Wilderness Association claims Water Act changes could harm watershed

The Alberta Wilderness Association is pushing back against new rules regarding how farmers use water on their land.

Last week the province announced new rules for landowners in managing ephemeral water bodies on their properties. The government will remove Water Act requirements for routine agricultural activities, so farmers as an example would be able to cultivate, seed, spray, ditch, drain and infill on their own cropland without prior approval.

But the Wilderness Association say that getting rid of impermanent wetlands risks watershed resilience.

The Wetland Association proposes that landowners consult with wetland specialists and to make ephemeral wetlands more robust and limit extensive drainage on the land.