Originally published on July 12, 2024, on The Western Producer
By Robert Arnason
WINNIPEG — The change in drought conditions across the Prairies has been “remarkable,” says an agro-climate specialist with Agriculture Canada.
Last October, most of Western Canada was in some form of drought, and a large region of western Saskatchewan and southern Alberta was in an extreme or exceptional drought.
As of June 30, the situation looks completely different.
Farmers and others who depend on soil moisture are not out of the woods, but the improvement has been substantial.
“Looking at the Prairie region, we’re pretty much recovered in most regions (from drought) in a very quick amount of time,” said Trevor Hadwen, who reports on agricultural drought and soil moisture for Agriculture Canada in Regina.
“It’s been a tremendous change in conditions, probably over the last three months.”
The Canadian Drought Monitor map for June 30 illustrates the change that Hadwen is talking about.
With the exception of an area in west-central Alberta around Red Deer, the agricultural region in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and much of Alberta is almost all white on the map, which means no drought.
There are reports of some farms missing this year’s rain, but generally speaking, the situation is much improved.
“Most of the soil moisture, and even at depth, has certainly improved,” Hadwen said.
“The southern portion of Alberta, there’s been a remarkable improvement there, both soil moisture and in terms of water supply…. Saskatchewan, there are some areas that are drier — not much below normal — but we’re seeing the moisture levels really improve.”
The current conditions are a colossal change from last fall, when the Drought Monitor map was red and crimson in western Saskatchewan and southern Alberta, indicating extreme or exceptional drought.
The severely dry conditions didn’t develop overnight. The Prairies, and western Saskatchewan in particular, went through a six-year period with below normal rain and snowfall.
This spring, Daniel Bezte, a Western Producer contributor and climate expert, looked at the annual precipitation amounts for cities across the Prairies from 2018 -23.
He found that most areas had moisture deficits, but the shortfall was the most extreme in Saskatchewan.
“What jumps out at me is the precipitation deficit in Regina and Saskatoon,” he wrote in April.
“Both locations have received 700 mm less than average.”
The explanation for the rapid change in the Drought Monitor map is pretty simple — spring rains and cooler temperatures.
Medicine Hat received 111 mm in May. Normal for the month is 33 mm.
Saskatoon recorded 111 mm of rain in June. Normal is 71 mm.
As well, there were hundreds of small rainstorms across the Prairies this spring, which delivered 15 to 40 mm to specific regions or municipalities.
Some of those rains were not recorded at weather stations, so the actual amount of rainfall may be higher this spring, Hadwen noted.
Temperatures were also cool in May and June. The average daily high for June in Saskatoon was 19.7 C, more than two degrees colder than normal.
That’s much different from June of 2023, when the average daily high in Saskatoon was nearly 27 C.
“We’re not utilizing as much water through evaporation (in 2024),” Hadwen said.
Rain and lack of heat this spring have rapidly changed the fortunes of farmers, but Alberta is still dealing with low water supplies.
For instance, the storage level in the Pine Coulee Reservoir near Claresholm was at 81 per cent July 4.
“Normal for this time of year is between 87 and 99 per cent,” says the Alberta government drought update.
“As of July 4, there are 23 water shortage advisories in place for select water management areas across Alberta.”
As well, the Canadian Drought Monitor map shows that northwestern Alberta in the Peace region is still in a drought.
It will require many more rains and much longer to recharge aquifers and ponds in drought-affected parts of Western Canada, Hadwen said.
But as of early July, conditions look positive for grain and livestock producers in many locations on the Prairies.
“I don’t think anyone would have seen this level of improvement (coming),” he said.
“If we get anywhere near normal precipitation throughout this summer, we’re not going to have any significant issues.”