Significant investment in three Saskatchewan irrigation districts is expected to expand the acreage and improve the infrastructure.
The federal and provincial governments last week announced an investment of $5.3 million to increase capacity in the South Saskatchewan River, Riverhurst and Luck Lake irrigation districts.
The bulk of the money, $4.77 million, is coming from the federal Community Adjustment Fund.
About 100,000 acres in the Lake Diefenbaker area are now irrigated. The expansion will make irrigation available on another 15,000 acres.
The South Sask. River district is the largest of the three at nearly 25,000 acres. It will expand by 7,000 acres.
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Riverhurst and Luck Lake will each expand by 4,000 acres to 14,880 and 9,400, respectively.
The projects are expected to create 60 long-term and 22 short-term jobs, and sustain 223 jobs across the three districts.
The money will be used to design and build distribution systems, and install pipelines and other infrastructure required for irrigation.
The individual districts will pay for the purchase and installation of power grids and pumps.
A study released last fall suggested irrigated acres around the lake, created in 1967 by the Gardiner Dam, could climb to more than 648,000.
Lynne Yelich, federal minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification, said the expansion would create more opportunities both on and off the farm.
“Irrigation is the key to the success and growth of our agriculture industry in Saskatchewan,” added provincial agriculture minister Bob Bjornerud.
