Preliminary water allocation forecasts in southern Alberta below average

This year is shaping up to be a dry year with irrigation boards predicting limited water allocation, something that could have major impacts on producers.

While Alberta saw some normal precipitation for much of the prairie region in February, drought conditions remain generally unchanged for the province.

It has some irrigation districts in southern Alberta predicting below-average water allocation for the 2024 irrigation season.

Since December, the St. Mary River Irrigation District (SMRID), the largest irrigation district in North America, has been sending monthly updates to irrigators on what this year could look like.

On March 15, the SMRID shared a forecast with a preliminary water allocation of eight inches at the farm gate, however, that’s subject to change based on snowpack and reservoir levels as the season progresses.

“That’s a pretty severe restriction,” SMRID general manager, David Westwood, said. “On a regular year when we have a good water supply, we would normally be setting our allocation in the 15- to 16-inch range. So, to be down at eight inches is almost a 50 percent reduction.”

According to Westwood, a finalized number is set to be released at the annual general meeting on April 3 at the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre.

“We also had heard recently that irrigators were trying to make some decisions about what kind of crops they wanted to plant, knowing full well that we had been warning for a long time that it looks like we could be heading into a water restriction or water supply,” said Westwood. “So, we thought it was important to at least give them that preliminary forecast so they can make some initial decisions.”

While some crops yield more water than others such as sugar beets or potatoes, Westwood says people may consider moving their water around this year due to the announcement.