Work on the Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project Continues
The Water Security Agency (WSA) is making progress towards starting construction on the Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project (WIRP) by 2026.
WSA and lead consultant Prairie Engineering Partners (PEP) recently conducted in-water geotechnical testing to understand the ground conditions near the proposed location of the Westside Pump Station and canal. Sub-contractors hired by PEP completed the work in November using a barge to drill boreholes more than forty (40) metres deep in Coteau Bay.
The barge was transported from Alberta and later assembled at the public boat launch at Lake Diefenbaker before being moved into the Bay.
Soil samples were collected from below the water surface to enable WSA to classify soils and their geotechnical and engineering characteristics. That information will be used to help design and install a temporary cofferdam in the same location, which will eventually allow for the construction of a pump station. Cofferdams are typically used to withhold both water and soil pressure during major projects like this.
The soil samples collected throughout the project area will provide information for other foundational engineering work, including intakes and the canal infrastructure. This will ensure all parts of construction can be built safely and that the westside pump station will be safe to operate.
This is the first time in-water geotechnical drill testing has occurred since the Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Projects (LDIP) was first announced in 2020. Since that time, there have been more than 200 bore holes completed on land around the pump station, canal and near the Conquest Reservoir. WSA and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture have also completed thousands of acres of agricultural soil testing – providing a reliable indication for the irrigability of the soil in the project area.
WSA will also begin working with federal and provincial regulators to ensure all environmental requirements are met and the proper authorizations and permits are completed. Once the technical, environmental and design data are completed in 2025, the information gathered will be reflected in the final design and total cost of the project and used for tendering of construction packages.
This is a major milestone since Premier Scott Moe first announced the intended project last spring. It will optimize the existing infrastructure and develop new infrastructure from Lake Diefenbaker to the Ardath-Swanson area near Conquest to create 90,000 acres of irrigated land.
Last summer, the province awarded the planning and engineering design work to Prairie Engineering Partners, a joint venture from Stantec and MPE engineering firms. Prairie Engineering Partners is responsible for completing the fieldwork, planning and engineering to the next stage of project design.