Agricultural water management (drainage) is the process of moving excess water to make land available for agriculture.
Drainage
Saskatchewan farmers contribute to global food security.
With over 38 M acres of annual crop production in the AG Zone (the region with the right soil and climate capable of food production) we have an enormous responsibility to optimize field efficiency. Field Efficiency is the single most important variable related to sustainability in Canadian agriculture.
Field efficiency is the responsible drainage of excess temporary and seasonal field water to protect soil and crop health, improve field agronomics and support environmental stewardship.
The result of field efficiency is a:
- Reduced compaction and salinity
- Healthier microbiome
- Reduced abiotic stressors
- Reduced overland flooding and nutrient washouts
- Enhanced crop production and yield
- Reduced carbon footprint
However, the AG Zone is regionally diverse and extremely variable from year to year. Some years and some areas can require extensive management to ensure field efficiency, and the most vulnerable AG zones and water sources are protected.
In fact, the most vulnerable areas rely on water management the most.
Managing the excess, temporary and seasonal water within the AG zone allows the AG zone to function optimally. This is done with drainage management (drainage), which is the process of removing or consolidating excess water to remove temporary and/or seasonal water to make land available for agriculture.
Drainage is an Essential Tool for Saskatchewan Farmers and the Environment
Effectively managing water is a complex process that includes:
- Coordination through network approvals
- Best practices in design and construction
- Flow controls and gates
- Erosion control
- Timing restrictions and setbacks
- Land control
- The use of Beneficial Management Practices
Fully managed drainage systems provide effective flood control, function as spring and in-season holdbacks, allow for water table recharge and provide flow controls. Drainage management also means food production, field efficiency and agronomic stewardship while providing environmental benefits.
The Inefficiencies of Unmanaged Land are Exponential
The Saskatchewan landscape is not flat, and farmers often report 30 potholes or more per quarter section. When these temporary wet land potholes are unmanaged, it significantly decreases productivity and add significant costs for farmers.
- Increased turn time to travel the field for each pass.
- Wasted crop inputs
- Additional management hours for each field
- Higher fuel costs
- Increased equipment maintenance expenses
Our research shows that unmanaged temporary water costs as much as $170 per acre due to loss of productivity and additional production costs.
$170/acre x 5000 acre farm = $850,000
Downloads and External Resources
- Agri-Enviro Benefits of Responsible Water Management MAR2024
- Best Practices for Agricultural Tile Drainage in Manitoba | PAMI
- Wetland/Waste Land | A Conservation of Change Documentary
- IHARF-SaskFSA-Tile-Drainage-Project-YEAR-3-FINAL-REPORT_AUG2024.pdf
- WSA AG Water Stewardship Policy
- Water Security Agency Act
- The Conservation and Development Act
- Bill No. 44 – an Act to amend The Water Security Agency Act
- WSA AG Water Management & Drainage Approvals Information
- WSA AG Water Management Fact Sheets
- WSA How to Form a Watershed Association
- WSA Conservation Development Area Authority Guide
Important Links
- Opinion: Misconceptions persist on farming drainage in Saskatchewan
A Saskatchewan farmers advocacy group disputes the perception that the province's wetlands are threatened by the draining practices of agriculture - Sask.’s new drainage policy gets mixed reviews
SaskFSA with the Western Producer - ‘We can do better.’
Finding solutions to provincial water concerns in Saskatchewan
History of Saskatchewan Water Policy & Drainage
1909
The Drainage Act was passed in Saskatchewan. This was intended to control the development of drainage works and prevent downstream damage.
1920s
Extreme flooding of agricultural lands in Saskatchewan resulted in the federal government investing in land drainage. In an emergency effort to alleviate the flooding, “Government Drains” were constructed throughout the province on private lands without any formal land control.
1949 -1971
The Conservation & Development (C&D) Act and the C&D Branch of the Department of Agriculture were formed to maintain the government ditches. A team of engineers in the C&D Branch worked to help address the flooding problems long-term.
1972
The Department of Environment was established to address environmental issues. Their mandate was air, land and water. Provincial oversight of water moved from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Environment.
1981
New regulations for the Drainage Control Act brought with it the grandfathering of existing drainage works. All existing drainage works as of January 1, 1981 were grandfathered in and the new complaint process was established to deal with any problematic drainage works.
2011
Saskatchewan Farm Stewardship Association (SaskFSA) was formed. A landowner initiative to advocate for progressive land and water policy, with a focus on drainage to manage excess water on agricultural lands.
2012
Legislation was passed to create the Water Security Agency (WSA). Bringing together many of the government’s core water management responsibilities in one place. WSA came under the control of the Ministry of Environment.
2015
The new Agricultural Water Management Strategy was implemented. All drainage now requires approval from the Water Security Agency. Saskatchewan has over 2,900 km (1,800 miles) of organized drainage ditches, draining an estimated 4.5 million acres of farmland. Under the new legislation, it was estimated that 1.6 million to 2.4 million acres of agricultural land were now considered illegal and unapproved drainage works.
2015
SaskFSA begins advocating for the AG Water Management file to be transferred back to the Ministry of Agriculture.
2016
The Minister of Environment passes BILL 44 - amendments to legislation that remove the grandfathering of pre-1981 drainage works, replacing the third-party water appeal board with the request for assistance process and increasing fines under the Environmental Protection Act.
2019
WSA begins work on developing a wetland mitigation policy to prevent the loss of wetland ecosystems. This policy applies strictly to AG landowners to retain wetland acres equal to 50 percent of the pre-drainage wetland acres across the agricultural zones of Saskatchewan.
2022
(May) WSA is transferred to the Ministry of Highways.
2023
(August) WSA is transferred back into the Ministry of Agriculture.
2024
(April) SasKFSA brings together partners to form the SK Drainage Extension Network. Its purpose is rooted in collaboration - to connect landowners, agricultural organizations, industry, researchers and government to share and build knowledge on innovative and responsible water management practices.
2024
(August) The Ministry of Agriculture joins the SK DEN in a strategic advisory role. This is a fundamental shift in how stakeholders view drainage and the benefits of collaboration for all.
2025
(January) AG Water Stewardship Policy is announced with a 40-60% wetland retention goal across all agricultural zones. The wetland mitigation/retention policy—now the AG Water Stewardship Policy—will be implemented.
