Reading Time: 2 minutes The province, municipalities and water management groups need to talk to each other more if Alberta wants to mitigate future drought crises, according to the Alberta Water Council. “Preparedness and adaptability are the keys to successfully responding and adapting to the risk of multi-year drought,” the AWC said in a late-February report. That statement comes […] Read more
Action needed on drought preparations in Alberta
The Alberta Water Council released nine recommendations based on modelling exercise
Zimbabwe goes hungry as crops wither amid El Nino drought
Residents of the Zimbabwean village of Buhera stood in groups at a primary school waiting to be called by name to receive life-saving handouts of grain, peas and cooking oil.
Farmers, oil drillers in parched Alberta brace for water shortage
Drought could cause double-digit declines in Alberta's wheat yields, data suggests
Drought in Alberta is stretching into its fourth year and farmers and oil companies are planning for water restrictions that threaten production of wheat, beef and crude.
Precipitation does little for Prairie drought relief
Most areas dryer than a year ago, drought monitor shows
While much of the Prairies received above-normal amounts of precipitation during the month of February, the additional moisture did little to alleviate dry conditions according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Canadian Drought Monitor (CDM).
Alberta government asks people with water licence to move their licences online
Moving licences online will simplify things and make sure the government can track water availability
Reading Time: 2 minutes To make things simpler and faster, the government of Alberta is asking thousands of water licence users to move their licences online. The province has a digital system that lets users report on water use and manage their licence through a confidential online tool. A typical water licence allows the holder to divert water and […] Read more
Researchers delve into drought and grasslands
Global project will provide valuable insights as droughts increase, Alberta scientist says
Reading Time: 3 minutes A global study is examining the surprising ways short-term droughts can affect grasslands. “It’s not surprising that less water is going to lead to less plant growth. We’re all very familiar with that,” said Cameron Carlyle, associate professor of rangeland ecology in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta, […] Read more
Ag ministry, insurance among farm takeaways from 2024 Alberta budget
Need for disaster resilience cited for funding increases
Reading Time: 2 minutes Response to disasters, water management and irrigation were the agricultural highlights of Alberta’s recently released 2024 provincial budget. The Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation’s operating expenses received a bump of 9.7 per cent, rising from $77 million in 2023-24 to $870 million for 2024-25. That includes a $49-million increase in reinsurance costs for the Agriculture […] Read more
Fading El Niño to be replaced by La Niña: The Weather Network
Warmer than normal temperatures expected to continue on the Prairies
Fading El Niño weather patterns will be replaced by La Niña conditions heading into the summer, according to the latest seasonal forecast from The Weather Network.
Project to help water users improve watershed planning
Irrigation projects will be among the proposals evaluated using the new model
Reading Time: 2 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – The organization that represents Alberta’s irrigation districts is spearheading a project that will better allow stakeholders in the South Saskatchewan River Basin to improved watershed planning. The project will use the South Saskatchewan River Operational Model (SSROM) to determine how to best develop infrastructure to benefit Albertans, said Margo Jarvis Redelback, executive […] Read more
Alberta forms drought advisory committee
Reading Time: < 1 minute 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 […] Read more