From 2019 – 2023, the Water Security Agency (WSA) worked to develop hydrologic drought response plans for communities whose source water was at risk of hydrologic drought as part of the Building Regional Adaptation Capacity and Expertise (BRACE) project. Hydrologic drought places stress on existing water infrastructure and can disrupt both regional and local water supply. Throughout Saskatchewan, 75 at risk communities were identified by the WSA and 17 participated in the drought response planning process. Draft hydrologic response plans were prepared for the 17 communities by the WSA, and in 2024 the WSA engaged the Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds (SAW) to complete the draft plans.

Completing the hydrologic drought response plans will allow communities to build resiliency to hydrologic drought, reduce the impacts of drought, and prepare for future drought conditions. Communities will be better prepared to respond quickly and systematically to the specific challenges that droughts cause. The completed plans will identify the triggers for drought based on local climate and water resource needs, the steps required to declare a drought, and the roles and responsibilities of community leaders including elected officials, town administration, water infrastructure operators, fire officials, and community stakeholders. The plans will also outline drought impacts and concerns of the community and specific adaptation measures for those impacts.

SAW is currently completing the hydrologic drought response plans for the Village of Vanguard, Town of Hudson Bay, and Town of Cabri.

What is Drought?

Drought conditions occur when there are periods of abnormally dry weather that deplete water resources required for human and environmental needs. There are four main types of droughts: meteorological, agricultural, hydrologic, and socio-economic drought.  

Meteorological drought is a precipitation deficit. When dry conditions continue soil moisture becomes depleted and droughts progress into agricultural drought. Further dry conditions develop into hydrologic droughts. Hydrologic drought is when water supply levels (lakes, rivers, streams, reservoirs, and groundwater) are lowered by long precipitation deficits. Hydrologic drought can affect access to drinking water for communities. Socio-economic drought occurs when droughts are so severe that there are broad economic consequences from water shortages.