Message from LNID Manager: Water Availability Engagement Open House

Good Morning LNID Water Users, Partners, Stakeholders, and Vendors,

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