Salmon River watershed irrigation efficiency program

A wheel line sprinkler system like this one in Idaho gives farmers better control over irrigation water and helps conserve water, which also enhances in-stream flows to assure fish passage. (Photo 2001 by Joel McNee, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service)

A new program that builds community awareness about best management practices for irrigation in the Salmon River watershed near Salmon Arm is being launched by the Fraser Basin Council. Partners in the program are Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands and the Salmon River Watershed Roundtable.

The focus of the program is the use of climate stations to enhance irrigation efficiency on agricultural operations by working with volunteer community champions to build support within the community for irrigation efficiency. The hoped-for result will be higher river water levels which will benefit salmon, while at the same time, lower irrigation pumping and labor costs for agriculture producers.

“The Salmon River has a reputation as one of the greatest salmon rivers in the Interior of BC,” explains Marc Solomon, assistant regional manager for the Thompson region of the Fraser Basin Council, “but the fact is that a changing climate, increased population demands and diversions of water for irrigation have been significant factors hindering the migration and reproduction of salmon in the river. By achieving greater irrigation efficiency within the agricultural community of the Salmon Valley, there will be additional water left in the river for salmon.”

The recent announcement by the BC Government of their soon-coming modernization of British Columbia’s 100-year-old Water Act, makes the new program all the more important, since two of the proposed goals of the Water Act modernization (WAM) are to regulate ground water usage and to increase the protection of stream health and aquatic ecosystems.

In 2009, one agricultural producer had water restrictions placed on their water licence by the ministry in order to ensure an adequate water flow in the neighboring fish-bearing Nicola River — just one example of the coming changes in water use for BC consumers.

A producer who voluntarily improves the irrigation efficiency of its operation can improve profit margins by lowering pumping and labor costs, while at the same time reducing the likelihood of water licence suspensions being implemented. The new program will educate producers about the options that are available and the benefits that will stem from making improvements.

Consumers should realize that water supplies are uncertain because of variable snow packs, damaged forests and higher energy costs, particularly electricity for pumping irrigation water. Because of the new program, agriculture producers are now going to be able, by improving their operations, to reduce their costs and increase their yield income — the result being a higher profit in the end.

For more information about the new program readers may contact Marc Solomon at 250-314-9660 or by email at: msolomon@fraserbasin.bc.ca .