International water boards

The Canada Water Agency supports a number of International Joint Commission water boards.

International Red River Watershed Board

The governments of Canada and the United States established the International Red River Board under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 in response to the 1997 Red River flood. In 2001, to ensure an ecosystem approach to transboundary water issues and to achieve operational efficiencies the International Joint Commission combined the activities and membership of the International Souris-Red Rivers Engineering Board and the International Red River Pollution Board into the International Red River Board. The Canada Water Agency provides the co-chair, a member and the co-secretary for the board. The United States co-lead is the US Army Corps of Engineers. The Department has members on the International Red River Board committees on Hydrology, Water Quality and Aquatic Ecosystems.

International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board

The International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board was established in 2013 to assist the International Joint Commission with coordinating water level management between Canada and the United States in the Rainy and Namakan chain of lakes pursuant to the 1938 Rainy Lake Convention, reviewing and reporting on the water quality and ecological health of Lake of the Woods and the Rainy Lake boundary waters, and resolving disputes regarding boundary waters in the Rainy-Lake of the Woods watershed. The Government of Canada is represented on the International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board by the Canada Water Agency, which leads on water quality aspects of the mandate, and by Environment and Climate Change Canada which leads on water level management. The Canada Water Agency provides a co-chair and co-secretary for the International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board.

Great Lakes Water Quality Board 

The Great Lakes Water Quality Board is the principal advisor to the International Joint Commission under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The Board assists the International Joint Commission by:

• reviewing and assessing the progress of the governments of Canada and the United States in implementing the Agreement
• identifying emerging issues and recommending strategies and approaches for the Great Lakes; and
• providing advice on how to implement these strategies and approaches

Poplar River Bilateral Monitoring Committee

The Poplar River Bilateral Monitoring Committee oversees monitoring programs to evaluate water quality and quantity in the Poplar River and reports directly to the Canadian and United States governments.

Related Links

• International Red River Watershed Board
• International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed
• Great Lakes Water Quality Board
• Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
• Poplar River
• Poplar River Bilateral Monitoring Committee
• International Joint Commission
• Environment and Climate Change Canada - Water and the environment