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Alberta forms drought advisory committee

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Published: February 7, 2024

According to the Government of Alberta website, the province has the largest irrigated area in Canada with nearly 680,000 hectares of irrigated land.

Glacier FarmMedia – Alberta has struck a new drought advisory committee as some provincial rivers reach record low levels, reservoirs remain below capacity and mountain snowpacks continue to be under historical averages.

The province says at least parts of the province are facing risks of severe drought conditions in part due to warm and dry winter conditions brought on by the El Niño weather pattern.

The Water Advisory Committee will be made up of six members with experience in the agricultural and irrigation sector along with Indigenous, industry and rural and urban issues.

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The committee will be advising Alberta’s environment minister based on information gleaned from community leaders.

It will include:

  • Justin Wright, Medicine Hat MLA 
  • Paul McLauchlin, president of Rural Municipalities of Alberta
  • Ian Anderson, former chief executive officer of pipeline company Trans Mountain
  • Alex Ostrop, chair of the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association
  • Jack Royal, CEO of the Blackfoot Confederacy Tribal Council
  • Tanya Thorn, Okotoks mayor

– Alex McCuaig is a reporter with The Western Producer.

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