A former health-care administrator will attempt to resuscitate water projects in western Saskatchewan this year.
Doug Ball, chair of the steering committee for the Westside Irrigation Project, said the project has received tentative approval for funding from the Canada-Saskatchewan Water Supply Expansion Program. The money will be used to hire a consultant to explore development options for irrigation in the region, with a preliminary report by spring and a final one by fall.
As the former chief executive officer of the Midwest Health District, where he managed a budget of $22 million and 800 staff, he is used to working on large projects.
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Ball said the original vision for the irrigation district dates to the 1960s so is based largely on flood irrigation. New crops and irrigation technologies necessitate the need to update that plan, he said.
The original plan called for 125,000 acres of irrigation, but the committee thinks it could reach 250,000 today. Currently only 2,000 acres are irrigated in the district, mainly for forages and specialty crops.
Ball said irrigation could support a host of crops and horticultural operations.
He said the early project stalled after other irrigation districts found the open canal system allowed too much seepage of water.
“It didn’t appear to be working and (the project) went to bed,” he said.
Ball said irrigation is critical to this region of the dry Palliser Triangle, which sees as little as 100 millimetres of rainfall annually.
He said the project must be broader than just irrigation development and improved income for farmers from new crop choices. It also must offer recreation and water sources for communities and industry.
“We need a system to have sustainability,” said Ball.
He cited strong turnout at three public meetings as a positive sign of local support.
“There’s a new will and a new generation of farmers that want to proceed with it,” Ball said.
