Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Agricultural Water Stewardship Policy?   

• The policy establishes a limit on how many wetlands can be drained in the province and how many wetlands need to be retained on the landscape.
• The policy is a part of the WSA’s Agriculture Water Management Program that includes a suite of policies and mitigation tools to ensure drainage is done responsibly.   

Why is this policy being implemented now? 

• This policy strengthens WSA’s ability to manage the cumulative impacts of drainage on water quality, habitat and downstream flooding.
• The policy will fill a gap in WSA’s Agricultural Water Management Program that was identified by the Provincial Auditor. 

How will the policy be implemented?  

• The Stewardship Policy was implemented in January 2025.
• The wetland retention requirement will be a condition on approved drainage projects going forward. This requirement is generally registered on the land title and therefore remains in effect if the land is sold.
• This policy will be adaptive to reflect new knowledge and information (e.g., from monitoring work and based on research results).  

How was the Stewardship Policy developed? 

• WSA worked with producers and partner agencies in the province to develop a policy that is effective, practical and works for Saskatchewan producers.
• WSA invested over $1 million to work with 10 stakeholder organizations on 11 different agricultural demonstration projects, which has informed the final policy.
• Since 2022, the WSA engaged more than 80 stakeholder organizations and Indigenous communities to ensure the policy reflects the diverse interests of Saskatchewan people.
• The policy was tested in different areas of the province through pilot projects to ensure that it is practical.  

What is the current status of wetlands in Saskatchewan?  

• There are more than 4.6M acres of wetlands in Saskatchewan’s agricultural area.
• Approximately 86 per cent of this wetland area is undrained. This includes wetlands that are farmed but not drained, which still provide water quality benefits, flood abatement, and groundwater recharge functions, although they have less habitat value than undrained wetlands.