Reading Time: 2 minutes In these tough economic times, irrigation is a good news story. Irrigation in Alberta is attracting businesses, creating jobs, generating revenue for governments, and bolstering the economy. How do we know this? The Alberta Irrigation Projects Association commissioned a study to look at exactly that. While people in the irrigation industry understand the benefits and […] Read more
Economic study shows irrigation pays big dividends
Irrigation adds about $3.6 billion to the provincial economy each year and has the potential to do even more
Drought years are proof that there’s more ‘crop per drop’
Two very dry years show that investments by both farmers and irrigation districts have greatly increased water-use efficiency
Reading Time: 3 minutes They were the two driest growing seasons in recent times — but when you look at water used for irrigation, 2001 and 2015 are very different. Last year, the amount of water diverted by the Eastern Irrigation District (EID) was almost 200,000 acre-feet less than in 2001, even though the number of acres under irrigation, […] Read more
Fall is a good time to empty a catch basin
But take care not to overapply liquids on fields and cause run-off
Reading Time: < 1 minute Fall is an excellent time to empty a catch basin. “Maintaining an empty catch basin will help to reduce the risk of overflow next spring,” said Cody Metheral, a provincial extension specialist in confined feeding operations. “During pump-out, it is important to remember that overapplication of catch basin contents could result in run-off from the […] Read more
Drought exposes cracks in Australia’s acclaimed water market
Sydney | Reuters — A pioneering Australian scheme to improve the management of water in the world’s driest inhabited continent is facing its first real test as an intensifying El Nino threatens crops and builds tensions between farmers and environmentalists. The three-year old management plan for the Murray-Darling basin, an area twice the size of […] Read more
Both pros and cons to tile drainage
Being able to remove excess moisture is a big plus, but there are a lot of factors to take into account
Reading Time: 3 minutes It wasn’t long ago that if you asked most Alberta producers if they used tile drainage, they likely wouldn’t know what you were talking about. A common practice in Ontario and the U.S. Midwest, it’s only in recent years that Alberta growers have warmed to this system in which subsurface tubes remove excess moisture from […] Read more
Beavers cause problems, but also provide benefits
Understanding beaver biology and ecology can help you coexist with beavers on your property
Reading Time: 2 minutes They’re one of Canada’s national symbols but for some farmers, beavers are nothing more than pests who destroy trees and flood land. But it’s time to think of the industrious rodents in a new way, says Lorne Fitch, provincial riparian specialist with Cows and Fish. “Beavers are a keystone species,” said Fitch. “They are one […] Read more
Factors to consider before constructing a dugout
One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to dugouts, says provincial water engineer
Reading Time: 2 minutes This is the time of year producers may be thinking about digging new dugouts. And, as with any new building project, there are factors to ponder before the first shovel hits the dirt. “Fall is a great time of year to construct new dugouts,” said Melissa Orr-Langner, agricultural water engineer with Alberta Agriculture and Rural […] Read more
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