Dry summer leads to water shortage advisories for many southern Alberta rivers
CBC News | Posted: October 26, 2017 1:44 PM | Last Updated: October 26, 2017
Advisories could stay in place until spring unless there is significant rainfall soon
Water shortage advisories are in place for wide areas of southern Alberta along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains and along the U.S. border.
Brian Hills, a resource manager with Alberta Environment, says there hasn't been much rain in those areas through the summer and into the fall.
Without a significant rainfall soon, Hills expects the advisories to stay in place at least until the spring run-off.
"We are hoping for more moisture, you know rain, through the fall before freeze-up and then good snow this winter both in the mountains and even on the prairies would be welcome for sure," he said.
The water shortage advisories affect the Fish Creek, Sheep River and Highwood River within the Bow River basin, as well as the Oldman, Milk, Red Deer and North Saskatchewan river basins.
None of the advisories bring new restrictions on angling in the affected rivers, but many temporary diversion licences (TDL) have been suspended and permits to withdraw water could also be affected.
Licencees should review the conditions of their licences, the province says.
Hills says this isn't the first time Alberta Environment has warned of possible water shortages in these locations. In the last three years, the agency has placed advisories for a number of these same locations.
Alberta also saw similar situations in the early 2000s, Hills said.
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