Water, Wetland restoration, Wetlands

Water whiplash – too much, then not enough

Nature has one built-in shock absorber for both

By Chantelle Abma April 09, 2026

A juxtaposition of the dry and cracked soils of a low water period at Serpentine Wildlife Management Area in Surrey, B.C. (left), with a water-inundated Canadian community (right) - do we have too much water, or not enough?

Right now, two stories are unfolding across British Columbia. Atmospheric rivers are driving landslides, flooding and rising rivers, while at the same time, we hear reports of lower-than-average snowpack, which translates into a likelihood of summer water shortages.

For many residents, these extremes of water availability can feel like whiplash. Which is it? Do we have too much water, or not enough?

B.C.’s recent flooding concerns are a reminder that water does not arrive gently anymore. Perhaps in the past there was reliable and steady precipitation, stored in snowcapped mountains in the winter months and released as meltwater in the warmer months. Now, however, water arrives more commonly as rain, falling fast, hard and all at once.

Fortunately, nature has a built-in shock absorber.

Wetlands: the multi-tool of landscapes

Imagine wetlands as a sponge. Add rushing water to a wetland and it slows the flow, absorbs it, spreads it out and holds it. When water stops flowing, wetlands release it slowly, parching the thirst of downstream creeks, rivers and fields. The more wetlands on a landscape, the more water is available in hot, dry months.

An aerial view of a flooded Canadian home, July 2014. These scenes are becoming more common as wetlands, which can mitigate the damaging effects of flooding, are transitioned to other land uses, while the occurrence of extreme climate events continues to rise. © Ducks Unlimited Canada

In a landscape like British Columbia, where mountains, borders, coastlines, industry and people all influence land availability, space is at a premium. Wetlands in B.C. have been impacted by development, reduced in size and reduced in quality: in the most populated areas of B.C., 85 per cent of wetlands have been lost, replaced with other land uses.

Imagine having a landscape that could absorb 85 per cent more of the rainfall than is currently drawn in. When wetlands are lost, drained or disconnected, water has fewer places to go and goes where it can all at once. The peaks get higher, and the lows get lower.

Is wetland loss irreversible?

Making up for lost wetlands is complex. Some wetland types, like peatlands, can take thousands of years to form, so we cannot replace those within our lifetime. Others, however, can be mostly restored within a shorter timeframe – both by people, through infrastructure like dams and nature-based techniques such as strategic planting, and by the environment itself, through hard-working beavers and natural ecological processes such as erosion and sediment layering. People can also take steps to help speed natural processes by creating favourable conditions for them.

The best option is to leave existing wetlands as they are and weigh their value more heavily when considering new development that could impact them. Keep in mind, wetlands provide other offerings in their multi-tool collection, like water filtration, biodiversity support, wildfire mitigation, erosion reduction and recreational benefits.

Spaces like this stand ready to absorb excess rainfall and snowmelt as it occurs, and can slowly release that water during the months where it is more needed. © Chantelle Abma, Ducks Unlimited Canada

Natural solutions to extreme scenarios

As we continue to experience more variable and extreme weather, the need to work with natural systems is more urgent. Wetlands are an effective part of a larger, multi-pronged approach alongside emergency planning, dikes, culverts or flood forecasting. And they are one of the most practical, proven ways to make a landscape more resilient in the face of extremes.

And more extremes are exactly what we should expect going forward. Environment and Climate Change Canada has said 2026 is likely to be among the hottest years on record.

A warming climate does not simply mean warmer days. It means sharper swings, heavier rain, earlier snowmelt, longer dry periods and more pressure on the systems that move and store water. But wetlands are part of an infrastructure of resilience, and if we want to capture more fast-falling, high-volume rainfall – we need more wetlands.

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