Where Water, Wellness & Communities Meet
For northern Saskatchewan communities, shifting climate conditions are making caribou harder to find, hunt, and sustain for future generations.
As nutrient loads and warmer waters increase, harmful algal blooms are becoming a growing threat to lake health, wildlife, and recreational safety.
JANUARY 2026
Jan. 28 - Winter Watering Strategies Workshop, Royal Canadian Legion, Fort Qu’Appelle
Jan. 29 - Rotational Grazing Workshop, Hodgeville Community Centre, Hodgeville
FEBRUARY 2026
Feb. 11 - Saskatchewan’s Lake Stewardship Summit, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Saskatoon East, Saskatoon
MARCH 2026
March 5 - ALUS-SAW Shelterbelt Workshop, Balgonie Senior Centre, Balgoine
UTILIZING SPLIT FERTILIZER APPLICATION AS A NITROGEN MANAGEMENT TOOL IN SASKATCHEWAN
As input costs remain high and weather variability continues to challenge Prairie growers, more Saskatchewan cereal and oilseed producers are looking for ways to improve nutrient efficiency without sacrificing yield. Split application of nitrogen is a practice that involves applying a portion of total applied nitrogen (N) at seeding but also withholding a portion to apply in-season based on yield and/or quality goals while implement 4R nutrient stewardship strategies – Right Source, Right Rate, Right Time and Right Place.
Canola has a high demand for nitrogen, but its uptake isn’t uniform throughout the season. In canola, the maximum rates of nitrogen uptake occur from the 5-leaf stage to full bloom. When top dressing, the ideal stage to apply the top up nitrogen is the 4-6- leaf stage. Applying all fertilizer upfront can result in losses through volatilization, leaching, or denitrification—especially in wet or variable soil conditions common across the province. For cereal crops such as wheat, split fertilizer applications balance producer goals for yield and protein targets. Early nitrogen applications usually yielded more while later applications usually resulted in higher grain protein.
The rates for a split application used will vary from farm to farm, depending on practices, yield and quality goals. Accurate and uniform application of in-crop nitrogen applications is the key to success. How the in-season nitrogen
is applied will depend on what equipment is available and what form of nitrogen is being applied. Broadcasting urea or dribble banding UAN are the most common and fastest application methods. Dribble banding aids in minimizing leaf burn and volatilization compared to a foliar application with a fan nozzle. Top dressing a granular product with a floater before a rain or irrigation water application is also a common practice in Saskatchewan.
Split application aligns nutrient availability more closely with crop demand. By applying a base rate at seeding and topdressing later in the season, growers can improve nitrogen use efficiency and ensure nutrients are available when plants need them most. This can translate into stronger biomass development, improved pod set, and ultimately higher yields.
From a risk management perspective, split application offers flexibility. Growers can adjust in-season fertilizer rates based on rainfall, crop vigor, and yield potential, rather than committing all inputs early. While split fertilizer application may require additional planning or equipment, many Saskatchewan producers are finding that the yield stability, nutrient efficiency, and environmental benefits make it a worthwhile investment in today’s production landscape.
The adoption of split fertilization application is eligible for support through SAW’s SWEAP (Saskatchewan Watersheds Environmental Agriculture Program) Nitrogen Management Beneficial Management Practice program. Funding for SWEAP is provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agriculture Climate Solutions – On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF).
THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY ON WOODLAND CARIBOU
Climate extremes and variability are transforming the northern Saskatchewan environment in ways that directly influence caribou populations and the communities that depend on them for food, identity, and tradition. Rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns are altering the boreal forests and peatlands that woodland caribou rely on for shelter and nourishment. Increasing evidence shows that climate change has become one of the most serious pressures on caribou herds—sometimes surpassing industrial impacts. As their habitat changes, caribou experience heightened stress, reduced access to lichen, and greater exposure to predators, all of which weaken herd resilience.
These environmental shifts have immediate effects on caribou hunting in northern Saskatchewan, where Indigenous peoples have harvested caribou for countless generations. As herds become more scattered and their movements harder to predict, hunters must travel longer distances and spend more time tracking animals, raising both financial and safety challenges.
Warmer winters add further complications: unstable ice, slushy conditions, and inconsistent freeze up periods make traditional winter travel routes far less dependable. At the same time, climate driven increases in wildfire activity—already a major disruptor of caribou habitat—continue to reduce the old growth forests caribou depend on, pushing them away from familiar hunting grounds.
The long term decline of caribou populations threatens not only local food sources but also the cultural continuity of northern Saskatchewan communities. As climate variability accelerates habitat degradation and alters migration pathways, maintaining sustainable hunting practices becomes increasingly difficult. While conservation initiatives in Saskatchewan focus on protecting and restoring habitat, these efforts now face the added challenge of rapidly changing environmental conditions. Without coordinated action that addresses both climate pressures and habitat disturbance, the future of caribou hunting—and the cultural traditions intertwined with it—will remain uncertain for many northern Indigenous peoples.
This project was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada. Funding was provided through the Environmental Damages Fund’s Climate Action and Awareness Fund, administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada. For any inquiries, please contact ccap@saskwatersheds.ca for more information.
DESIGNING ECO-BUFFERS
Eco-buffers, in comparison to the traditional shelterbelt, are structurally more complex. Similarly, this also means that they are more complex to design – thankfully, SAW is here to help you!
