Irrigation season starts in southern Alberta
Global News
“There's a lot of math honestly that's going on behind the scenes making sure we have enough water to last us through the season." Davie explained "Because we're only in May ..."
Allison Davie of North Paddock Farms is happy to see the water flowing but there are still a lot of unknowns.
“As irrigation season goes on, we’re going to make changes to it depending on how much rain we get,” explained Davie. “We’re still going to try to get water on crops that we can, focusing on the high-value crops like our potatoes.”
David Westwood from Saint Mary River Irrigation District says it will be a demanding season ahead, but he is still optimistic.
“So, if we see what we saw last week and even more precipitation into June, that definitely could help farmers out, also might allow us to raise our allocation at some point in the season,” Westwood suggested. “But right now, we really need to be able to see how the snowpack melts off, see if we get some additional precipitation, before we even really consider that.”
According to the City of Lethbridge, the Old Man reservoir is at 42 per cent, St Mary sits at 49 per cent and Waterton is down to 23 per cent. Normal storage is usually at least around the 60 per cent mark for all three.
Davie says they’ve had to realign their priorities.
“Any of the pulses that are using a higher water allotment, unfortunately, we’re not growing those on our farm this year. Just so we can use the available irrigation allocation for our potatoes and our seed canola and our timothy hay,” said Davie. “But the main focus right now is our potatoes.”
Even with a plan to move ahead, Davie explains this growing season will be tough.
Bird flu has spread far and wide, infecting a range of species like chickens, skunks, cows, foxes and polar bears. But it's the pigs that have experts on high alert.
The CFIA has recalled E. coli-tainted carrots, following a U.S. health warning about the contaminated produce linked to one death and dozens of illnesses.
Health Canada said there was an issue with the braking system of the Stokke YOYO baby stroller, sold between August and October this year.
These editorial stories and interviews will focus on the people, companies, research, and innovations leading the environmental and sustainable movement in B.C.
Bennett had just returned from the school run last week when she found the mom and a baby raccoon unconscious, with one of the babies sleeping on the furniture.
B.C. health authorities have announced the first case of a human avian flu infection acquired in Canada, with the teenage patient in critical condition in hospital.
People have been hearing a lot about H5N1 bird flu — or highly pathogenic avian influenza — since a B.C. teen became the first human to get the virus in Canada and is in hospital.
The Liberal government and the NDP negotiated the substance of a pharmacare bill as part of their now-defunct supply-and-confidence agreement.
Kennedy ran as an independent presidential candidate but gave Trump his endorsement with a promise to have a role in health policy in the next Trump administration.
Emergency services are at the scene of a train derailment Thursday morning on Montreal's south shore, where they are urging citizens to stay away from the area.
"I was yelling at them saying get the F** away it’s a wild animal," resident Josh Merrin told Global News. "Sorry about my language."