Irrigation is defined as the application of water to land or crops to help growth; however, in Saskatchewan, irrigation has a much deeper meaning. Irrigation means having a reliable water supply for agriculture to boost crop yields, support economic growth and enhance food security and environmental sustainability.
In regions like Saskatchewan, annual precipitation is often insufficient to meet the needs of certain crops, such as vegetables. Irrigation can help to meet those needs, unlocking new crops for Saskatchewan, decreasing the need for imports and creating more jobs. The Saskatchewan government’s Growth Plan aims to add 85,000 irrigated acres by 2030. With a growing need to feed the world, Saskatchewan has a significant opportunity to continue and expand its already vital role in the world agriculture supply.
What is Irrigation?
Irrigation is a process through which water is supplied to crops to promote growth, maintain soil moisture and ensure adequate yields. The higher the yield, the more food is produced per unit of land. Unlike rainfall, which can be unpredictable and unevenly distributed, irrigation allows producers to control the timing and amount of water their crops receive. This control is critical for optimizing crop health and limiting the effects of drought to ensure consistent production.
An example of how irrigation is beneficial is to compare crops to house plants. People typically water their plants before their plants need water. They have control over the watering of their plants. Irrigation allows producers to do the same, on a much larger scale. They now have more control over the watering of their crops, as opposed to waiting for rain to fall.
How Does Irrigation Work?
Irrigation involves diverting water from sources such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs or groundwater and applying it across fields. In Saskatchewan, Lake Diefenbaker is the largest source of water for irrigation.
There are various methods and irrigation systems that can be employed, each with varying levels of efficiency, cost and complexity. An irrigation system needs a few key components: a water source, a distribution network (pumps, pipes, canals or ditches) and delivery mechanisms (sprinklers, drip emitters, etc.).
The efficiency of irrigation systems varies depending on the method used. The most common method in Saskatchewan, accounting for over half the province’s irrigated acres, is centre pivot irrigation, which operates like a large overhead sprinkler system. This method has a water efficiency rating of roughly 80-90 per cent, ensuring that more water reaches the crops where they need it and less is wasted. Other types of irrigation in Saskatchewan include drip (typically small scale for horticulture), linear pivots, volume guns, wheel moves, sub-surface and flood.
An example of how irrigation works is to compare it to a lawn sprinkler. Imagine you are trying to keep your lawn lush and green during a hot, dry summer. You might use a sprinkler system connected to your garden hose to distribute water evenly over the grass. That, in essence, is what irrigation does.
In both cases, the basic principle is to move water from a source to the areas that need it. For your lawn, the water source is your home’s plumbing, which supplies the sprinkler. In agriculture, irrigation systems draw water from rivers, reservoirs or lakes. Instead of a single sprinkler head spraying water onto a small patch of grass, producers use extensive networks of pipes, canals, or specially designed irrigation systems to distribute water across vast fields of crops.
The sprinkler distributes water evenly to ensure that all parts of your lawn receive enough moisture to stay healthy. Similarly, irrigation allows producers to deliver water precisely where it’s needed. Both methods aim to conserve water while ensuring that plants get what they need to thrive.
Why Irrigation?
In the next 40 years, the world needs to produce the equivalent of all the food produced in the last 10,000 years. Saskatchewan plays a major role in global agriculture, but the weather determines what crops producers can grow and unpredictable precipitation makes it difficult to get consistent yields. Irrigation will play an important role for Saskatchewan to continue to grow and contribute more to global food production. With irrigation, Saskatchewan can help feed the province as well as the world in a sustainable, adaptable and reliable way as irrigation allows producers to expand into higher value crops and table crops because of the certainty of applying water.
Saskatchewan also is home to the largest untapped source of water in the country: Lake Diefenbaker. It has roughly three times the storage capacity of all southern Alberta combined, yet only a fraction of the irrigated acres. Alberta doesn’t have a large storage capacity yet created almost 1.6 million irrigated acres versus Saskatchewan’s 166,000 acres in the Lake Diefenbaker area.
Irrigation will have positive economic and environmental impacts. Economically, higher yields will lead to increased GDP for the province which can provide a variety of benefits for residents across various sectors and communities. Irrigation also offers environmental benefits. Properly managed irrigation systems can enhance soil health, reduce erosion and support biodiversity. By providing a reliable water source, irrigation can help maintain wetland habitats and support wildlife populations through reservoir development.
The province’s goal with irrigation is similar to planting a tree. Both will see their true benefits unfold over time. A tree starts as a small seedling, gradually growing to provide shade, oxygen and even fruit, enriching the environment and benefiting future generations. Similarly, irrigation infrastructure begins as an investment in water management, but over the years, it boosts agricultural productivity, strengthens food security and attracts economic opportunities.
In Saskatchewan, irrigation is not just a tool—it’s a commitment to securing a future where producers can thrive despite unpredictable weather, where communities can grow stronger through job creation and where the province can lead the way in tackling global challenges like food security. Irrigation not only helps grow crops, but helps grow the province and its people.
On April 15, 2025, the Government of Saskatchewan hosted two public information sessions in Conquest, SK with over 160 people in attendance.
The government team provided a project update to the public while gaining input on the 100,000-acre project. These sessions included local RMs, producers, landowners, residents from the project area, non-governmental organizations and private sector companies.
The public information sessions featured technical information sharing to gain feedback on certain topics. The format featured two sessions throughout the day that went through topics like the environmental assessment process, economic benefits, and distribution development costs.
Each table featured a note taker and facilitator to help capture the discussion and information from the public once each topic was presented. There were also several technical specialists available to answer any detailed engineering or design questions.
The public engagement and feedback from these sessions is valuable to ensure all perspectives are heard and considered in the project development process.
