Sask. producers say irrigation makes all the difference amid drought struggles
RM of Rudy declares agricultural disaster — even though some fields flourishing
Grasshoppers jump in every direction as Steve Primrose walks through a patch of barley that has hardly grown. The stunted crop, which will likely be chewed down to nothing before the season ends, shows how severe the drought is in Saskatchewan's RM of Rudy No. 284.
But just beyond that section of brown, barren land is a sea of green — a field of thriving barley.
"Look at the difference water makes," said Primrose, who runs cattle operations and has crops on both dry and irrigated land in the RM. He's also the chair of the South Saskatchewan River Irrigation District in Outlook.
The RM declared an agricultural disaster last week — the province's latest community to put out a call for help as farmers grapple with an unforgiving dry spell.
"When we go through these droughts, and we've got crops out there with the grasshopper infestation, and no rain, we're getting zero off the dry land. Zero," Primrose said.
The situation underscores the importance of irrigation, he said, as he pointed out more examples of the difference between dry and wet crops.
He walked though sections of short withering canola crops into a sea of thick yellow plants growing as tall as his chin. Primrose pointed out corn that hasn't grown past his knees, compared to corn that towered above his head.
The RM council noted in its press release that in severe drought conditions like this, the difference between irrigated land and non-irrigated land is the difference between a crop and no crop.
Dry spell underway for years
This year's drought isn't happening in isolation. It's happening during the driest consecutive years that Dennis Fuglerud has experienced during his 50 years working in the area.
"This is the seventh year for us of below-average precipitation," said Fuglerud, who is the RM's reeve and a rancher. Fuglerud and his wife have a partnership with their son and daughter-in-law, running a livestock operation and growing some cereal crops for winter feed.
He said that as drought conditions persist, it gets harder to grow feed because the moisture deficit in the soil worsens year after year. Dugouts dry up and crops don't grow. If something does grow, it's usually wiped out by grasshoppers.
However, he said they'll be able to feed their cows over winter because they're connected to two irrigation pivots. Other producers who aren't tapped into the system are facing tough questions about what's to come.
"I hear a few guys talking like, 'What do we do if next year isn't any better? Maybe it's time to downsize the herd. Maybe it's time to sell,' " Fuglerud said. "If next spring is dry and we're in a drought again, then what? You might just be prolonging the agony."
Primrose said the irrigation district is running a drop-straw initiative for cattle producers who aren't hooked up to water — putting them in touch with irrigators who have extra byproduct for feed.
"[You] can use the canola straw. You can use the pea straw. You can use the barley straw. You can use the wheat straw … and you can make a potion to get you through the winter with your cows," Primrose said.
But that solution is short-term.
Untapped potential
The South Saskatchewan Irrigation District system covers just under 48,000 acres, but Primrose believes they could reach much more land without stressing the water system.
Producers who want to tap in must have their land checked to make sure it's a good fit, get licensed and invest in the equipment.
The water comes from the South Saskatchewan River and subsequently Lake Diefenbaker. There is a main water channel running from the dam into the Broderick reservoir, with smaller channels extending into the fields.
He said they monitor the system and adjust the flow daily depending on people's needs.
"We want to utilize this water in a manageable way."
He said the way they irrigate has become more efficient as technology develops. For example, the system operates with pumps and pivots — more efficient than field flooding.
RM says expansion must be funded
The RM of Rudy said in its news release that while irrigation is a saving grace for some producers in the area, the need this season is straining the existing infrastructure. The pumps have been running non-stop, causing overheating and unplanned shutdowns.
"The RM strongly advises that for real, lasting protection from drought disaster, governments must commit to funding the irrigation expansion plan for the region," the news release said.
In 2020, Saskatchewan's government announced a $4-billion, three-stage irrigation project intended to irrigate some 202,000 hectares of land in southwestern and west central Saskatchewan with water from Lake Diefenbaker — doubling the amount of irrigable land in the province.
The government is still moving forward with the project, said a statement from Jeremy Cockrill, the minister for the provincial Water Security Agency.
"The current focus is on the Westside Rehabilitation and Expansion Projects, which could expand irrigation in the province by up to 340,000 acres," he said.
The statement said the preliminary engineering and financial analysis are being finalized for that, and that the province is still hoping the federal government will buy into the project.
"Before there are shovels in the ground, all federal and provincial processes must be followed and the project must be affordable for producers, but we need a federal funding partner," the statement said.
The government did not answer whether the project was on track to be complete by 2030 as promised.
In the meantime, Primrose is hopeful people will see the importance of irrigation. He'd like to see upgrades within the district's existing system, such as converting open channels to closed pipes.
He believes irrigation is an important tool in bolstering food security and production for the region — and it could keep farmers in the field even if drought conditions persist.
"Farmers aren't about farming the insurance. Farmers are about growing a good crop and being able to take that to the bank in the fall."
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