The Eastern Irrigation District will pay $365,000 after a fatal workplace incident south of Brooks. (Photo: Eastern Irrigation District)

By Eli J. Ridder

Brooks-area irrigation district fined $365K after diver death

Feb 26, 2025 | 2:12 PM

The Eastern Irrigation District was penalized $365,000 this month in a Brooks courtroom after pleading guilty to a workplace safety charge after the death of a diver at the Lake Newell and Rolling Hills Reservoirs.

A diver was assessing, inspecting and completing work on the reservoirs’ gates and suffered fatal injuries during the dive on October 19, 2022, according to an Alberta government news release.

The irrigation district pleaded guilty to one count under the Occupational Health and Safety Code for failing to ensure an intake mechanism was locked out before a dive begun.

Under what’s called a “creative sentence,” the district was on Feb. 19 ordered to pay $300,000 to the Central Alberta Rescue Diving Society for equipment and training.

It also must send $65,000 to the Alberta Underwater Council for a safety campaign directed toward divers and employers.

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Both the irrigation district and the Crown have up to 30 days to appeal the conviction or penalties.

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