One participant remarked: “As a landowner who no longer lives in the area, I was glad to have the opportunity to learn more about the projects and to provide feedback. Great format, we had a very strong facilitator at our table.”
Click here to view the complete presentation that was presented at the public information sessions.
The Water Security Agency recently announced it would be proactively self-declaring the Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project (WIRP) for a provincial environmental assessment. Baseline data collection and the planning and design work will go into a proposal, which is then submitted to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment.
Collecting feedback with rights holders and stakeholders through various engagements like the recent public information sessions will help incorporate the public’s input into the design of the project as part of the environmental assessment.
Announced in July 2024, the planning and engineering design work for WIRP is being worked on by Prairie Engineering Partners, a joint venture from Stantec and MPE engineering firms. Baseline work was commissioned as part of the environmental assessment field work for both aquatic and terrestrial components, including water quality and quantity.
WIRP has the potential to add 100,000 acres of irrigated land. A recent analysis of the 100,000-acre project was done by KPMG LLP. It shows an increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $5.9 billion while generating over 30,000 jobs (person years of employment) and 9,500 jobs during the construction phase.
Today, the Water Security Agency announced it would be proactively self-declaring the Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project (WIRP) for a provincial environmental assessment.
“The Water Security Agency is committed to ensuring the environment is protected as this project develops through the provincial environmental assessment process,” Minister responsible for the Water Security Agency Daryl Harrison said. “We are committed to engaging with rights holders and stakeholders in an open and transparent way and this formalizes the work that we have started.”
Baseline data collection and the planning and design work will go into a proposal, which is then submitted to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment. Collecting feedback with rights holders and stakeholders through various engagements will help incorporate their input into the design of the project as part of the environmental assessment.
“Irrigation Saskatchewan is pleased to see this project moving forward and the government’s commitment to doing it in the right way,” said David Bagshaw, Chair of Irrigation Saskatchewan. “Our members are producers and strong stewards of the land they farm, and we believe in responsible irrigation expansion while protecting the environment.”
Announced in July 2024, the planning and engineering design work for WIRP is being worked on by Prairie Engineering Partners, a joint venture from Stantec and MPE engineering firms. Baseline work was commissioned as part of the environmental assessment field work for both aquatic and terrestrial components, including water quality and quantity.
WIRP has the potential to add 100,000 acres of irrigated land. A recent analysis of the 100,000-acre project was done by KPMG LLP. It shows an increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $5.9 billion while generating over 30,000 jobs (person years of employment) and 9,500 jobs during the construction phase.
For media inquiries, contact: Patrick Boyle Water Security Agency 306-631-6997 Patrick.Boyle@wsask.ca
As planning continues for the Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project – the Government of Saskatchewan will be hosting a pair of public information sessions to provide important information about the project, engage with the community, encourage open dialogue and gather valuable feedback to shape the future of the project.
The sessions will give the attendees a chance to learn about the scope of the Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project, what work is underway, any updates about the project and its anticipated benefits as well as the steps that are being taken to protect the environment while developing the project. Participants will be asked to share their thoughts, ask questions and provide input on a variety of topics.
The public information sessions are a critical component of this project, as they provide an avenue for open dialogue and feedback. The feedback gathered will be integral in refining the project design and addressing any potential concerns. The format of these sessions is designed to be interactive and informative, creating a platform for meaningful engagement.
The Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project aims to create approximately 100,000 irrigated acres by modernizing and expanding decades-old infrastructure. This scope includes updating 50 kilometers of underutilized canal infrastructure, building a new pump station and completing the Conquest Reservoir near the Village of Conquest. It’s an essential step toward creating water security to an area that has traditionally not had access to high-quality water resources.
Engineering and design work is already underway, with completion expected later this year. Major construction on the project is targeted for late 2026.
Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project Public Information Sessions April 15th, 2025 Conquest School located at 401 Pacific Ave, in Conquest, SK. 1:30pm and another at 6:00pm.
Choose the time that works best for you to come to learn about the project and provide your input on this important initiative.
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 100,000 acres of irrigated land.
Today, Premier Scott Moe announced the Government of Saskatchewan is moving forward with constructing the early works of the first 100,000 acres of the Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Project. The total cost is estimated to be $1.15 billion which will be shared between the provincial government and producers who choose to participate in the project.
“Our government is happy to take the first major step in creating the most sustainable food and economic security project in Canada which will create major benefits for generations,” Moe said. “Saskatchewan can be a leader across the country and move this project forward which will provide billions in economic benefits and thousands of jobs.”
The engineering, design and engagement with stakeholders and Indigenous rights holders is expected to be done over the next 12 to 14 months, with major construction of the 100,000 acres being targeted for 2025.
“Saskatchewan has an amazing food security story to tell,” Agriculture Minister and Minister Responsible for the Water Security Agency David Marit said. “Since 2020, over 58,000 acres of irrigation have been developed, which is the largest growth since the early 1980s. The Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Project will position Saskatchewan to meet the needs of a growing population across the globe. We continue to encourage the federal government to come to the table in a more meaningful way and be part of this important project as it moves forward.”
“Today marks an important point in our history for rural municipalities, SARM applauds the provincial government for moving this project ahead and ensuring future generations of rural residents will experience the benefits,” SARM President Ray Orb said. “This is the start of a journey to bring Saskatchewan and Canada much-needed food and economic security.”
By 2050, the world’s population is expected to increase by nearly two billion people, from eight billion to close to 10 billion. This means global food production must increase by 70 per cent to meet this demand.
“Irrigation expansion across Saskatchewan will be essential to move our province forward into the future.”
Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association Chairman Aaron Gray said. “Irrigators in this province are committed to helping feed the world and create significant benefits for the people of Saskatchewan.”