Before jumping into the design of the eco-buffer, it is necessary to plan where you are going to put your eco-buffer. There are a couple of rules of thumb when choosing a location, which include planting close to natural areas, such as wetlands or riparian areas, and avoiding areas where there are known issues, such as flooding or soil compaction.
Once a site has been picked, it is time to start designing! Some things to consider when designing an eco-buffer include:
1. Size: Typically, an eco-buffer is composed of five rows, though this is just a guideline and can range from three to seven rows. Ultimately, the number of rows you decide to plant comes down to resource availability.
2. Density: Compared to a traditional shelterbelt, an ecobuffer has a much higher density of plants due to the recommended spacing of 1 meter between plants and 2–2.5 meters between rows.
3. Diversity: Eco-buffers also have a much higher degree of plant diversity, consisting of at least five different shrub species and three to four different tree species. It is also imperative to keep in mind that approximately 70% of an ecobuffer should be dedicated to shrubs (40% tall shrubs and 30% smaller shrubs) and the other 30% to trees (20% nurse trees and 10% tall trees).
4. Placement: Where the species is planted is another important factor, with shorter shrubs in the outer rows, tall trees in the middle rows, and tall shrubs and nurse trees concentrated in the middle rows and sparsely planted in the outer rows.
The last piece of advice (which we highly suggest following) is to make a diagram of what, and where, you’ll be planting. Not only do tree planting diagrams ensure you are meeting the recommendations outlined above, but they also enhance the success of the eco-buffer and may save a headache or two when you start planting.
ALGAE OFFERS ESSENTIAL BENEFITS AND RISKS
Algae influence lake environments in many ways, providing important ecological functions while also posing potential problems. Under normal conditions, algae support aquatic food chains by generating oxygen and serving as a key food source for numerous species. But when nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen accumulate from sources like runoff, sewage, or urban drainage, algae can grow far beyond natural levels. This excessive growth results in algal blooms that disturb the lake’s ecological balance and diminish water clarity.
If these blooms intensify, they can turn into harmful algal blooms (HABs), which are often dominated by cyanobacteria, or blue green algae. HABs are capable of producing toxins that endanger both humans and wildlife, leading to sickness in people and the death of fish, birds, and other animals. They also form thick surface layers and foul odors, making lakes unpleasant and unsafe for recreation. Research increasingly shows that climate change is contributing to the rise of these blooms, as warmer temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns create ideal conditions for algae to thrive—even in isolated lakes.
In addition to their immediate hazards, excessive algae can cause long lasting damage to lake ecosystems. When large blooms die, their decomposition uses up dissolved oxygen, creating hypoxic—or low oxygen—zones that can suffocate aquatic organisms. This process, called eutrophication, degrades habitats and can lead to fish kills and a decline in biodiversity. Effective management requires reducing nutrient inputs, upgrading wastewater systems, and preparing for climate related changes. Without meaningful action, many freshwater lakes—especially those already under stress—will continue to face worsening ecological decline and deteriorating water quality.
IMPACT ON CARP ON AQUATIC SPECIES AT RISK
Invasive Carp occupy tributaries in the southern and central regions of Saskatchewan, particularly in Lake Diefenbaker, Last Mountain Lake, South Saskatchewan River and the Lower Qu’Appelle River System. Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) and Prussian Carp (Carassius gibelio) will rapidly establish habitat and begin to outcompete native fish and Aquatic Species at Risk for essential resources such as food and habitat. During foraging, uprooted vegetation will stir up sediments and increase turbidity, negatively impacting the water quality in ecosystems. The reduction in sunlight makes it difficult for Species at Risk to find food and cover, which is essential for longevity, spawning, and reproduction.
Invasive carp can disrupt the reproductive cycles of Aquatic Species at Risk by increasing predation on eggs, especially where vegetation or other protective cover is scarce. Prussian Carp, in particular, reproduce using an asexual strategy known as gynogenesis, in which females use the genetic material of related species to activate egg development. As a result, females can produce 1–2 million eggs per year that are genetic clones of the mother, enabling rapid population growth and intensifying their ecological impact on Species at Risk. The rapid population growth of Carp can intensify competition for food resources, increasing stress on Species at Risk and impacting their ability to reproduce successfully.
The loss of critical habitat for Species at Risk has led to distribution shifts in search for food and protective cover, leading to greater genetic isolation and reduced genetic variation within populations. The scarcity of suitable resources and increased barriers during movement have contributed to high mortality rates and overall population decline. In their search for critical habitat, individuals are being pushed into more open areas with elevated angling activity, where they face even greater risks. Bigmouth Buffalo are also frequently mistaken for Common Carp, which further exacerbates their decline. Many Aquatic Species at Risk—including Bigmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus) and Plains Sucker (Catostomus platyrhynchus)—are highly sensitive to the ecological changes driven by Invasive Carp. As a result, ongoing population declines have led to their designation as Special Concern under the Species at Risk Act.
OFFICE LOCATIONS
Our office locations are open Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM (closed 12 PM - 1 PM).
HEAD OFFICE
300B - 99 Diefenbaker Dr., Moose Jaw, SK
MAILING ADDRESS
Box 1177, Moose Jaw, SK, S6H 4P9