Proclaimed in 2013, the Alberta Wetland Policy has been heralded as an example of science-based conservation strategy at work. Learnings from this policy have been applied in other jurisdictions; most recently in the release of A Policy for the Stewardship of Yukon’s Wetlands (2023). The policy is enacted under Alberta’s Water Act, largely in recognition of the fact that an estimated 70% of Alberta’s wetlands in the settled area have already been lost due to drainage.
On August 28th, 2026 the Alberta Government announced they are removing Water Act approval requirements for routine agricultural activities in temporary and seasonal wetlands. The exemptions cover cultivating, direct seeding, spraying, ditching, surface water draining and infilling wetlands located on private cropland. Also announced was a new code of practice for tile drainage that will be established via a notification process. The only reassuring detail in this release was that “projects will require consent from potentially affected downstream landowners,” which presumably would halt large-scale drainage activities if properly enforced.
Temporary and seasonal wetlands hold water for a few weeks each spring up until mid-summer in the average growing season. In a year like 2026, our seasonal wetlands have not dried out across the majority of Alberta, holding back water that could otherwise contribute to downstream flooding and massive algal blooms. It seems that our Government has fallen for the fallacy that small wetlands are less important than their semi-permanent and permanent counterparts. In fact, science proves time and time again that this is simply not the case! Here are just a few of the disproportionate benefits these ecosystems provide to Albertans:
- Water Purification: Because shallow wetlands are warm and rich in organic matter, they act as active chemical processors. Microbes living in wetland soils rapidly absorb excess nitrogen and phosphorus, and break down farm herbicides before water travels into rivers and lakes; these contaminants exacerbate harmful algal blooms.
- Flood Mitigation: In years like 2026, these small wetland depressions spread out across prairie landscapes act like a giant sponge. By holding onto water, they prevent floods in downstream communities and give water time to recharge slowly into the aquifer.
- Drought Mitigation: In drought years, these prairie oases are vital for supplying water to wildlife, livestock and crops when rainy days are few and far between.
- Wildlife Habitat: Because temporary and seasonal wetlands dry out periodically, fish cannot live in them. This makes them safe nurseries free of predators, allowing aquatic insects, tadpoles and other creatures to thrive. In turn, these dense populations of insects provide essential food for insectivores (birds, bats). These wetlands are also the first areas to thaw in spring, acting as vital habitats during spring migration. In a prairie landscape that has been largely converted to cropland, these wetlands are the only remaining natural habitat that exists in many areas.
- Rare and Uncommon Plants: Alberta’s wetlands are home to an estimated 135 provincially rare (tracked) plant species; 20% of all documented wetland plants. Species at risk such as dwarf woolly-heads (Psilocarphus brevissimus) particularly rely on temporary wetlands (prairie blowouts) as their critical habitat. Between unregulated grassland and wetland conversion, species like these will be pushed further to the brink of extirpation in Alberta.
To stop losing these vital natural ecosystems, conservation efforts must re-prioritize how shallow wetlands are monitored and protected. A high accuracy, high resolution inventory of prairie wetlands is required to understand current abundance, condition and trends in loss. Programs like the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute’s Ecosystem Health Program should broaden their focus beyond permanent wetland monitoring (current priority) to include assessments of the diversity and health of all wetland classes. We cannot understand what we do not measure.
While wetland losses will accelerate through this regulatory change, huge investments are still being made into the restoration of wetland ecosystems through in-lieu fee payments from private, commercial and industrial (non-agricultural) landowners and land users. In particular, there is worry that agricultural lands will be drained prior to their sale and development for residential, commercial or industrial use. This may be just the tip of the iceberg in dismantling the provincial wetland policy framework.