Cooler temperatures and precipitation may offer relief, but river levels have been running below historical lows this year
The irrigation season in Alberta is ending, just as Calgary issues mandatory water restrictions and the province elevates its water shortage rating. “This is a dry year and demands on water are more evident,” said Ryan Davison, chair of the South East Alberta Watershed Alliance (SEAWA). “It may be time to re-think future development such […] Read moreIrrigation
Waiting for a rainy day? We should be so lucky
Water management is not a new issue in farming country. Prairie farmers have been focused on either finding enough water or figuring out how to get rid of it ever since they began tilling the soil and running cattle on rangeland more than 100 years ago. It’s no different this year. Lack of water in […] Read more
Struggling B.C. ranchers desperately need feed
Cattle producers are coping with a significant drought this year that is severe and widespread across the entire province
Beef producers in British Columbia, facing heat waves, drought and wildfires, are working with the provincial government to get the help they need. It includes seeking federal approval for funding under the AgriRecovery program, said Kevin Boon, general manager for the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association. Provincial officials have also provided $150,000 to help beef producers find […] Read more
Farmers in B.C. brace for fish-protection water restrictions
The crop situation in British Columbia is dire as drought and fire continue to plague much of the province and rivers that provide irrigation are drying up, according to the executive director of B.C. Agriculture Council. Danielle Synotte said the situation adds to existing problems caused by a strike by port workers on the West […] Read more
VIDEO: River levels run low in Alta.
UPDATED: Friday August 11, 2023 – 1100 CST – Video added. – Watershed council directors who manage two of the largest waterway systems in southern Alberta say the Bow and Oldman rivers will struggle to provide water to irrigators if present conditions persist. They said the rivers can currently deal with the lowest water levels […] Read more
Irrigators test direct seeding to prevent erosion
Alberta producers say the practice has its benefits, but challenges include dealing with chaff rows and managing stubble
Irrigation in southern Alberta has proven transformational to the ability to grow crops in the region, but although it has delivered water to the dusty plains, it hasn’t tamed the wind. Direct seeding is a piece in the puzzle to stem wind erosion in the area known for gales that can make it hard to […] Read more
Sask. RM declares ag disaster despite irrigation
Province asked for irrigation project commitment as even irrigation areas are hard hit by drought, grasshoppers this year
The council of the Rural Municipality of Rudy declared a drought disaster late last month even though it’s in the heart of Saskatchewan’s main irrigation area. The RM said drought and grasshopper infestations created the agricultural disaster. Less than 25 millimetres of rain have fallen in much of the region around Outlook. “In the RM […] Read more
Drones put to work tracking down water stress relationship
A University of Saskatchewan researcher is using drones to study the correlation between the thermal temperature of a plant and water stress, which typically means a shortness of water. “I’m using UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) to collect the thermal electromagnetic radiation that comes off of crops and using that to correlate it to crop volumetric […] Read more
Growing more crop per drop
As irrigation water allocations become more scarce, irrigation farmers battle each other and government regulators for water rights. Some parties have expressed concern about the long-term sustainability of irrigation farming. Nutrien agronomy director Karl Wyant lives in Arizona. He said working in the ag sector while living in a desert focuses one’s attention on the […] Read more
Livestock producers call for more drought help
Sask. crop insurance doubles low-yield thresholds to allow crops to be used for feed, but farm group says more is needed
The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association called for an immediate AgriRecovery assessment last week, even as governments moved to make it easier to turn low-yielding crops over for feed. President Garner Deobald said the steps taken so far, such as potential rent reductions on crown pasture, are helpful but don’t go far enough. Implementing AgriRecovery could […] Read more
