Water Diversion

[cakadu]

Is it just me or is anyone else a little uncomfortable with the prospect of the Western Irrigation District providing the water for that mega complex at Balzac.

It's a little disconcerting given that the irrigation is partially paid for by our tax dollars. I understand that the government will have to decide whether or not to let it proceed, but does it sound like it is going to get turned down?

Where are they possibly going to find the workers to build it let alone staff it once it's completed?

[silverback]

What is the difference between a mall/entertainment complex and another 5000 homes in Calgary or Edmonton?

Nobody complains if it comes in one house or one strip mall at a time, but if it is a big splashy one it gets raked. If there is no demand for this facility from the citizens of Calgary then it will fail and the water will be free to carry on east.

Have you been to Airdrie lately? Why is nobody questioning where the water and workers are going to come from for all their development? They have approved a major expansion for the Walmart on the south end, and a Home Depot is going in which will be 10 minutes away from the one in Country Hills. Do they need that?

[mcfarms]

The district is selling a portion of their water licence not delivering the water to the project that is the responsibility of the MD of Rockyview. In exchange for the sale the district will be installing a pipeline system (paid for by the MD)on a very outdated and leaky open ditch system this new sysytem will at current usage save as much water as is being sold to the MD of Rockyview. ( lost through seepage and evaporation)If potential acres that are being unused along this system are used the water savings could double. We did a major project of this nature a few years back and I can't begin to tell you all the water and energy efficiencies that we have been able to implement on our operation.
This was a close vote and only proceeded because it is a decent deal, maybe not a great deal but a decent deal.
Trust me it isn't something that is going to happen every day but the demands for water will increase and this won't be the only time somebody knocks on their door with a proposition. Going forward there are some things the board of the WID is going to have to grapple with and come up with some solutions and selling water rights willy nilly won't fly very far in these parts.