Qu’Appelle South Irrigation Project
Client: Rural municipalities of Huron, Maple Bush, Eyebrow and Marquis
Irish-born Canadian geographer and explorer John Palliser once described south central Saskatchewan as “permanently sterile and unfit for the abode of civilized man”. Forty years later, the potential in this area has not been reached. The Qu’Appelle South Irrigation Project is intended to change that.
Together, the rural municipalities of Huron, Maple Bush, Eyebrow and Marquis hired UMA Engineering Ltd. to study alternatives of how to bring a reliable water supply to their region
The study area lays between the Qu’Appelle River Dam and Buffalo Pound Lake, south of the Qu’Appelle River in south central Saskatchewan. The estimated 113,000 acre block of potential irrigation is located in a part of Saskatchewan that offers some of the best heat units for crop growth. Irrigation will provide the drought proofing much needed for this region.
The concept developed by UMA would source the water from Lake Diefenbaker and lift the water into a main canal. The canal would convey the water to a secondary reservoir north of Eyebrow. Depending on the final delivery option selected, a secondary lift pump station would lift water into either one or two secondary main canals, which eventually spill into Buffalo Pound Lake.
Pump stations located along the main and secondary canals supply water to a pipeline distribution system which in turn supplies water to individual parcels and other users. The assumed distribution system provides an end pressure of 30 psi to center pivots.
The study included an economic analysis. The analysis demonstrated that societal benefits, less total costs, generate a positive benefit cost return for development of two of the three scenarios analyzed.
If the Qu’Appelle South Irrigation Project is developed to its full potential the project will add 110,000 acres of irrigated agriculture as well as provide quality water for municipal, domestic, industrial, recreational and wildlife needs. This will revitalize rural south central Saskatchewan, making it one of the most prosperous agricultural regions in Canada.
This project received a 2008 Consulting Engineers of Alberta Award of Merit in the Studies, Software & Special Projects category.
" UMA’s final report showed how numerous people will benefit from the under utilized water resources of Lake Diefenbaker through increased irrigation, improved water quality for communities and the development of industry and tourism. The study provided a concept to bring Lake Diefenbaker water to an area with frequent water shortage issues. These augmentations to the provincial water infrastructure will be of benefit not only to the four participating municipalities, but to the province of Saskatchewan as a whole.”
-- Daryl Dean, Administrator, Municipality of Huron.
