Irrigated Crop Production Update

We attended the Irrigated Crop Production Update in Lethbridge last week and it was a great event with speakers ranging from farmers, researchers, to irrigation district managers.
The Southern river basin impacting mainly the SMRID is the most impacted with 20% lower snowpack levels and low reservoir levels relative to the need. Other districts further north are going into winter with normal winter reservoir levels but 30% lower snowpack trends as well. Irrigation policy and trends were talked about as well as trends in more efficient use and delivery of water.

• Alison Davie talked about cover crops on irrigation and how to implement them on your farm
• Subsurface drip irrigation was talked about
• Seed canola management
• Cutworms
• Planters vs. regular drills for all crops
• Remote soil moisture sensors
• Weed management (kochi & wild oats)
• Fertilizer management on irrigation and water timing in wheat, showing grain formation is key for water needs in cereals
• Total flows to Saskatchewan are always above minimum's, the key for both provinces is on stream storage and diversion to keep that water for the irrigation season and to withstand low snowpack years.​

Irrigators drought outlook from Alberta Environment & Protected Areas:

epa-drought-risk-and-management.pdf
File Size:	3650 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---