WC138 SeptOct 2024 - Flipbook - Page 11
”Moving water for agriculture can change the composition of rivers and lakes, as
excess run off from irrigated fields contain added nutrients, such as nitrogen-rich
fertilizer, which degrades water quality and can lead to toxic algal blooms.”
Water Security Agency
The Gardiner Dam, one of the largest earth filled dams in the world, controls flows in the South Saskatchewan River.
Saskatchewan. This final phase is intended to deliver water
south and east of Lake Diefenbaker and will flow into Buffalo
Pound Lake, which supplies water to Regina and Moose
Jaw. In addition to providing southern Saskatchewan with a
secure source of water, the Qu’Appelle South Water Conveyance Project is expected to allow for industrial expansion,
including the establishment of more potash mines due to the
increased access to water.
Overall, the Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Projects will excavate 500 kilometres of canals, build four balancing reservoirs,
and construct an outfall structure in Buffalo Pound Lake.
This will provide just under 500,000 acres of irrigable agricultural land, which more than doubles the existing irrigable
land in the province.
The project is being championed by the Water Security
Agency (WSA), which is the provincial body in Saskatchewan
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
responsible for regulating water use. The WSA is the owner
and operator of Lake Diefenbaker and its dams, and is also
directly responsible for its operation and maintenance.
Environmental risks
Large-scale irrigation has the potential to provide numerous
benefits in the province, such as allowing for the growth of diverse, high-value crops, improving soil health, increasing food
security, managing drought, and attracting business investment. However, the Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Projects have
sparked considerable apprehension amongst environmental
groups and First Nations regarding the potential negative
impact they will have on the environment.
In October 2021, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada released an analysis report on whether to designate the
Lake Diefenbaker Rehabilitation Project and Expansion Pro-
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