LNID WATER USERS, PARTNERS, STAKEHOLDERS AND VENDORS,

Update: December 23, 2024:

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA) has scheduled a public Water Availability Engagement Town Hall:

Date: January 8, 2025

Time: 6:15pm doors open

Location: Coast Hotel Lethbridge (526 Mayor Magrath Drive South, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 3M2)

Registration is required to attend, please register through this link.

The town hall will feature an address by AEPA, followed by a moderated Q&A period.

Although Minister Rebecca Schulz has confirmed AEPA is not looking at scaling back existing water licences, LNID encourages water users to continue participating in the Water Availability Engagement process and attend the town hall if you’re available.

In addition, AEPA has extended the engagement on water availability to January 24, 2025. Please visit this webpage for additional information on the engagement process.

Update: December 13, 2024:

LNID would like to express our sincere appreciation to everyone who attended the Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA) Water Availability Engagement Open House in Fort MacLeod on Monday. Our collective voices play a vital role in protecting our water licences, and it was encouraging to have such a strong turnout at the event.

LNID received and shared your concerns on the engagement format with AEPA, MLA Joseph Schow (who met in person with irrigation districts) and MLA Grant Hunter (who attended the open house). These concerns included the absence of a formal presentation, limited opportunities for meaningful conversation on AEPA’s intentions, and insufficient consideration of the potential impacts to the irrigation sector.

MLA Schow thankfully referred these concerns to Minister Rebecca Schulz and we received this response. This is the first written assurance we have received that AEPA is not looking at scaling back licences. They will be meeting our irrigators and stakeholders in person prior to moving forward on recommendations coming from the Water Availability Engagement process. Although we need to continue to hold AEPA and Minister Schulz accountable, it appears we will have the opportunity to be heard. We anticipate a Town Hall or similar event to be hosted by the Minister in Lethbridge early in the new year.

For those who couldn’t join us in person at the open house – or if you have additional comments for AEPA – please consider:

1) Sending an email to AEPA directly at epa.water@gov.ab.ca with your concerns or feedback.

2) Completing one of the following surveys:

Brief Survey

Detailed Survey

LNID will continue to keep you updated as the Water Availability Engagement process continues.

Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District

Update: December 9, 2024:

The LNID Board of Directors and leadership will be attending the Southern Alberta Water Availability Engagement Open House today. I am calling on you to join us in Fort MacLeod.

Event Details:

Date: Monday, December 9, 2024

Time: 5:30pm – 8:00pm

Location: Fort MacLeod & District Community Hall Society (301 – 25 St Fort MacLeod, AB T0L 0Z0)

Registration: To register for the event (not required), or to learn more, please click here.

The irrigation sector was not consulted adequately and there is a risk that Alberta Environment and Protected Areas may claw back our water licences. Alberta Irrigation Districts Association has written a white paper that provides 13 suggestions to improve water availability. Here are four key issues for quick reference:

1. We already share the available water.

The LNID Board sets and adjusts water allocations every year, using only the water available in the system. Legislated river flows, human use and livestock sustenance come first.

2. We need our full licenced volume.

In 2001 LNID used 94.9% of our licenced volume and we will use 100% in a high supply, high demand year.

3. We value our investment in irrigation.

The Alberta Government, irrigation districts and our farmers have invested billions of dollars in irrigation infrastructure to efficiently capture and convey water for irrigation. Any cut in our licences will strand assets and send us backwards in our expansion planning.

4. We support water for future economic development, including irrigated agriculture.

LNID supports water licence holders working with our municipal neighbours and others to provide water for other purposes without negatively impacting our irrigators. This should not require government overreach, but rather a free-market system that encourages connecting willing buyers and sellers. As a start, remove the Water Conservation Holdbacks that taxes water licence transfers.

The strength and reliability of irrigated agriculture is the foundation of southern Alberta’s prosperity. Your attendance will help reinforce this fact, and to advise Alberta Environment and Protected Areas to avoid any changes that would put irrigation water licences in jeopardy.

