International Joint Commission
Encyclopedia
The International Joint Commission is an independent binational organization established by the United States
and Canada
under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.
The Commission has responsibilities related to the following treaties and agreements:
The Commission is implemented in Canada by the Boundary Waters Treaty Act of the Canadian Parliament. Canada funds the IJC with about $4 million annually.
and to advise Canada and the United States on questions about water resources
. The Commission holds public meetings every two years to discuss progress in cleaning up the Great Lakes and issues related to boundary rivers and trans-national rivers. It also sponsors conferences, meetings and round table discussions where members of the public and representatives of community groups and other organizations can take part.
The Commission investigates issues only when requested to do so by both nations. Its recommendations are not binding.
waters and other waters along the border. In the west, the Commission established conditions for dams on the Kootenay
, Okanogan
, and Columbia River
s, which cross through the states of Washington, Idaho
and Montana
, and the province of British Columbia
. The Commission has also assisted in drafting rules for sharing the St. Mary and Milk
rivers in Alberta
, Saskatchewan
and Montana. The Commission has been involved in how the Souris River
and Red River
systems are shared among Saskatchewan, Manitoba
and North Dakota
. It also sets emergency water levels for the Rainy Lake
system, including the Lake of the Woods
, which crosses through Minnesota
, Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario
. Protection of Rainy River
water quality is also addressed by the IJC. In the east, the Commission regulates dams and protects the water quality on the St. Croix River
, which flows through New Brunswick
and Maine
.
(Canadian Chair), Pierre Trepanier, and Lyall Knott; on the US side are commissioners Lana Pollack (US Chair), Dereth Glance and Rich Moy.
The Commission has three offices, in Ottawa
, Washington, DC, and Windsor, Ontario
. The Windsor Great Lakes Regional Office (GLRO) was created under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). It is staffed by a bi-national team of US and Canadian scientists and support staff.
Separate boards are responsible for particular boundary waters issues. When there are special issues, a Task Force is assigned to make a report or recommendations. The various standing bodies are:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.
The Commission has responsibilities related to the following treaties and agreements:
- Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909
- Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1978, amended 1987
- Air Quality Agreement (1991)
The Commission is implemented in Canada by the Boundary Waters Treaty Act of the Canadian Parliament. Canada funds the IJC with about $4 million annually.
Purpose and aims
The purpose of the Commission is to help prevent and resolve disputes about the use and quality of boundary watersInternational waters
The terms international waters or trans-boundary waters apply where any of the following types of bodies of water transcend international boundaries: oceans, large marine ecosystems, enclosed or semi-enclosed regional seas and estuaries, rivers, lakes, groundwater systems , and wetlands.Oceans,...
and to advise Canada and the United States on questions about water resources
Water resources
Water resources are sources of water that are useful or potentially useful. Uses of water include agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and environmental activities. Virtually all of these human uses require fresh water....
. The Commission holds public meetings every two years to discuss progress in cleaning up the Great Lakes and issues related to boundary rivers and trans-national rivers. It also sponsors conferences, meetings and round table discussions where members of the public and representatives of community groups and other organizations can take part.
The Commission investigates issues only when requested to do so by both nations. Its recommendations are not binding.
Jurisdictions covered
The Commission has jurisdiction over the Great Lakes–Saint Lawrence RiverSaint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
waters and other waters along the border. In the west, the Commission established conditions for dams on the Kootenay
Kootenay River
The Kootenay is a major river in southeastern British Columbia, Canada and the northern part of the U.S. states of Montana and Idaho. It is one of the uppermost major tributaries of the Columbia River, which is the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
, Okanogan
Okanogan River
The Okanogan River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 115 mi long, in southern British Columbia and north central Washington...
