New rules to boost water storage, conservation in Alberta

Changes raise dugout limits and expand exemptions under Water Act.

The Alberta government says new and expanded exemptions under the province’s Water Act will make it easier for farmers, ranchers, communities and businesses to store and use water, while supporting conservation and emergency response.

Effective immediately, the province is tripling the exemption limit for agricultural dugouts, allowing farmers and ranchers to fill dugouts with up to 7,500 cubic metres of water per year, up from 2,500 cubic metres. The government says the change will help producers capture more available water and strengthen preparedness for drought.

“Albertans asked for practical improvements to make more water available, and we’re delivering,” Environment and Protected Areas Minister Grant Hunter said in a statement. “These changes make it easier for farmers, businesses and communities to access and store water. It’s good for communities, the environment and the economy.”

Agriculture and Irrigation Minister R.J. Sigurdson said the changes are aimed at helping producers manage risk and plan for the future.

“Reliable access to water is essential for Alberta’s farmers and ranchers, especially as they manage drought risk and plan for the future,” Sigurdson said. “These practical changes respond directly to what producers and rural communities have been asking for — making it easier to store and use water responsibly so agricultural operations can remain strong, resilient and productive.”

The province is also expanding exemptions to encourage the use of stormwater instead of fresh water, including raising the annual exemption limit for newly constructed wetlands to 7,500 cubic metres of local surface runoff — an increase of 1,250 cubic metres from the previous limit.

Other changes include easing rules around water use for bridge and sign washing and dust control, supplying water to temporary work camps and accessing water from borrow pits on unoccupied public land in Alberta’s Green Area, the government said.

The announcement comes as Alberta continues to modernize its water management system amid rising demand. The government pointed to recent legislative changes that removed the requirement for riparian restoration projects to obtain a temporary diversion licence for watering plants, and ended a 10 per cent holdback on most water licence transfers.

Under the new rules, up to 100 cubic metres of water per source per day is now exempt for fire prevention and training activities related to firefighting and spill response, while water used for active firefighting has long been exempt.

New exemptions also include allowing up to 1,000 cubic metres per day from borrow pits on unoccupied public land in the Green Area, provided no fish are present and there is no connection to a wetland or watercourse, and up to 100 cubic metres per source per day for bridge and sign washing and dust control.

Expanded exemptions include allowing dugouts up to 7,500 cubic metres to be built without approval under the Water Act, as long as the water is used for agricultural purposes. The province also increased exemption limits for stormwater ponds to 7,500 cubic metres a year if there is an outflow, or up to 15,000 cubic metres if there is no outflow.

The exemption for water use by temporary camps was increased to 2,500 cubic metres per year.