Alberta’s wetlands are disappearing rapidly, primarily due to urban development, agriculture, industrial activities, and water management decisions, with estimates suggesting that around 60-70% of wetlands in settled areas have already been lost and losses continue in 2025. This ongoing decline is causing significant damage to the province’s water storage capacity, biodiversity, and resilience to floods and droughts.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Extent of Wetland Loss
- In some southern communities, wetland loss exceeds 90%, especially in major urban centres like Calgary and Edmonton.[7][8]
- Province-wide, about 133,000 hectares of wetland have disappeared in the past 40-60 years.[2]
- Wetland degradation and outright loss is ongoing, with settled regions most affected.[4][1]
Causes of Disappearance
- Major drivers include residential and industrial development, conversion for agriculture, and resource extraction (oil, gas, minerals).[3][7]
- Drainage, dredging, filling wetlands for land conversion, as well as population growth, stormwater pollution, and nutrient enrichment, further accelerate loss.[3]
Impacts and Risks
- Lost wetland areas reduce natural water storage, raising flood peaks and increasing risk downstream after major rainfall events.[6][2]
- Wetland decline threatens water quality, decreases habitat for wildlife, and undermines natural drought resilience.[5][6]
- These natural systems support biodiversity and filter pollutants; their removal makes communities more vulnerable to climate stressors.[9][6]
Restoration and Policy Response
- Alberta’s Wetland Replacement Program has restored over 609 hectares of wetlands since 2020, but losses far outpace restoration efforts.[5]
- The Alberta Wetland Policy aims to conserve, restore, and manage wetlands, but does not enforce a strict ‘no net loss’ rule, focusing instead on high-value wetland protection and regional management.[10][11]
- Municipalities and non-profits are working to reclaim and restore wetlands, aided by new funding and scientific support.[5]
Outlook
The disappearance of Alberta’s wetlands is a critical environmental issue with broad impacts on water security, climate adaptation, and ecosystem health. While restoration efforts and policies exist, ongoing development pressures and the lack of strong regulatory enforcement mean that wetland loss remains a serious contemporary concern.[11][4][10]
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- https://www.alberta.ca/wetlands-overview
- https://cwra.org/may-22-2025-ab-branch-webinar-who-is-responsible-for-conserving-and-managing-wetlands-on-private-lands/archived-event/
- https://wetlandsalberta.ca/wetland-loss/
- https://abnawmp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NAWMP_MunicipalWetlandGuide_2024_WEB.pdf
- https://www.watercanada.net/increasing-wetlands-in-alberta/
- https://albertawilderness.ca/wetlands-for-a-sustainable-environment/
- https://albertawilderness.ca/20190900_wla-ab-wetland-policy-white-area/
- https://albertawilderness.ca/issues/wildwater/wetlands/
- https://www.westernwheel.ca/opinion/column-albertas-wetlands-help-build-resilient-communities-10159045
- https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-wetland-policy-implementation
- https://elc.ab.ca/post-library/drought-watch-2024-wetlands-drought-management-in-alberta/
- https://www.ducks.ca/stories/prairie-pothole-region/the-role-of-wetlands-in-albertas-groundwater/
- https://www.calgary.ca/parks/wildlife/wetlands-conservation.html
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