A landowner from Wheatland County has been fined for violating the Water Act.
Scott Alvin Sproule pleaded guilty to one count under the act for conducting work in a water body without approval.
According to the Alberta government, Sproule owns land in the county used for agricultural and livestock purposes.
There is a temporary stream that runs through the property that sustains groundwater and supports several aquatic ecosystems.
In September 2020, Sproule hired a contractor to increase the stream channel by removing four to eight feet of topsoil from the channel.
The landowner also installed culverts for road crossings over the water body, which blocked the natural flow of the stream.
During construction, a groundwater spring was struck. This led to pooling water, and since Sproule had not obtained approval for the work, he violated the Water Act.
The struck spring ended up altering the flow of water to an adjacent parcel of land, which created ponded areas on the property.
Sproule was handed a fine of $7,000 on Wednesday (Nov. 13).