##  [Soil Salinity in Alberta](/resource/soil-salinity-alberta) 

Organization

[Canadian Land Reclamation Association (CLRA)](/organization/canadian-land-reclamation-association-clra)

[Paragon Soil and Environmental Consulting](/organization/paragon-soil-and-environmental-consulting)

 

 

Project

[Alberta Chapter CLRA Conference Papers](/project/alberta-chapter-clra-conference-papers)

 

Resource Type

[Report](/taxonomy/term/38)

 

 

Author(s)

Leonard Leskiw

 

 

Original Authors

Leonard Leskiw

 

 

Resource Date:

1987

 

Page Length

24

 

 

Origins, extent and reclamation of saline soils in Alberta are described. Natural and man-induced salinity are addressed but the latter is emphasized. Major activities/structures responsible for causing man-induced salinization, roughly in order of decreasing extent, include dryland agriculture, irrigated agriculture, oil and gas development , lagoons/ reservoirs , ditches, and coal mining.  
Salinity management and prevention practices that are required to control salinization are explained. Joint efforts among industry, government, universities, and consultants have led to success in the non-renewable resource areas - the challenge for the 1990s is to bring about similar success in the renewable resource areas. Integrated, multidisciplinary, systems approaches at the watershed level involving farmers, researchers, policy makers and other key players are a must. Solutions to salinity problems will also ameliorate other important types of soil degradation.