Early shutoffs as irrigators eye levels

By James Tubb on September 23, 2023.

Lake Newell is less than half the level where it should be heading into winter, and required an earlier shutdown of irrigation in the area and 60 days to recover to average levels, the Eastern Irrigation District has announced.

The district that provides water to farms, ranches and municipalities through agreements said that by the end of season on Monday it could be 100,000 acre-feet below normal storage levels across five main reservoirs — enough to supply 100,000 acres of farmland during normal allotment.

In response, shut-off will occur two weeks earlier than usual on Sept. 25, and water instead diverted to re-fill reservoirs.
“The district intends to continue diversions until normal winter reservoir levels are met, hopefully some time in the latter half of November, unless the winter weather requires the district to stop diversions, whichever is sooner,” reads a statement.

Most of the shortfall is related to Lake Newell, near Brooks, where 58,500 acre-feet were in reserve on Sept. 1 after a long dry season with little precipitation and generally low river flows across Southern Alberta. It is typically kept at 129,000 acre-feet in winter.

The large Crawling Valley reservoir was 11,600 acre feet short at the same point and Snake Lake, near Bassano, was about 7,000 acre-feet below the normal winter level of 9,600.

Minimal flows will continue for two weeks to allow members to fill dugouts, while the EID prioritizes filling Lake Newell, then Snake Lake and then Crawling Valley, potentially reaching targets by Nov. 24.

The St. Mary’s Irrigation District also reduced the volume of its deliveries in early September and planned to end its season on Friday.

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