Environmentalists believe money directed to future dam construction would be better spent building farmer-run processing plants.
Darrin Qualman, water issues co-ordinator with the Saskatchewan Environmental Society, said only 40 percent of the land deemed suitable for irrigation has been developed since the Gardiner dam was built a half century ago.
“If farmers are not taking advantage of water in Diefenbaker Lake, why would they react any differently to water behind a dam at Highgate, Meridian or anywhere else,” he said.
The environmental group, which released a critique of Saskatchewan Agrivision Corp.’s 50-year water strategy Sept. 21, expressed concerns over the costs of construction projects, irrigation expansion and environmental impacts on rivers in Western Canada.
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Agrivision released its water strategy in 2004 calling it an effort to guard against water shortages for farms, towns and businesses while increasing capacity for food production, business and processing. It called for extensive irrigation development, water storage reservoirs at Lloydminster and North Battleford and water development corporations.
The environmental society prefers a water strategy that creates electricity from renewable sources like wind power, conservation measures and small dams or off-stream reservoirs.
Qualman said farmers are reluctant to invest in irrigation due to poor returns, not because of a lack of dams or water.
He called the Agrivision plan to build new dams part of “a push mentality” to get people to build plants or irrigate more land.
He thinks the pull technique works better, with farmers coming together to form co-operatives, small businesses and processing plants at much less cost.
The environmental society believes the four dams proposed would cost each Saskatchewan family $100,000. In addition, it said there are environmental costs to these projects that have not been fully explored.
Red Williams, Agrivision president, noted that any dam projects will be subject to environmental studies before governments can approve them.
“I think they’re just whistling in the dark,” he said of the environmentalists’ concerns.
The 50-year water strategy is being meted out in small steps, the first of which includes the creation of a water council that will initiate water use studies and environmental assessments, he said.
Williams agreed that irrigation development in Saskatchewan stalled and the Gardiner dam is under used. The province pulled funding for infrastructure for irrigation at a critical stage, he noted.
He maintained that water management and the problems associated with it remain priorities with government and the public.
Williams said the water strategy attempts to drought-proof a province that has been hit hard by reduced stream flows and precipitation in recent times.
“It’s a matter of capturing water in reservoirs so water supplies can be adequately taken care of,” he said.
