LNID WATER USERS, PARTNERS, STAKEHOLDERS AND VENDORS,

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.