Alberta’s agricultural sector is under mounting pressure as dry weather expands across the province. More than a third of Alberta — about 34 per cent of its landmass — is experiencing drought conditions and another 42 per cent is abnormally dry, stretching from the southern plains to parts of central regions. These conditions leave soil moisture depleted and natural water sources like rivers and reservoirs at low levels heading into the growing season, raising real concerns about crop watering and livestock sustenance.

Farmers depend on snowmelt and rainfall to fill dugouts, streams and irrigation systems, but recent winters have delivered low snowpacks that melted early and failed to recharge watersheds. Alberta’s reliance on this precipitation means that when snow water equivalent measurements fall below average, the province’s water supply shrinks dramatically.

Many farms in the southern agricultural zones already saw scant precipitation last season, with large areas receiving well under normal rainfall and soil moisture dropping sharply. As irrigation districts grapple with reduced flows, water allocations for irrigation may be cut. In some basins, producers expect to receive roughly half the usual water allotment this year, forcing planting decisions that reduce crop acreage or change crop mix.

Drought conditions do not just hit crops. Dry soil and forage shortages also pressure livestock operations. Ranchers have faced years of moisture deficits that limited pasture yields and made feed more costly.

Despite occasional rain and slight improvements in some areas, the broader pattern shows a shift toward reduced water availability. The long-term trend of repeated dry seasons has already depleted reservoir storage and stressed irrigation infrastructure across thousands of kilometres of canals and pipelines. That infrastructure, originally built to distribute billions of cubic metres of water, now contends with shrinking supply and rising demand from agriculture, municipalities and industry.

The economic implications are straightforward. Crop yields typically fall in dry years and with less water available for irrigation, many producers are projecting lower output and tighter margins this season. Livestock operations weigh the cost of maintaining herds against feed availability and water costs, decisions that can ripple through local rural economies and impact food supplies downstream.

In plain terms, Alberta’s farms are confronting one of the driest starts to the season in years. The situation is not uniform across the province, but the scale of dryness and the dependency of the agricultural economy on water means producers are preparing for a challenging year of production decisions driven by limited water rather than favourable growing conditions.