Agricultural Water Stewardship Policy
A Made-In-Saskatchewan Approach to Agricultural Water Management
The Water Security Agency launched the Agriculture Water Management Strategy in 2016. It reflects the importance of drainage as a tool for producers to manage water on the land and has a vision of responsible agricultural water management supporting a resilient and thriving Saskatchewan.
Responsible agriculture water management supports economic growth, while also maintaining water quality, safeguarding some wildlife habitat and reducing local flooding impacts. Key to achieving this vision is maintaining wetlands on the landscape.
Wetlands contribute to a sustainable and resilient agriculture industry, and we know that Saskatchewan farmers and ranchers are already maintaining wetlands on their lands. It is estimated that 86 per cent of wetlands (by area) in Saskatchewan’s agricultural zone are undrained. For more information on Wetlands in Saskatchewan, click here.
The development of an Agricultural Water Stewardship Policy will guide how much more land can be developed through drainage for agricultural production and how many wetlands, by area, should be retained.
Agricultural Water Stewardship Policy
Development of the Agricultural Water Stewardship Policy began in 2020 with the investment of $1 million in a series of Demonstration and Research Projects designed to inform the policy.
A broad interest-based engagement began in July 2022 and focused on engaging with agricultural stakeholder groups, environmental groups, municipal and community organizations, First Nation and Métis organizations and communities, and key research organizations.
With input from engagement and learning from our demonstration and research projects, WSA is developing a policy that will support our producers, allowing for economic growth, while protecting our environment.
Policy Goals and Reporting on Key Indicators
Through the engagement process, six goals for the Stewardship Policy were developed. The goals fall under six thematic areas: Water Quantity, Water Quality, Biodiversity and Habitat, Agricultural Economy, Agricultural Stewardship, and Saskatchewan Communities.
To help ensure the policy is meeting its goals, WSA will monitor and report on key indicators. A framework is being developed to capture indicators including the overall status of wetlands in Saskatchewan’s agricultural zone. The frequency of reporting will be determined once indicators are finalized.
Stewardship Policy Goals
Engagement Process
Saskatchewan farmers are known for being able to innovate and adopt to changing conditions on their farms. We want our new policy to be just as flexible as they are and are committed to ensuring this made-in-Saskatchewan policy will align with the needs and interests of Saskatchewan residents.
In July 2022, we started a broad-based engagement with the agricultural industry, First Nation and Métis communities, municipal leaders, environmental stewards, science and research groups, and other stakeholders to form the basis for this policy.
To date, the Water Security Agency has met, at least once, with over 80 different stakeholder groups, First Nation and Métis organizations/communities. This included four in-person plenaries (multi-stakeholder engagements) and one-on-on meetings. Dedicated First Nation and Métis engagement sessions were also held (both in-person and virtual meetings), inviting 74 First Nations and 104 Métis Locals.
Formal engagement concluded in October 2023; however, we continue to share information with stakeholders through virtual sessions and one-on-one meetings.
As we move forward, our focus will be on listening and being responsive to the feedback we receive. We aim to have a balanced approach that considers all stakeholder, First Nation and Métis input as we develop a stewardship policy that is practical and supports economic growth in Saskatchewan.
INVITED ORGANIZATIONS:
Organizations Invited to the Engagement Sessions
ENGAGED WITH ORGANIZATIONS:
Organizations Met with at Least Once
ENGAGEMENT MATERIALS
Draft Framework for an Agricultural Water Stewardship Policy
ENGAGEMENT SUMMARIES
WSA has hosted a total of four multi-stakeholder engagement sessions. An engagement summary was prepared for each event.
