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Opinion: Alberta’s water reckoning: Conservation is now an economic imperative

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Alberta has always valued water. Rivers have been harnessed to build irrigation districts, power industry, support energy development and sustain communities across some of the most arid parts of Canada.

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But what once felt abundant is becoming scarce and less predictable.

From the headwaters in the Rocky Mountains to the plains fed by the Bow River and Oldman River, Alberta’s water system is under strain. Multi-year drought conditions, shrinking snowpack and rising demand are colliding in ways that make one thing clear — conservation is no longer optional, it is an economic necessity.

Water powers Alberta’s economy. Agriculture in southern Alberta depends on irrigation drawn from already-allocated basins. The irrigation districts provide water for agriculture and support industry while maintaining habitat for fish and wildlife. Energy production — from conventional oil and gas to emerging hydrogen and petrochemicals — requires reliable water access. Urban centres such as Calgary and Edmonton must secure drinking water for growing populations.

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When water levels run low, the consequences ripple outward — crop losses, production slowdowns, municipal restrictions, increased risks of wildfires and tourism losses.

Alberta’s water management system was built for a different climate reality than the one we now face. Earlier spring runoff, hotter and drier summers, prolonged periods of drought and an escalating risk of wildfires have reduced predictability and increased risk for communities, agriculture and industry alike.

Under these changing conditions, sustainable management of water resources for the diversity of services it supports is critical. Water security can no longer be viewed as a seasonal issue — it is central to building resilience and requires the same type of long-term thinking and foresight that Alberta applies to fiscal management and infrastructure planning.

A practical path forward includes leveraging natural infrastructure such as wetlands, restoring and protecting watersheds, strengthening conservation efforts, supporting sustainable agriculture practices and modernizing governance frameworks to reflect today’s climate pressures.

Healthy, intact wetlands can also retain water, slow the spread of wildfires, protect headwaters and limit post-fire effects on water quality and downstream infrastructure. These are not abstract environmental ideals, but practical, cost-effective, evidence-based approaches that stabilize water supply and reduce flood, drought and wildfire risk, while supporting long-term economic productivity.

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Wetlands, riparian areas and healthy headwaters regulate flows, filter water and buffer drought effects. When we drain or degrade them, we trade short-term land conversion for long-term water security.

Conserving and restoring these landscapes is not just environmental policy, it is a form of drought insurance.

The time to act is not when reservoirs hit record lows. It is now, while we still have room to plan. Water conservation is not about limiting Alberta’s growth. It is about securing it.

A province that proactively manages water scarcity — through conservation incentives, watershed restoration and policy — signals stability to investors and supports working lands and the economy as a whole.

Alberta’s prosperity has always flowed from its natural resources. The question is whether we are prepared to steward the one resource upon which every sector depends.

If we want thriving farms, competitive industry, healthy wildlife populations, biodiversity and resilient cities in 2050 and beyond, we must treat water as the strategic asset it is — finite, valuable and worth protecting.

Patrick O’Connor is president of Ducks Unlimited Canada’s volunteer board of directors.

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