Water News
Alberta Water News is a free, subscription-based service that provides the latest information on water news across Alberta and upcoming events.
The news is distributed weekly on Mondays via a collated email and Monday to Friday via WaterPortal social media (X was Twitter). Please note that news will not be distributed on Holiday Mondays and will be released the following Tuesday.
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How will Lake Huron’s shoreline look in 100 years? Here’s the map
CBC News
Shoreline change is a problem plaguing many communities on the Great Lakes, as locals watch sections of it slip into the water. Now, the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority in southwestern Ontario has created urgently needed maps showing the huge impact of these shifts in temperatures and weather — large swaths of Lake Huron’s shoreline could be under water in 100 years, including cottages, waterfronts and a marina. Click here to continue reading
Water flow in Alberta is ‘exceptionally low’ this year and could pose challenges for fish
CBC News
Lorne Fitch, a longtime fisheries biologist and former adjunct professor at the University of Calgary, is often out on a boat, checking out the headwaters of the Oldman River. “It’s been an interesting view of a year that doesn’t seem to follow anything that resembles a normal pattern,” Fitch said. In Alberta, June typically brings high levels of rain, which hasn’t been the case this year. Click here to continue reading
Flash droughts can pose risk to crop production
The Western Producer
David Phillips, Canada’s best known weatherman, says flash droughts are becoming more common in Canada and around the world. It’s not an everyday term; most people are likely more familiar with flash floods. However, parts of the eastern Prairies may have endured a flash drought this spring. From May 25 until June 6, Brandon recorded seven days with temperatures above 30 C. Click here to continue reading
Water crisis deepens for southern Alta. irrigators
The Western Producer
Liner repairs to the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District’s canal system continue, but shortage becoming desperate. The situation for those using water supplied by the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District in southern Alberta is becoming desperate. The latest information from LNID does not bode well for irrigation farmers, as emergency repairs continue on a liner that feeds the canal system. It runs from west of Fort Macleod to east of Picture Butte. Click here to continue reading
Compare and Contrast: U.S. corn crop hits headwinds as dry conditions persist
The Western Producer
There are some early-season concerns about the U.S. corn crop. An estimated 45 percent of the crop was in the D1 to D4 drought categories as of June 6. As well, 61 percent was rated good to excellent as of June 11, which is unusually low. Click here to continue reading
Ukraine dam: Satellite images reveal Kakhovka canals drying up
BBC News
One of Europe’s largest reservoirs is drying up after the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in southern Ukraine. Satellite images, analysed by BBC Verify, show four canal networks have become disconnected from the reservoir. The UN says drinking water supplies could be affected for more than 700,000 people, mostly in Russian-occupied areas. Click here to continue reading
Alberta floods: Whitecourt area rivers peak, evacuation orders expand
Global News
Two rivers in the area of Whitecourt, Alta., about 150 kilometers northwest of Edmonton, are experiencing high water levels and causing overland flooding, prompting evacuation orders for several areas along the rivers. Click here to continue reading
Dryness gets serious in cattle country
The Western Producer
The Canadian Cattle Association is monitoring dry conditions that have affected beef producers across the country, which might hasten shrinkage in the national herd that is already at its lowest since 1990. “When you’re looking at food security and you’re looking at the lowest number since 1990, and the economic side of things and potential trade and where everything lies, we really need to emphasize on getting this situation corrected,” said CCA president Nathan Phinney. Click here to continue reading
New study reveals irrigation’s mixed effects around the world
Science Daily
Trajectory of irrigation water use in many regions is unsustainable, but practice is vital in managing climate change and future agricultural development, researchers conclude. The analysis, which appears in the journal Nature Reviews Earth and Environment, also points to ways to improve assessments in order to achieve sustainable water use and food production in the future. Click here to continue reading
Rainy weather necessitates more mosquito control measures in Red Deer and area
Red Deer Advocate
Rainy weather is welcome in Central Alberta after an unusually hot and dry spring. But several days of non-stop precipitation will likely produce a “significant uptick” of nuisance mosquitoes this summer, said Ken Lehman, ecological services operations coordinator for the City of Red Deer. Click here to continue reading