Increased Moisture for much of Alberta but the Peace

Over the past 30-days ending May 8, the moisture situation has improved over much of the province. This stems from the increase in the number of precipitation events as well as the level of moisture in each precipitation event. Notable as well is the recent increase in precipitation in the mountains, and areas south of Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, where more than 100 mm of precipitation was recorded in some areas. Although, recent precipitation in these areas seem to be moving in the right direction, it is important to be mindful that even with the increased precipitation in some areas, Alberta’s soil moisture could change and certainly more moisture and timely moisture will be needed as the season progresses.

In contrast the Alberta Peace Region continues to experience very little precipitation. This follows a dry fall and very little snow coverage this spring due to below-normal winter precipitation. The lack of snow melt runoff has impacted surface water volumes for streams, lakes, rivers, dugouts, and wetlands. The lack of moisture has given way to increased fire activity in the north resulting in fire bans across Northern Alberta.

Alberta canola has been and will continue to be at the table with government and other stakeholders to highlight the issue of moisture deficiency in the province and has advocated for improved infrastructure to mitigate against drought and build resiliency to variations in weather patterns.

By Bijon Brown,
Sr. Policy Analyst

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