Alberta (Rural Roots Canada) – Alberta says it’s “righting a historic wrong” by reopening a registration program to give eligible ranchers another opportunity to have long-standing agricultural water use on public land recognized.

When Alberta’s Traditional Agricultural Registration program closed in 2001, grazing leaseholders on Crown land could not apply directly because they did not own the land. Registrations were submitted on their behalf, but subsequent reviews identified inaccuracies in some records.

The province says errors and omissions in historical records may have left some ranchers without recognition for water sources they have relied on for generations, and it reviewed the issue with the Alberta Grazing Leaseholders Association.

Environment and Protected Areas Minister Grant Hunter says ranchers should not lose recognition of long-standing water rights because of gaps in government records.

The reopened program applies to eligible agricultural water use before Jan. 1, 1999, on unpatented Crown land. Applications will be assessed using available historical information, including aerial imagery and water well drilling records where appropriate.

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About 6,800 registrations may be eligible for review. Applications will be accepted until Dec. 31, 2028.

Eligible uses include water for raising animals or applying pesticides on a farm unit, up to 6,250 cubic metres annually.

Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Tara Sawyer says the change will help improve the accuracy of provincial water records while supporting Alberta’s agricultural sector.

“Alberta’s producers have been responsible stewards of our land and water for generations,” said Tara Sawyer, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation. “Reopening this program gives eligible ranchers a fair opportunity to have long-standing water use recognized.”

Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen says the program gives grazing leaseholders a way to correct paperwork errors they did not cause.

Alberta Grazing Leaseholders Association chairman Darwayne Claypool welcomed the move, saying it gives eligible ranchers a fair opportunity to have their historical water use reviewed.

The province says the program will not create allocations for new water use, reopen registrations on private land or change existing licensed water allocations or priorities.

Applicants will receive support through guidance materials, information sessions and application assistance.