'It's a mess': Canal leaks causing problems for farmers

Some farmers are having to ration their water, after repairs to leaks in a canal caused more leaks and the canal's indefinite shutdown.

LETHBRIDGE — Before the 2023 water season, contractors hired by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation made repairs to Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District (LNID) canal’s lining that had be leaking for several years.

But after the repairs were made and the water turned on in April, it was discovered more leaks had been created by the repair work.

Now, the canal is shut down indefinitely, causing farmers to go on water rationing.

"It's a mess. And we're lucky we're on the main canal. You talk to some people out in Picture Butte off of Keho Lake, it's basically drained and they're not allowed to water," said Stephen Vandervalk, a farmer outside of Fort Macleod.

The irrigation district provides water to roughly 200,000 acres of cropland in southern Alberta and a quarter million cattle in feedlot alley, the largest concentration of cattle in the country.

Water rationing combined with a lack of rainfall is having a serious impact on producers.

"Reduction in the allocation in general, just given the dry, hot conditions that we're facing across Alberta this year, is definitely becoming a growing concern," said Shannon Sereda with the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commission.

The LNID is working to restore its usual 17.5 inches of water per irrigation acre, which currently sits at 4.5 inches, but has admitted that won't happen this year.

In an update posted to its website, the district said, "It is important to understand that the LNID's water allocation will not be restored back to 17.5 inches this season. Within the next couple weeks, we hope to better be able to give an estimation of what the total allotment might look like."

According to the district, water supervisors have caught farmers stealing water, running too many pivots and irrigating at night to avoid being caught breaking water rationing.

The province, which owns and operates the canal, says it's working to address the problem.

"The contractor is working very hard to complete the required repairs as soon as possible and we are taking the necessary steps to avoid water interruptions for this and future growing seasons," the province said in a statement.

Farmers like Vandervalk expect the province will help to cover losses caused by the canal issues.

"It's not like a few dollars an acre here. We're talking hundreds of dollars if not thousands of dollars type compensation."

No update on when the canal will be fixed has been provided.