Water licence exemption now in effect for riparian restoration projects

The Government of Alberta has removed the requirement for a water licence when diverting water for vegetation watering as part of riparian restoration projects. This regulatory change, which came into effect last week, is designed to reduce administrative barriers and support long-term revegetation success along Alberta’s waterways. 

The exemption allows up to 100 cubic metres of water to be diverted per day per project, provided it does not adversely affect aquatic environments, other water users, or surrounding land. To protect fish habitat, water must be pumped slowly (i.e., the pump rate cannot exceed 0.02 cubic metres per second) and appropriate fish-screening measures must also be in place. 

The change is a direct outcome of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 Water Availability Engagements, in which Alberta Municipalities actively participated. Our association’s Sustainability and Environment Committee helped shape our policy responses, which advocated for practical and efficient water use regulations. 

Further details are available at Freedom to Water and in the Ministerial Order. The updated regulation will be released shortly. 

Questions can be emailed to Alberta Environment and Protected Areas at epa.water [at] gov.ab.ca (epa[dot]water[at]gov[dot]ab[dot]ca).