25 The Business of Prairie Agriculture Better Farming | November/December 2024 None of this is free, so there needs to be enough demand from farmers to move towards investing in irrigated agriculture, pivot system and to develop the delivery system required to get water to the farm gate.” Potential problems Although there are potential benefits for producers, Pietroniro warns of potential negative impacts. “All changes to river systems will have an impact. Typically, we see changes in fish and ecosystem functions when flows tend to be highly regulated. This is because we don’t see the typical ups and downs in water level and flows that would occur naturally.” Pietroniro points out that natural habitats and biodiversity are also at risk, especially when changing an already established system. “Reservoirs turn environments that used to be on land into water-based habitats. This can destroy riparian forests and grasslands that are often homes for wildlife. “Water quality impacts from reservoirs can include changes to the sediment carrying capacity and changes in water temperature. The professor explains that the cumulative effects of habitat disruption, changes in water flow, and alterations in water quality can lead to a decline in biodiversity both in the reservoir and downstream. Could this work elsewhere? Pietroniro says the Red Deer project could provide solutions for other drought-prominent areas across the Prairies, provided farmers want to participate. “The province has a good sense of where it may be possible to allocate water for irrigation, and it appears that the current proposed site has some potential.” He predicts that farmers will weigh the cost and benefit of investing in irrigation systems against more traditional rain-fed agriculture approaches. “There are cases in Saskatchewan near Lake Diefenbaker where irrigation infrastructure was developed, but there was little uptake from local farmers.” As drought conditions continue to worsen – with warmer winters, earlier springs, and increased heat units – across the Prairies, Pietroniro stresses that this project is “timely” and perhaps necessary to provide options for relief. “There is no doubt that the southern parts of the province have benefited from their irrigation infrastructure and that success could be experienced further north in basins like the Red Deer River Basin.” He says that “the end result could be a substantial benefit, as irrigation schemes can drive economic development by improving agricultural productivity, generating employment, and increasing income for farming communities.” BF red deer reservoir prairielivestockexpo.ca For info see our website or E-mail: info@prairielivestockexpo.ca FREE admission | FREE parking WEDNESDAY, December 11 Victoria Inn Hotel & Convention Centre WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Canada with LIVESTOCK producers ! CONNECT More than 140 exhibits MULTI-SPECIES LIVESTOCK SHOW featuring: hog, beef, dairy, sheep, poultry, bison, goat New & Evolving Technologies: expert presentations for today’s producers Canada’s largest PORK QUALITY COMPETITION Latest in livestock production techniques PLE_Attnd 2024_BP__1/2pg _7x4.875_R_pr_.indd 1 2024-10-07 9:29 AM
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