, and Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
s, which cross through the states of Washington, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
and Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, and the province of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. The Commission has also assisted in drafting rules for sharing the St. Mary and Milk
Milk River (Montana-Alberta)
The Milk River is a tributary of the Missouri River, long, in the United States state of Montana and the Canadian province of Alberta. Rising in the Rocky Mountains, the river drains a sparsely populated, semi-arid watershed of , ending just east of Fort Peck, Montana.-Geography:It is formed in...
rivers in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
and Montana. The Commission has been involved in how the Souris River
Souris River
The Souris River or Mouse River is a river in central North America. It is about 700 km in length and drains about . It rises in the Yellow Grass Marshes north of Weyburn, Saskatchewan...
and Red River
Red River of the North
The Red River is a North American river. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States, it flows northward through the Red River Valley and forms the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota before continuing into Manitoba, Canada...
systems are shared among Saskatchewan, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. It also sets emergency water levels for the Rainy Lake
Rainy Lake
Rainy Lake is a relatively large freshwater lake that straddles the border between the United States and Canada. The Rainy River issues from the west side of the lake and is harnessed to make hydroelectricity for US and Canadian locations. The U.S...
system, including the Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods is a lake occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the U.S. state of Minnesota. It separates a small land area of Minnesota from the rest of the United States. The Northwest Angle and the town of Angle Township can only be reached from the rest of...
, which crosses through Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario
Northwestern Ontario
Northwestern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and west of Lake Superior, and west of Hudson Bay and James Bay. It includes most of subarctic Ontario. Its western boundary is the Canadian province of Manitoba, which disputed Ontario's claim to the...
. Protection of Rainy River
Rainy River (Minnesota-Ontario)
The Rainy River is a river, approximately long, which forms part of the U.S.-Canada border separating northern Minnesota and Northwestern Ontario....
water quality is also addressed by the IJC. In the east, the Commission regulates dams and protects the water quality on the St. Croix River
St. Croix River (Maine-New Brunswick)
The St. Croix River is a river in northeastern North America, in length, that forms part of the Canada – United States border between Maine and New Brunswick . The river rises in the Chiputneticook Lakes and flows south and southeast, between Calais and St. Stephen...
, which flows through New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
.
Organization and boards
The Commission is headed by six commissioners, three from each country. Canadian commissioners earn up to C$169,800 a year, the chair up to C$209,200. Currently, the three Canadian commissioners are Joe ComuzziJoe Comuzzi
Joseph Robert "Joe" Comuzzi, PC is a former Canadian politician.Comuzzi was born in Fort William, Ontario. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Windsor in 1954. In 1966, Comuzzi received the University of Windsor Alumni Award of Merit, the Alumni Association's most...
(Canadian Chair), Pierre Trepanier, and Lyall Knott; on the US side are commissioners Lana Pollack (US Chair), Dereth Glance and Rich Moy.
The Commission has three offices, in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Washington, DC, and Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
. The Windsor Great Lakes Regional Office (GLRO) was created under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). It is staffed by a bi-national team of US and Canadian scientists and support staff.
Separate boards are responsible for particular boundary waters issues. When there are special issues, a Task Force is assigned to make a report or recommendations. The various standing bodies are:
- Council of Great Lakes Research Managers
- Great Lakes Science Advisory Board
- Great Lakes Water Quality Board
- International Air Quality Advisory Board
- International Columbia River Board of Control
- International Kootenay Lake Board of Control
- International Lake Superior Board of Control
- International Lake of the Woods Control Board
- International Niagara Board of Control
- International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control
- International Rainy Lake Board of Control
- International Rainy River Water Pollution Board
- International Red River Board
- International Souris River Board
- International St. Croix River Board
- International St. Lawrence River Board of Control
See also
- International Boundary and Water CommissionInternational Boundary and Water CommissionThe International Boundary and Water Commission is an international body created in 1889 by the United States and Mexico to administer the many boundary and water-rights treaties and agreements between the two nations....
(US and Mexico) - Rivers Without BordersRivers Without BordersRivers Without Borders, a nonprofit organization fiscally sponsored by the Tides Center and Tides Canada Initiatives, promotes a watershed-based conservation vision for the Transboundary Watershed Region of Southeast Alaska and northwest British Columbia. Rivers Without Borders' mission is to...