Water is in short supply in southern Alberta. Is a massive expansion of irrigation possible?

At an annual general meeting in Lethbridge for the largest irrigation district in Canada, it's standing room only. 

These AGMs for the St. Mary River Irrigation District, located in southern Alberta, are normally sleepy affairs. But this year is different as the province is staring down challenging drought conditions.

What's expected today is big news for the 200-odd people filing into the room, some wearing jackets bearing the names of their respective operations.

Grant Hunter, United Conservative Party MLA for Taber-Warner, takes a seat in the crowd. 

As organizers react to a growing line curling around the corner, event staff clear out removable walls and roll in more chairs.

Still, it's not enough, and soon, people are leaning on walls at the back of the room. Two farmers slide up and park themselves on a table.

Those who have gathered here are well aware of the difficulties looming over the coming farm year. 

The district, responsible for delivering irrigation water to farmers in southern Alberta, launches a PowerPoint presentation to lay out the challenges ahead. An organizer makes a joke about being run out the door by unhappy attendees.

Semi-arid southern Alberta, which relies heavily on irrigation, is expected to be hit with particular challenges — and new data from Environment and Climate Change Canada paints a striking picture of Canada's Prairies.

The brown area in the photo is very concerning because it means virtually zero to no snowpack in an expanse that extends across the Prairies, said Tricia Stadnyk, a professor and Canada Research Chair in hydrologic modelling with the University of Calgary's Schulich School of Engineering.

"It's highly unlikely that we can avoid drought at this point. Because without the snowpack, we don't have the soil moisture, which means that the ground is dry," she said. 

"That's going to have a significant impact on agriculture."

In the room at the St. Mary River Irrigation District AGM, organizers explain that supply in the area is lower compared with last year, with a dry winter affecting snowpack and reservoir storage. El-Niño-type activity indicates drier and warmer weather ahead.

But the crowd clearly is anxious to learn about one big decision. Around an hour into the meeting, speakers arrive at the main event.