The federal government is rejecting calls from several Alberta-based naturalist groups that seek an environmental assessment of reservoirs connected to the province’s nearly $1 billion irrigation modernization project.
Part of that project would see work on four reservoirs connected to the massive upgrade — Chin and Snake Lake expansions as well as a new Deadhorse Coulee reservoir and a fourth, yet-to-be identified, project.
Federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault has said no to a requested federal review of Chin Lake and Deadhorse Coulee projects, citing the projects don’t warrant such an assessment and provincial legislation should address environmental concerns.
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Phillip Meintzer, Alberta Wildlife Association (AWA) conservation specialist, said part of the reason for seeking a federal assessment is to gather more details on the projects.
“We didn’t start out saying there was going to be a problem with this project. It was more just wondering if environmental concerns were being addressed or looked at in any sort of way,” said Meintzer. “As things have gone along and as we’ve learned, we’ve just realized that they really haven’t.”
Those concerns are focused on impacts to species at risk, in-stream flows on rivers and conversion of native grasslands to farms.
Richard Phillips, chair of Irrigating Alberta, a consortium created by the irrigation districts for the modernization project, said those concerns are unfounded.
“Irrigation expansion goes on existing dryland. A farmer, whether he’s already an irrigator or dryland farmer, says ‘I’ve had enough of getting unreliable crops on dryland and I want to grow high-value, reliable crops, therefore, I want to irrigate my dryland.’ That’s where the expansion goes,” said Phillips.
He said the project won’t see large tracts of native grasslands sod-busted, if any, and said the project could bring up to 200,000 acres of land under a pivot.
“This business of 200,000 acres and we’re going to lose so much native prairie because of it and all the species that’ll be impacted, that’s simply and completely unfounded. No validity to that whatsoever,” Phillips said.
Additionally, he said over the last decade irrigators have added 135,000 acres in southern Alberta using existing water licences to convert dryland crops.
The provincial government placed a moratorium on issuing new water licences on most major rivers that make up the South Saskatchewan River Basin in 2006, in a move that created a market-based water transfer system.
Meintzer said the vast majority of those water licences are held by irrigation districts that operate under a first-in-time, first-in-right allocation principle, which results in the oldest licence holders having priority in accessing the resource.
Considering the stresses caused by climate change and pressures on the rivers, Meintzer said there should be some thought of putting efficiencies gained in water conservation back into the rivers instead of using it for irrigation.
In addition to the off-stream reservoirs, the modernization project will also see a number of canals changed to pipelines, something Phillips said is a good thing, but Meintzer countered by asking if irrigation expansion is warranted when waterways are already stressed.
“Thinking about climate change, we’re not meeting our water conservation objectives as stated most of the time anyway. Could some of those efficiency gains be put back into rivers for aquatic ecosystems?”
The Chin Lake expansion automatically falls under Alberta legislation, which will require a provincial environmental assessment while it’s yet to be determined if the Deadhorse Coulee project will require one.
Meintzer said the issue for environmental groups regarding provincial reviews is the narrow scope for participation by groups or individuals.
“The issue is you have to be directly affected or adversely affected to submit comments, concerns or at least to be heard,” he said. “That restricts the ability for environmental groups to get involved.”
A provincial review also doesn’t consider the cumulative impacts of the whole modernization project.
“There are so many moving pieces here and you kind of have to look at it holistically rather than just say this single reservoir expansion on its own,” he said. “We don’t really think a provincial assessment of just the Chin reservoir will take that into account.”
Phillips said water is already being kept instream with historical records clearly showing irrigation diversions have been on the decline.
“Irrigation districts have been saving water that is in fact remaining in the river and not being picked up by others. It’s been a very clear trend in recent decades,” he said, adding that irrigation districts aren’t interested in giving up their water allocations.
“If you would ask a lot of people right now if they would want more food production or a little more flow in the river, given the world food crisis, I think I know where most people will vote.”
The issue boils down to what Phillips called a societal issue, in which the public needs to consider what they would prefer: more flow in a river he believes is currently in a healthy state or higher value food crops with a secure water supply for irrigation.
“Some people would claim there is an over allocation (on the South Saskatchewan River Basin) and I would say that is absolute garbage,” said Phillips.
But, he said, stressing this is his personal view and not that of Irrigating Alberta or any of the organizations connected to it, environmental organizations should be afforded the opportunity to take part in the provincial water licence market to keep water in-stream.
“If they had the ability to participate in the market and purchase allocations to guarantee that it stays in the river, I personally believe that solves everything,” he said.
Currently, if a business or municipality requires a water allocation for purposes other than irrigation, they can purchase one through the provincial market. Phillips said environmental groups should be added to the list.
Alberta’s irrigation modernization project is funded through eight of the province’s 13 irrigation districts, the federal government through a loan financed by the Canada Infrastructure Bank as well as more than $300 million through the Alberta government.
