Basic HTML Version
Description of Surveyed Area – Irrigation Districts
5
Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District
is the only district to obtain water from the Oldman River. First water
was drawn in 1923.
St. Mary River Irrigation District
has the largest number of irrigated acres. It is one of five irrigation districts to
obtain water from the Waterton St. Mary headworks system which interconnects the Belly, Waterton and St. Mary’s
Rivers. The infrastructure began in the late 1800’s and the first water was drawn in 1900; however, the main
conveyance system, the St Mary River Irrigation District Main Canal, was not completed until 1954. The district
consists of three separate regions. The westernmost Lethbridge area is a major producer of sugar beets and potatoes.
The Bow Island area, further downstream, is well known for bean and corn production. The easternmost Medicine
Hat area produces alfalfa and canola.
Taber Irrigation District
is located between Lethbridge area and Bow Island area of the St. Mary River Irrigation
District. The irrigation water also originates from the St Mary River Irrigation District Main Canal. The first water
was drawn in 1917.
Raymond Irrigation District
water originates from the St Mary River Irrigation District Main Canal, further
upstream than either the St. Mary River Irrigation District or Taber Irrigation District. The first water was drawn in
1900. The Magrath Irrigation District, located to the southwest of the Raymond Irrigation District, also shares the
same water source. The Magrath Irrigation District is relatively small; therefore, data for this district is combined
with that from Raymond Irrigation District.
United Irrigation District
is located in south west Alberta with water drawn from the Belly and Waterton Rivers, at
the Waterton Reservoir. This is part of the Waterton St. Mary headworks system. The first water was drawn in
1923. The smaller Mountain View Irrigation District, Leavitt Irrigation District and Aetna Irrigation District are
also in the south west. These three districts share a headworks system drawing water from the Belly River. This
system was established later with the first water being drawn in 1931, 1944 and 1959, in each district respectively.
The data from these four irrigation districts are combined in the summaries.