New research out of the University of Saskatchewan suggests wetland drainage is detrimental to the health of Saskatchewan’s plants, animals and ecosystems, even at the lowest of levels.

Dr. Colin Whitfield, an Associate Professor of Environment and Sustainability at USask, says his team conducted an experiment looking at drainage thresholds from zero to 100 per cent.

“Our analysis led us to show that even at really low levels of wetland drainage, as low as 10 per cent, we are seeing measurable impacts across all of the indicators we looked at.”

These impacts include an increased risk of flooding, a decline in bird populations, and a loss of nutrient reserves. It would also result in paying more to treat drinking water, should the problem intensify.

“The health of our surface water and our ability to draw water and treat it for drinking water purposes, or to use our lakes for recreational activities, is going to be at risk if we proceed with large levels of wetland drainage.”

He says the most common reason for drainage is to obtain more land for agricultural purposes.

“Equipment has gotten larger with time, so wetlands that may have been easier to navigate around a few decades ago are now becoming obstacles for producers. There’s incentive for them to drain them to facilitate their production practices.”

When it comes to determining what levels of drainage should be allowed in Saskatchewan moving forward, Whitfield says it’s all about values. If we value having good quality water, don’t want to pay more to treat drinking water, and don’t want to gamble with an increased risk of flooding, then drainage should be limited as much as possible.

However, if we don’t value those things as a society, the opposite will be true.

He says Saskatchewan currently does not have a policy to maintain or protect wetlands, however the provincial government is working to create one, taking into account research like his.