There are no metaphors left to describe how dry southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan have become.
For livestock producers searching for water, this is the season for serious decisions. Selling off some or all of the herd, hauling water or spending money they don’t have for a pipeline are some of the options.
“Livestock water is fairly critical,” said Special Areas agronomist Lorne Cole.”You find water wherever you can. The guys who found water to pump, pumped it.”
Based near Hanna, Alta., Cole laid 1,500 metres of underground pipe to pump water to his own farm.
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Pipelines that deliver a permanent supply of water are gaining popularity among producers.
The Special Areas, the federal Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration and Cypress County developed special pipeline plows to lay high-pressure pipes below the ground.
The Alberta government has agreed to pay a third of the costs up to $5,000.
Pipelines have also been laid in the Rosetown and Swift Current areas of Saskatchewan.
Producers in southeastern Alberta have laid 240 kilometres of pipeline so far this year, drawing water from wells, springs and a few dugouts where water remains.
Retailers eventually ran out of solar panels, and in some cases even pipe, said Jay Slemp, chair of the Special Areas board, which looks after Alberta’s specially managed areas.
Other ranchers are digging deeper wells. Shallow wells 30 metres deep or less are showing stress, forcing people to dig as deep as 450 m, where ground water is not affected by poor surface conditions.
In addition, the PFRA is mapping prairie ground water sources to find good sources of water for the future if the drought continues.
Last year was the eighth driest for southern Alberta since weather records started in 1886. Only 50 millimetres of rain fell between April and August.
This year is even drier, said Ryan Davison of the PFRA’s Medicine Hat office. He estimates 95 percent of surface water is depleted, with no rain on the horizon to replenish sloughs, wells, reservoirs and dugouts.
No measurable rain was recorded in the Calgary area in August and Medicine Hat posted 0.4 mm of precipitation.
The last four winters have also been among the driest on record, said Dave Spencer at Alberta Agriculture’s Medicine Hat office. His records show winter precipitation has been only 65 percent of normal during the period.
With no new water flowing into dugouts, minerals are concentrating, resulting in high sulfate levels that damage water quality. Weeds are taking over empty reservoirs.
Range conditions deteriorate daily.
Reliable springs and creeks have dried up in the foothills, mirroring the critical water shortage that extends as far east as Swift Current and north to Rosetown.
“Reduced production shows up right across the region,” said Barry Adams, range management specialist with Alberta Agriculture.
Community pastures severely cut back cattle grazing numbers this spring and many sent animals home early.
The 70,000 acre Sage Creek Community Pasture near Manyberries, Alta., never opened this year. Pastures like this have lost their plant cover and ranges are slower to recover without litter. Some may bounce back in two to three years while others may not regain their productivity for 10 years.
“It was grim last year and this is just another level of hardship this year,” Adams said.
