LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – Expanding irrigation in the semi-arid regions of southern Alberta is proving a hard sell these days.
Delegates to the Alberta Irrigation Projects Association meeting heard that despite the boost that the region’s 1.3 million acres under irrigation have brought to the area, the drought has probably slowed plans for expansion.
“Expansion could be a difficult thing to sell in years like this,” said Richard Phillips, chief engineer for the Bow River Irrigation District.
This past year was southern Alberta’s driest growing season since the early 1870s, leaving major reservoirs like St. Mary’s nearly empty and MacGregor Lake half full.
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Districts using the Bow River are in better shape and used only about half the water they are entitled to under their withdrawal licences. But that could change if runoff is inadequate for a third consecutive year.
Phillips said each district has to evaluate its water outlook and determine whether expansion is worthwhile. A 10 percent expansion could be feasible in some areas.
A little more than five percent of Alberta’s cultivated land is irrigated, but it accounts for nearly 19 percent of the province’s primary production in livestock, cereals, forage and vegetables.
As well, those at the meeting debated installing meters for irrigation users. Those favouring meters say they would encourage conservation and put a price on the value of irrigation.
Phillips and other irrigation district managers aren’t so sure.
“Most of the metering we have done is aimed at reducing return flows to conserve water,” Phillips said. “We have done less work in monitoring inflow.”
Return flow water is the unused portion from farms that is sent back to the canals and eventually the reservoirs.
Effects of the drought on irrigators have also been alleviated by work the province and irrigation districts have done to upgrade systems and conserve water. Canals have been rehabilitated to limit leaking and more water is delivered by pipelines, which have fewer leaks and less evaporation.
The severe water shortages this summer also motivated people to find innovative ways to conserve water.
For producers supplied by the St. Mary’s River Irrigation District, adequate water was available in 2000. Sharp cutbacks in 2001 saw water reduced to 10 inches from 18 inches per subscriber. Less thirsty crops like chickpeas were grown and farmers were allowed to trade and sell water.
SMRID manager Jim Brown said reforms could be made to the way water is ordered.
“I’m not sure metering could produce all the results we want.”
He would prefer to bill for overuse, he said.
