Reservoir Operations

Bow River

Total Carsland-Bow River Headworks storage is at much-below-normal levels. Diversion period in 2002 will be extended prior to and after the irrigation season to build up the total storage to normal levels. Some users around Lake McGregor may experience some difficulty in withdrawing water early in the season.
 

All of TransAlta's and EID's storages are at normal. Based on current snowpack conditions and with normal precipitation no operational concerns are expected.

Oldman River and Southern Tributaries

Storage levels are still very low in the Oldman River, Waterton, St. Mary and Milk River Ridge Reservoirs. Storage is also still very low in the SMRID reservoir system. The levels in Keho Lake and Chain Lakes are normal. The level in Pine Coulee Reservoir is very low. The level in Clear Lake is low but it is expected that the lake will fill to within the operating range in May without much difficulty.

For the Waterton-St. Mary Headworks System, it is intended that water be moved downstream from the Waterton and St. Mary Reservoirs into the Milk River Ridge Reservoir for delivery to the SMRID/TID/RID as early as possible, probably by mid-April. The initial emphasis will be on refilling storage facilities in the SMRID as much as possible before deliveries to farmers actually begin. In the early part of the irrigation season, it is intended that water be moved from the Waterton and St. Mary Reservoirs as quickly as possible down to the Milk River Ridge Reservoir. Once the Milk River Ridge Reservoir is at an acceptable level, it is intended that the St. Mary Reservoir be filled.

For Payne Lake, no difficulty is expected in filling the lake early in the season.
For the Lethbridge Northern Headworks System, initial deliveries to the LNID will not be adversely affected by storage conditions in the Oldman River Reservoir or Keho Lake. Based on current snowpack conditions and the expectation of normal spring and summer rainfall, it is expected that the Oldman River Reservoir will be filled by the end of June.

For the Pine Coulee Diversion, it is expected that rainfall runoff into Willow Creek will largely determine the ability to sustain the diversion at a high enough rate and for long enough to fill the Pine Coulee Reservoir. Snowmelt runoff by itself will probably not be sufficient to fill.

In the Cypress Hills, it is expected that there will not be much runoff from snowmelt. Many of the reservoirs are at very low levels, and it is expected that there will not be much recovery from that condition unless heavy rains occur.