The water allocation has been set at eight inches. (SMRID LinkedIn)

By Justin Goulet, Eli J. Ridder

Eight-inch SMIRD allocation just enough for southern irrigators, official says

Apr 3, 2024 | 4:51 PM

St. Mary River Irrigation District on Wednesday revealed eight inches of water per acre as its allocation for the 2024 season, a number high enough to get crucial southern Alberta irrigators through the summer, according to chairman George Lohues.

“That is a number that will allow us to irrigate to the end of the season, and also a number that will allow us to go up if we receive some meaningful rainfall,” Lohues said.

Lohues was speaking with Pattison Media at this year’s annual general meeting of the regional irrigation district — known as SMRID — in Lethbridge.

SMRID general manager David Westwood speaks at the group’s AGM on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Justin Goulet/Lethbridge News Now)

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Farmers across southern Alberta are hoping for more snow and rain to soften up the ground further ahead of what’s expected to be a potentially record-breaking hot summer.

“What we’re really looking for is meaningful rain, traditional rain that we get in June, and even in May,” Lohues remarked.

George Lohues, chairman of SMRID, says eight inches should be enough to get irrigators through the year. (Justin Goulet/Lethbridge News Now)

“The types of rains that will make a difference, like the one-to-two inch rains, three-inch rains,” he added.

The water allocation in July 2023 was 14 inches of water per acre, at the farm gate, according to a SMRID statement.

Lohues said any changes to the allotment will be communicated with irrigators.

“We’re going to communicate monthly [with irrigators], minimally, but I would suspect more often,” he stated.

“As soon as we have new information, we will pass it on to our irrigators because it will affect their livelihood and how they do their business.”

The finalized eight inches lines up with an estimate released in March.

READ MORE: Lower water allocations likely in parts of southern Alberta this summer 

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