Reading Time: < 1 minute Current snowpack conditions are looking pretty good in all of the head works for Alberta irrigation districts except for the southern tributary as the St. Mary’s River is currently tracking below-normal levels. The Oldman and Bow river systems are tracking at normal and higher-than-normal levels, said provincial irrigation water engineer Lloyd Healy. Reservoir levels in […] Read more
Alberta water supply looking good
The ins and outs of watering cattle in winter
There are lots of options but start by knowing how much water your cattle will need each day
Reading Time: 4 minutes Winter is here, and if you’re winter grazing, it’s not easy to know how best to deliver water to cattle on pasture. But Stacy Pritchard of the Peace Country Beef and Forage Association has some tips to get the best results from your watering program. Contrary to popular belief, snow can be an effective water […] 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
You may not want to know what lies below — but you should
Experts say too many rural Albertans aren’t properly caring for their wells — and the price for neglect can be steep
Reading Time: 3 minutes Imagine finding mouse fur in your tap water. Or your house blowing up because of a buildup of methane in your water system. Brandon Leask has seen both. Although extreme examples, those are just two of the many risks that come with not paying attention to water wells, said the agricultural water engineer with Alberta […] Read more
Study says irrigation delivers big dollars to Alberta economy
Study also finds irrigated crop and livestock production have created 38,000 direct jobs and another 17,000 ones in food processing
Reading Time: 2 minutes Every cubic metre of water delivered for irrigation creates $3 to the province’s GDP and $2 in labour income. This is one of the key conclusions in a study funded by the Canada-Alberta Growing Forward 2 program and commissioned by the Alberta Irrigation Projects Association (AIPA). The study also shows that for every dollar of […] Read more
Regular testing is the only way to ensure clean, safe water
Testing not only protects families, but can identify maintenance problems or other issues early on
Reading Time: 2 minutes Regulations ensure urban water supplies are regularly treated and tested, but rural residents can’t just turn on a tap and be assured of clean drinking water. If you get water from a private well, you’re responsible for managing and maintaining the well and ensuring the water supply is tested regularly and is safe to drink. […] 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
The damage to crops is done — but how much worse will it get?
It’s not a writeoff yet, but recovery potential is limited and a late harvest seems inevitable, says crop expert
Reading Time: 3 minutes After one of the “driest Mays on record,” producers across the Prairies are wondering how their crops are going to fare this growing season. It’s not looking good. “The crops are going to be substantially smaller than they have been over the past few years,” Bruce Burnett, CWB crop and weather specialist, said in an […] Read more
Alberta wetlands receive funding for conservation projects
More than 1,300 acres will be conserved or restored thanks to $11.6 million grant
Reading Time: < 1 minute Ducks Unlimited Canada will receive more than $11.6 million in grant funds for wetland conservation and restoration work to help reduce the impact of flooding and drought in Alberta. The funding comes from the Alberta government’s Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program. Wetlands have the ability to store water and slow the release of water into […] Read more
Variable-rate irrigation on the rise in Alberta
Not everyone is convinced the technology is where it needs to be, but advocates say ‘interest is growing exponentially’
Reading Time: 3 minutes Southern Alberta’s irrigation system is on the cusp of going very high tech. Now that crop yield monitoring is commonplace and variable-rate crop-input technology making inroads, ag equipment companies and early adopters of advanced technology are setting their sights on micromanaging irrigation. “Variable-rate irrigation (VRI) is certainly here to stay,” said Jeff Bronsch, president of […] Read more
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