level. The authors discuss the mandate(s) of each partnership group, key actions and deliverables. Examples are provided of specific projects undertaken by each partnership and a summary is provided of lessons learned based on the authors' direct experience over the past five years.