by Bob Buchanan, Alberta Agriculture - Barrhead, Alberta
The drought of the mid-1980s reaffirmed the importance and value of water to rural people across the Canadian prairies. Dry wells and dugouts, crop failures and dust storms were all commonplace. During the drought farmers scrambled to find sufficient water for their homes and livestock. Water hauling by truck and miles of water pipelines could be seen everywhere. Thousands of larger dugouts and deeper wells were constructed to replace failed water supplies. The financial, technical and equipment resources of farmers, industry, provincial and federal governments were all stretched to the limit in addressing this problem. The most positive aspect of the drought was people working together and redefining water management.determine the future of our prairie economy |
During the mid '70s to the mid '80s water management to agriculture too often meant drain and develop. Thousands of acres of sloughs and wetlands were drained to provide more land for agriculture. The drought reaffirmed the value of these areas in recharging our groundwater sources and providing backup surface water supplies and wildlife habitat. In some areas dams constructed by four-legged engineers (beavers) provided the only source of livestock water for miles. Many traditional sources of livestock water including sloughs and small dugouts were dry.
Fortunately the drought of the mid 1980s is now history. Let us remember it so we do not have to repeat it! Water is essential to all human activity. The way we manage our water resource will determine the future of our prairie economy.
