Support irrigation, ACRE told

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Published: March 7, 2002

Any expansion of irrigated areas in Saskatchewan will first require

improvements in infrastructure, says Leo Tomasiewicz, vice-president of

the Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association.

Tomasiewicz supports the Action Committee on the Rural Economy’s call

for expansion of the irrigation system and opening new areas for

diversified agricultural growth. It will be included in the 150

recommendations that ACRE will submit to government this month, all

aimed at rural revitalization.

“We don’t want the government to get into the irrigation business, but

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to fund the infrastructure,” Tomasiewicz said, citing need for

improvements in communication, power and water supply.

He pointed to irrigation’s potential to stimulate the economy by

increasing cattle numbers, alfalfa and timothy processing, and feed

grain, table and seed potatoes acres.

“We have the water, but we only utilize three percent for domestic and

irrigation use.”

The irrigation association points to the potential to hook up 30,000

more acres in existing irrigation districts. That would mean a total of

two million acres could be under irrigation within a decade.

The association estimates it would cost about $20 million over 10 years

to make that happen.

At an ACRE public meeting in Melfort last month, the committee heard a

concern about forging ahead on irrigation projects without first

mapping aquifers in the province.

Tomasiewicz allayed that fear, saying irrigation does not pump from

aquifers but from surface water, extracting water from reservoirs fed

by creeks, rivers and dams.

About the author

Karen Morrison

Saskatoon newsroom

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