Of backhoes and water woes:
reviewing the breadth of landscaping regulation under the Water Act.

We are not all hydrologists or hydrogeologists and this is likely a good thing (otherwise we might all tell jokes like this: “What’s the difference between a truck driver and a hydrologist? One has mud flaps, the other has flood maps.” (anon.))

When it comes to how we dig in the dirt, Alberta’s laws are often not well understood. For example, did you know that you may need a Water Act approval to start moving earth around your land? This is because the Water Act recognizes that what you do to land impacts water and this will often impact your neighbours. (Other laws, such as municipal landscaping bylaws, may also apply but this post focuses on Alberta’s Water Act.)

Of backhoes and water woes: reviewing the breadth of landscaping regulation under the Water Act.

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