Many Alberta farmers found relief after staring down drought. But the story doesn't end there
CBC
In April at North Paddock Farms, located south of Taber, Alta., Alison Davie and husband Michael were concerned about the months to come.
"It was very, very dry," Davie said in an interview last week. "We thought, oh my goodness."
The farm, part of the St. Mary River Irrigation District, had its water allocation cut in half in April, after a dry winter affected snowpack and reservoir storage.
The farm prepared its crop plan accordingly, even seeking to temporarily purchase water allocations within the irrigation district.
And then, May came.
"It just rained and rained and rained," Davie said.
That took the pressure off the irrigation season, especially for wheat crops in the region.
The months that followed illustrated the dynamic nature of farm life.
More rain fell in June, but July brought a return to hot and dry conditions. Scattered storms and showers marked August, though Davie's farm avoided the impacts of hail.
"We have so far been spared. We are looking forward to another harvest season coming up here pretty quick," Davie said.
"Overall, the crops are looking really good."
Timely precipitation changed the fortune of the agricultural season across the irrigation district, which is the biggest in Canada.
The district was able to bump up its water allocation by an inch, said general manager David Westwood.
"I wouldn't say that all our problems are cured. But compared to what we were concerned about, it's actually turned out to be, I would say, an actual adequate or decent year … it really did reverse our fortune," he said.
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