Environment

Drought - Camrose Country Declares Disaster

by Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke | June 17, 2009 at 07:48 pm

451 views | 44 Recommendations | 6 comments

This has been an extremely dry spring in Alberta. The dry weather has fuelled wildfires early in the season. Three major fires were burning close to my home in May. Now we have major fires burning in North Central Alberta, threatening to isolate Fort MacMurray.

The effects of the dry weather are also causing havoc with local farmers. Record dry weather has created dangerous conditions and extreme hardship for Central Alberta farmers.

Camrose County, in central Alberta, about 100 km south of Edmonton issued a declaration due to severe drought conditions affecting all aspects of agriculture.

The dry conditions have dried up dugouts, watering holes used for irrigation and lifestock, and unusable pasture land.

Ground water sources are almost dry and farmers are seeing their crops die in the field due to lack of rain.

Record dry weather in some parts of the Prairies is causing extreme hardship and dangerous conditions, prompting one county to declare an agricultural state of disaster on Wednesday.

Camrose County, Alta., about 100 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, issued the declaration due to severe drought conditions affecting all aspects of agriculture.

Cattle producers are facing dried up dugouts - watering holes used for irrigation and livestock - and unusable pasture lands. Groundwater sources are almost completely dry, and grain producers are seeing their crops die in the fields due to the lack of rain.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend Sign In or Join to post comments

Amy Judd

at 19:55 on June 17th, 2009

We're worried about fires in BC as well, even though it rains so much here, it hasn't for ages.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 19:56 on June 17th, 2009

Send some of the rain this way Amy:)

Amy Judd

at 20:02 on June 17th, 2009

I'll do my best rain dance.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 20:03 on June 17th, 2009

Hope it works:)

Uwe Paschen

at 01:27 on June 18th, 2009

Here in Japan we have the rain season under way, wish stated earlier this year and with a lot more rain in Chiba then last year. Meaning flash floods.

Barbara McPherson

at 17:59 on June 18th, 2009

This looks bad. On Vancouver Island we haven't had a good rain in over three weeks. Our June weather is more like August weather. The Palliser Triangle must be verging on dust bowl.