Plenary 1 (July 2022) – What We Heard from July 2022 Engagement
Plenary 2 (December 2022) – What We Heard from December 2022 Engagement
Plenary 3 (April 2023) – What We Heard from April 2023 Engagement
Plenary 4 (September 2023) – What We Heard from September 2023 Engagement
Demonstration and Research Projects
In Spring 2020, WSA started the Demonstration and Research Projects Initiative. This partnership with agricultural producers and 11 research partners was launched to help ensure the Stewardship Policy is evidence-based, while also reflecting the realities of Saskatchewan’s landscape. This wide-scale project tested innovative water management solutions, revealing potential challenges and opportunities for success.
Results from the Demonstration and Research Projects
The Demonstration and Research Projects Initiative resulted in several technical reports prepared by third-party consultants, provided below.
Threshold analysis. This project investigated the economic and environmental outcomes (flooding, water quality, and habitat/wildlife) of different wetland retention scenarios.
The technical reports are available here:
- Wetland Threshold. This study modelled flooding, water quality, groundwater, and habitat outcomes, at various levels of wetland drainage.
- Economic and agronomic assessment of demo projects. This study investigated yield from drained wetlands using data from the Black Soil Zone and in the Dark Brown Soil Zone.
- Economic analysis of various levels of wetland drainage. The economic modelling was conducted by looking at the ecosystem services provided by wetlands at three levels: (a) private farm level; (b) agricultural sector; and (c) public sector implications.
Testing mitigation tools in drainage projects. This component tested the feasibility and practicality of various mitigation tools (e.g., flow controls, wetland retention, using drained water for irrigation). - Basin transfer analysis: Demonstration projects in Southern Saskatchewan
- Hydrological changes from agricultural drainage: Demonstration projects in Southern Saskatchewan.
Results from projects 4 and 5 showed drainage projects which retained wetlands/water and had flow controls, reduced flows and water quality impact compared to full drainage. - Impacts of drainage on rural municipality infrastructure. Results showed that wetland retention and flow controls protect infrastructure.
- Wildlife effects assessment of a proposed wetland impact mitigation policy. Field surveys of retained wetlands confirmed the presence of most bird species that would be expected.
- COMING SOON: Opportunity and Economics of Opportunistic Irrigation in Saskatchewan to Manage Impacts of Agricultural Drainage. This analysis showed that opportunistic irrigation (using water drained from a wetland for irrigation) can be profitable and opportunity exists for more development in Saskatchewan.
- Wetland classification with imagery, area and volume in Saskatchewan. Results showed that smaller and less permanent wetlands comprise a significant amount of the wetland storage and area.
- Measuring the amount of carbon in Saskatchewan wetland soils. WSA has partnered with the University of Saskatchewan for a research project that measured the base carbon values in wetland soils (across soil zones) and changes in these values with land use changes, including draining or farming of wetland. Here are links to an article from the University of Saskatchewan featuring this project: Measuring the amount of carbon in Saskatchewan wetland soils: USask study – News – University of Saskatchewan and to a published paper resulting from the study: Frontiers | Soil carbon dynamics in drained prairie pothole wetlands (frontiersin.org).
- Landowners’ Experiences of WSA’s Demonstration and Research Projects. This project documented the experiences of landowners who participated in the Demonstration and Research Projects Initiative, to understand their experiences with WSA’s drainage approval process and the mitigation tools applied in their drainage projects.
To learn more about what individual landowners who participated in the Demo Projects had to say, please click here: Agricultural Water Management Research Demonstration Projects.
What’s Happening Now?
We are in the final stages of developing the Stewardship Policy. Through our engagement, we have heard loud and clear that a one-size-fits-all policy would not work because of regional differences in the province. WSA is working on an approach that reflects this.
We also heard that a final decision should not be rushed, and the policy needs to be tested on the ground.
As a result, the next step will be a series of pilot projects testing policy options. The feedback will ensure the made-in-Saskatchewan policy is both practical and effective for Saskatchewan producers. This is the last step in the creation of the stewardship policy, with a final policy expected by 2025.
If you have questions, comments or would like to provide feedback please email agwatermanagement@wsask.ca.
For information about the Agricultural Water Management Strategy, click here.