Irrigation systems in southern Alberta are charged and ready for use, but seeding is taking priority over water concerns, says an irrigation specialist.
Ron McMullin, executive director of the Alberta Irrigation Projects Association, said a few farmers have begun irrigating, but it wasn’t widespread as of May 13.
“There are some farmers who are having to irrigate up crops. The topsoil is kind of dry,” McMullin said.
“The issue has been getting seed into the ground for a lot of people because it was so cool for awhile and now it’s hot and dry.”
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Irrigation canals are usually charged in early May, after frost is out of the ground. However, there are always some farmers who would like water sooner.
“That’s always the challenge, is meeting the needs of those who need it early, versus frost.”
Most reservoir levels across the south are below capacity to allow for mountain runoff that will arrive in coming weeks.
Runoff for the Milk, Bow, Red Deer and North Saskatchewan river basins is expected to be average or slightly below average, while the Oldman River basin is expected to have average to slightly above runoff, according to Alberta Environment statistics.
Mountain snow pack is much above average in mountains that feed the Oldman basin and above average in those feeding the Bow. Elsewhere it is average or slightly below.
Alberta Agriculture reported May 6 that less than three percent of provincial crops had been seeded. The south is furthest ahead at about 10 percent.
Central Alberta had completed one percent of seeding as of last week, with the rest of the province barely underway. Excessive moisture is the culprit in most regions, especially the northeast, northwest and Peace regions.
