After two years in development, the Yukon government released its water strategy and action plan Wednesday.

The strategy broadly outlines areas YTG plans to address, but in most cases, doesn't provide details nor timelines.

Those will be outlined in an implementation plan, which has yet to be finalized.

The government will provide $2.7 million over three years in addition to other monies devoted to water management already.

Heather Jirousek, a program advisor with Environment Yukon, explained today that the funding will cover the

installations of 25 new hydrometric monitoring stations and six water quality stations.

As well, it will

• help strengthen the government's flood forecasting capabilities;

• allow the department to hire a hydrogeologist;

• formalize a community monitoring program;

• improve data accessibility; and

• help implement other action items identified in the strategy.

"The water strategy is intended to provide for present and future water needs as well as support better collaboration among the governments and agencies with responsibilities for water management,” the

44-page document reads.

"It recognizes that because water itself is dynamic, water management decisions must also be able to adapt to seasonal and climatic variability.”

The strategy's overall vision is to sustain the "quality, quantity and overall health of waters flowing through Yukon lands ... for all living things now and in the future.”

Within that vision, nine principles will guide the government's approach to water management: sustainability, conservation, forward-looking, adaptability, security, stewardship, cooperation, respect, and communication.

The strategy includes two over-arching goals. The first aims to sustain water quality and quantity for nature and to respect the intrinsic value of water.

The second aims to ensure accessible, safe and sufficient water for drinking, commercial, recreation, heritage, cultural, and spiritual uses for people.

The action plan portion of the strategy is divided into six priority areas.

The first is to better understand and manage the Yukon's groundwater.

Concern about the limited understanding of the Yukon's groundwater has been raised numerous times this year. Most notable are those by a series of experts who testified before the legislature's select committee regarding the risks and benefits of hydraulic fracturing.

During a technical briefing this morning, Jirousek noted it was a concern the department heard throughout the strategy development process as well.

"In order to protect Yukon's groundwater from contamination, improvements to our understanding, monitoring and management of this resource are essential,” the strategy notes.

The government plans to hire a hydrogeologist and develop a regulatory framework to manage groundwater resources.

The second priority area aims to maintain and improve access to safe drinking water.

Here, the government has provided $150,000 to Yukon College for its water and wastewater operator program over two years.

The strategy notes the government will also gather baseline data to assess drinking water use and the real cost of providing water in the Yukon. It will also assess the feasibility, costs and benefits of metering water use.

The third priority area focuses on the promotion of sustainable water use.

Jirousek explained this priority is broadly aimed at providing guidance and advice to water users.

The government also aims to improve the sharing of information about the Yukon's water, mostly by improving its web presence at YukonWater.ca and its Waterline web-based tool.

The fifth priority area aims to improve water management programs, which are delivered through seven government departments.

The action items included under this priority include hosting an annual or biennial Water Forum to share information and collaboratively address water issues.

In addition, the government plans to strengthen its existing policy prohibiting bulk removal of water from Yukon watersheds, and monitor cumulative impacts on water quality, quantity and rate of flow at the watershed scale.

It will also undertake flood risk mapping, enhance flood forecasting capabilities, and develop a policy for managing Yukon wetlands.

Finally, the government will plan for present and future water needs by expanding existing monitoring networks.

Moving forward, an internal government working group will finalize an implementation plan, identifying which action items will be addressed first – some are more complex than others, Jirousek noted.

The departments plan to update their progress at the Water Forums, and will formally report within five years.

"In some ways, we're really just getting started; there's a lot of work here over the next few years to be able to implement all that we have before us,” Jirousek said.