Slough water is now disappearing due to evaporation driven by climate change

Slough water across Alberta is now disappearing more rapidly, largely due to accelerated evaporation driven by climate change, especially during periods of drought and above-average temperatures. Lower precipitation, reduced snowpack, and increased air temperatures have led to less water entering sloughs, while heat and dry conditions boost evaporation rates, causing surface water bodies to shrink or vanish.futureag+3

Climate Change Effects on Sloughs

• Warmer, drier winters and extended droughts have produced record-low snowpacks in many Alberta watersheds, leaving little runoff to replenish sloughs in spring.battleriverwatershed+2

• Higher daytime temperatures increase actual evapotranspiration (AET), raising the atmospheric demand for water and accelerating slough water loss.albertawilderness+2

• Some agricultural regions have seen sloughs and dugouts dry up completely, with direct impacts on crop irrigation, livestock watering, and local biodiversity.organicagcentre+1

Hydrological Implications

• The balance between precipitation and evaporation is now tilted, with evaporation often exceeding rainfall, especially in southern and central Alberta’s prairie regions.athabascawatershed+1

• This leads to ongoing declines in available surface water, further stressing watersheds, wetlands, sloughs, and downstream agricultural operations.futureag+1

Slough disappearance due to increased evaporation is a clear sign of shifting climate conditions on the prairies, impacting not just local ecosystems but also agricultural sustainability and rural water management.albertawilderness+3

1. https://www.futureag.ca/post/facing-water-scarcity-and-climate-challenges-heading-into-2025-with-your-alberta-ag-dealer
2. https://albertawilderness.ca/climate-change/
3. https://www.battleriverwatershed.ca/drought-update/
4. https://athabascawatershed.ca/2025/07/shifting-seasons-how-river-flow-is-changing-in-albertas-mountain-headwaters/
5. https://athabascawatershed.ca/2024/03/confronting-climate-challenges-northern-albertas-winter-drought-and-building-strategies-for-long-term-resilience/
6. https://www.envirothonpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2025-Current-Issue-Part-A-Final.pdf
7. https://organicagcentre.ca/uncategorized/albertas-water-crisis-how-climate-change-threatens-your-farms-future/
8. https://abpdaily.com/issues-insights-influence/the-future-of-water-in-western-canadian-agriculture/
9. https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/874b3041-2686-42b5-a0bf-8a92269a52c8/resource/57240f3a-d626-4386-8b4a-232baf1a0c9d/download/slr-expansion-project-volume-2-section-12-climate-change-and-appendix-j.pdf
10. https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/climate-change-putting-alberta-lakes-on-dangerously-thin-ice-u-of-c-researcher
11. https://www.groundwatercanada.com/hydrologists-concerned-over-albertas-low-water-levels-with-another-dry-summer-looming/