Calgary continues water restrictions amid drought, record lows in Bow and Elbow Rivers

This year’s tinder-dry conditions have been drastically working against southern Alberta crops.

And, despite rain and lower temperatures in recent days, several months of moisture are needed to break a drought.

“Usually we receive between six and eight inches of precipitation throughout the growing season which is well needed and well used, and this year was significantly less than that. It was between one to two inches of rain during the growing season, so it was definitely less than what was needed,” explained Jason Miller with the Raymond Irrigation District.

Calgary continues to see record low levels in the Bow and Elbow Rivers, and a statement from Calgary Water Services says, those restrictions are in place to help sustain Calgary’s water supply in the Glenmore reservoir; something Miller says is essential to helping Alberta survive and thrive.

“They help mitigate flooding when it’s a rain event, it mitigates drought events like we’ve had. They really protect us from dry years and flood years and are key to our agricultural existence here,” he added.

Miller adds a heavy snow pack this winter will be key for a crop rebound in southern Alberta.

“Any precipitation like that is very welcome and we can capture the runoff generally from that in the different reservoirs, so that’ll help build up the storage for next year,” he said. “And then, we need a really good snowpack, that’s what it really boils down to — we need a good snowpack, maybe some good spring snow that’ll help fill the reservoirs and that will definitely make it so we can have a good crop here next year.”Some areas of the country dealt with their third or fourth consecutive year of drought this season.

The 2021 season was one of the worst — with production at its lowest in more than a decade.

Dry conditions have accelerated the push for effective irrigation systems across the country.

In Alberta, in 2020, the province and the federal government through the Canada Infrastructure Bank announced a $932-million project to rehabilitate older irrigation equipment in the province, as well as construct or enlarge up to four off-stream irrigation storage reservoirs.

Several region declared agricultural disasters this summer amid hot conditons and ongoing wildfires, including Foothills County, south of Calgary

-With files from The Canadian Press