We hope to see you there.

Sincerely,

Chris Gallagher, P.Eng.

General Manager

Update: December 2, 2024:

Alberta Environment & Protected Areas (AEPA) has now rescheduled the open house, and we strongly encourage your attendance.

Date: Monday, December 9, 2024

Time: 5:30pm - 8:30pm

Location: Fort Macleod & District Community Hall Society - 301 25 St. Fort Macleod, AB T0L 0Z0 (Limited street parking available, with a larger parking lot across the street)

LNID emphasizes the importance of attending this session, as it will address the ongoing review of the Water Act. This review significantly impacts water licenses held by LNID, private irrigators, feedlots, and the entire irrigated agriculture sector.

Your voice matters in supporting AIDA and the Irrigation Districts.

To register for the event, please click here.

Thank you for your attention and participation in this critical discussion.

LETHBRIDGE NORTHERN IRRIGATION DISTRICT

Update: November 25, 2024:

Due to the recent by-election called for Lethbridge-West, the Water Availability Engagement Open House on November 28, 2024 has been cancelled. The open house has yet to be rescheduled by Alberta Environment & Protected Areas (AEPA). LNID is urging you to stay engaged and take action in the following ways:

1. Email epa.water@gov.ab.ca to request a reschedule of the southern Alberta in-person open house for a new date and location.
2. Attend the virtual open house on November 26, 2024.
3. If possible, travel to Red Deer to attend the in-person open house at 5:30pm on December 3, 2024.

LNID will continue to send updates regarding the engagement process as information becomes available.

Notice: November 20, 2024

All Water Users Need to Participate in AEPA Water Availability Engagement

LNID, as a member of the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association (AIDA), was notified recently by Alberta Environment and Protected Areas that they have opened a review and engagement of the Water Act. This may result in amendments affecting Water Licences for LNID, private irrigators, feedlots, and the entire irrigated agriculture sector.

We are requesting your involvement in the engagement process. This initiative needs a strong response, and so we ask LNID irrigators, and the entire irrigated agriculture sector, to step up to reinforce the work of the LNID Board and staff, AIDA, as well as our municipal and industrial partners in voicing concerns and suggestions.

What can you do?

Attend regional open houses:

Southern Alberta dates

• November 26 at 6:30 pm – Southern Alberta virtual public open house

• November 28 at 5:30 pm – In-person open house – Lethbridge at the Sandman Signature Lethbridge Lodge

Central and northern Alberta dates

• November 18 at 6:30 pm – Northern Alberta virtual public open house

• November 21 at 5:30 pm – In-person open house – Peace River

• December 3 at 5:30 pm – In-person open house – Red Deer

Complete Online Surveys:

Brief Survey

Detailed Survey

Why is this important?

There is a risk of clawback of our water licences under the misperception that we do not use our full licenced allocation.

We are responsible stewards of our licences in reducing use when supply is low and placing the needs of our communities, industry and livestock sustenance first. We should not be punished for this. Our licences are sized to allow for a high demand/ high supply year, such as using 94.9% of our licenced volume in 2001. We used 55% of our licence this year in response to low water supply in 2023 and extending into early 2024.

The Alberta government and individual irrigators have invested heavily over decades in the development, rehabilitation and modernization of irrigation storage, conveyance and on-farm irrigation infrastructure, as well as specialized equipment and facilities for value-added crop development and livestock production.

Any clawback of our water licences now or in future will reduce yield and quality potential, and potentially set up the irrigated agriculture sector for disaster. This risk extends from our irrigators to processors, seed/fertilizer/equipment suppliers, financial, insurance and other secondary services, and ultimately to the communities that grow and thrive in our region as a result of this investment.

Additional Information:

AIDA prepared a document summarizing the Provincial Water Availability Engagement and outlining key messages for the Irrigation Sector. The document has been attached to this email, and has been made available on the LNID website at this link.