[4] British King Edward VII ratified Canada's corollary International Boundary Waters Treaty Act.

It grants respective federal and state/provincial governments legal jurisdiction over the use, obstruction, and diversion of these waters (Article II).

It creates the International Joint Commission (IJC) and requires future hydromodifications be approved by a majority of the three Canadian and three American Commissioners (Articles III, IV, VII, VIII).

The IJC can only provide research or orders of approval if either federal government submits a referral (Article IX).

[4] The IJC has jurisdiction for regulating water quantity, including flows and levels, the Treaty enumerates the following order of precedence of use (Article VIII): The Treaty applies the riparian doctrine that one use cannot materially impair another protected use.