001-40 WC 139 NOV-DEC24 PAPERTURN - Flipbook - Page 37
“Conserving wetlands is crucial to responsible water management and
can coexist with healthy working farms, but only if we base policies and
protection measures on independent research rather than misinformation.”
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Recent estimates indicate we continue to lose 25,000
acres of wetlands every year in the prairies. Governments of all stripes in Saskatchewan have been
reluctant to prosecute farmers for illegal drainage, for
fear that they might lose support in rural areas.
Wetlands were once seen as wastelands, impediments to progress. Today we now know just how
critical wetlands of all sizes are for fighting flood and
drought, filtering nutrients from our water, providing
habitat for wildlife and crop pollinators, and fighting
extreme weather events—all things that reduce some
of the risks of farming.
In a time when we are facing unprecedented
water-related challenges, Saskatchewan is blessed
with two world class water organizations: Global
Water Futures (University of Saskatchewan) and the
Institute of Environmental Change & Society (University of Regina). These institutions both provide
risk management solutions, informed by leading-edge
water science, and supported by innovative decision-making tools.
When WSA announced three years ago they
would soon be requiring drainage projects to mitigate
impacts, it actually looked like water politics might
be changing. Other industries mitigate impacts; why
not agriculture?
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
WATER C AN ADA • NOV EMBER/ DECEMBER 2024
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