Drought Stages Across Alberta’s River Basins (Mid-July 2025)
Alberta’s current drought situation is classified by river basin, with each basin assigned a severity stage from 0 (no drought) to 5 (emergency). As of July 2025, conditions are highly variable across the province, with the greatest severity continuing in the south.
Drought Response Stages (Summary Table)
River Basin | Drought Stage (0–5) | Current Conditions/Notes |
Oldman River | 3 (to 4 in some reports) | Severe drought, low reservoirs, below-average water supply |
Milk River | 3 (to 4 in some reports) | Much below average flow, among hardest hit regions |
Bow River | 2–3 | Below-average to much below-average forecasted flows; some local improvement |
Red Deer River | 2–3 | Below-average river flows, persistent drought stress |
North Saskatchewan | 1–2 | Above average to below-average, mostly moderate drought/monitoring |
Battle River | 2 | Active management needed, low flows, water shortage advisories |
Athabasca/Peace Basins | 1–2 (Beaver River at 0) | Mostly monitoring, low to moderate drought in some areas |
Stages:
- 0 = No drought
- 1 = Monitoring/observation
- 2 = Active management, drought predicted
- 3 = Priority management, significant administration required
- 4 = Multiple areas with significant drought, access and supply issues
- 5 = Emergency measures (not in effect, as of July 2025)
Key Details by Basin
- Oldman & Milk River Basins: Experiencing the most severe conditions, currently at Stage 3 and occasionally moving to Stage 4. Reservoirs and river flows are well below average, prompting water use restrictions and priority management[1][2][3].
- Bow & Red Deer River Basins: Persistently below-average flows, with drought stages at 2–3. While rainfall has offered some relief, the outlook remains cautious[1][3].
- Battle River Basin: All five subwatersheds remain under water shortage advisories, classified at Stage 2 for “active management.” Stream flows are well below normal, and drought warning protocols are active[4].
- North Saskatchewan, Athabasca & Peace Basins: Generally in Stage 1 or 2 (monitoring/active management). The Beaver River sub-basin is at Stage 0 (no drought)[3].
Provincial Overview
- As of July 2025, most basins are in Stage 0–2, with only the Oldman and Milk River basins reaching Stage 3 or higher.
- Water shortage advisories remain widespread—over 40 advisories are in place.
- The provincial government maintains updated maps and advisories to help residents track local conditions and preparedness[1][3].
Additional Context
- Mountain Snowpack is already melted in the Bow and Elbow basins; both have upstream storage below normal for the time of year[5].
- Reservoir Levels: Average to below average in southern Alberta, with some isolated reservoirs (such as Glenmore in Calgary) well-managed but still potentially at risk if dry conditions persist[1][6].
Situation Outlook
- Southern basins are at highest risk of worsening drought if precipitation remains below normal through July and August.
- Central and northern basins are currently not in crisis but are under careful monitoring due to the possibility of late-summer moisture deficits.
In summary:
The Oldman and Milk River basins are at the highest drought stages (Stage 3–4), while the Bow, Red Deer, and Battle River basins are at moderate drought levels (Stage 2–3). Northern basins range from normal to low-stress, with close monitoring ongoing throughout the province[1][3][4].
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- https://www.alberta.ca/drought-current-conditions
- https://www.abmunis.ca/news/updated-provincial-drought-response-plan
- https://www.albertafarmexpress.ca/news/alberta-releases-updated-drought-response-plan/
- https://www.battleriverwatershed.ca/drought-update/
- https://www.calgary.ca/water/drought.html
- https://rivers.alberta.ca/forecasting/data/reports/Res_storage.pdf
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