Grainswest - Spring 2022

Spring 2022 Grains West 40 The Eastern Irrigation District has received funding for modernization projects as well as the Snake Lake Reservoir expansion project. available to irrigators regarding the impact of the expansion on the available water supply for the irrigated area. Following this, they must hold at least one public meeting to discuss the proposed expansion, and then hold a plebiscite where existing irrigators are given the chance to vote on the proposed changes. The Eastern Irrigation District (EID) is receiving funding for a series of modernization projects, as well as for the Snake Lake Reservoir expansion project. The proposed reservoir expansion plan will increase storage by approximately 53,000 acre-feet to 67,000 acre-feet and carry a $200 million pricetag. There are approximately 140,000 irrigated acres in the district that are either unsupported by a reservoir or receive limited reservoir support. Of these acres, approximately 50,000 are downstream of the Snake Lake Reservoir. Ivan Friesen, EID general manager, said the project is important to the district, as about half of its irrigated area is river supported. “When the river is low, these acres can be affected by shortages of water,” he said. The reservoir expansion project in particular will improve water security in the region by removing 35 per cent of the present river-supported acres to reservoir-supported areas. Many of the modernization projects will also allow the district to increase irrigation acres without an increase in the amount of water used. Projects that help water security and water efficiency are also an adaptation to climate change and are good news for those who were hit hard by last year’s drought. “Anybody who did not have irrigation in our area was hard hit,” said Friesen. “Crops outside of irrigation were burnt up.” Prior to the announcement, the EID was very close to its expansion limit of 311,000 acres and very few new acres were being given out. With 75 per cent of irrigators voting in favour of irrigation expansion in the plebiscite vote in February 2021, the district will be able to open up an additional 29,000 acres. If the Snake Lake Reservoir expansion is completed, an additional 5,000 acres will be added for a total expansion plan of 34,000 irrigation acres. Demand for new irrigation is presently higher than what is being provided by the District on an annual basis. “The Snake Lake Project, in particular, is very important for us,” concluded Friesen. For cattle farmers such as Kevin Serfas, the reservoir project is a huge deal. Serfas farms near Turin, in the EID. He operates a newly built 40,000-head feedyard, as well as a smaller 6,000-head feedyard. Good silage is crucial to the success of his operation. In recent years, though, dry weather and drought have been a major concern. If it wasn’t for the fact most of his silage acres are under irrigation, he would never have made the investment in the feedyard. “We can’t fool around with that,” said Serfas. “If we don’t have that silage, we essentially can’t feed the cattle.” Six years might not seem like a lot of time to complete a reservoir project, but Westwood said it is adequate. This is in part because the districts have been at work on pipeline modernization for the last 30 years. “We’re very comfortable and do these projects all the time,” he said. “What this program has afforded for us, is just the ability to do a significant amount at an accelerated pace.” The Government of Alberta estimates approximately 200,000 acres of additional irrigated land could be supported by the water made available through the newly funded modernization and reservoir projects. “The Snake Lake Project, in particular, is very important for us.” — Ivan Friesen FEATURE Photo:Courtesyof theEastern IrrigationDistrict