Water injection

[farmers_son]

Actually, there is a way we can stop this kind of thing happening. It is called an election and a change of government. I wish it were not so but this government places agriculture behind oil and gas. As such and at present, to quote Grassfarmer's neighbour, we do not have a hope in hell of stopping our fresh water being diverted to oil wells.

I live in a dryer part of the province and there are huge opportunties for irrigation here but the province will not let us do it. 300,000 gallons a day would do wonders for this area, instead it goes to the energy sector. And irrigation water stays in the hydrological cycle, injection water does not.

[cowman]

It is a sad fact of life that they continue with this stupid water injection thing? In the big picture it actually shortens the production.
The CO2 thing works very well and is the wave of the future.
Personally I believe the water diversion to Eastern Alberta from the Red Deer river is a good thing? The fact is the Red Deer river is the last tributary on the South Saskatchewan that has any kind of surplus? The Bow and Oldman are all spoken for!
I am a firm believer that the "Alberta Advantage" has to extend to all areas of Alberta...not just the Calgary-Edmonton corrider! How does eastern Alberta grow and prosper without an adequate water supply?

[coppertop]

the water resources in Alberta look better all the time to our neighbours in the south....as the saying goes, Whiskey is for drinking and water for fighting over. If any of you watched the televised leadership debate this past week, you will have heard the reporter from the Calgary Herald take a shot at the agricultural industry for wasting water. The only candidate that disputed that fact and pointed out that the agriculture industry that uses 4% of the water, grows 20% of the crops, was Ed Stelmach. The rest of the candidates were content to allow the comment to go unchallenged....

[cowman]

uh...actually I think most studies show irrigation is a real dog when all costs are read in? The benifit of water diversion is almost always industry and civil municipality use?
Irrigation is usually nothing more than a total ripoff for the taxpayer? Correct me if I am wrong?

[coppertop]

It depends what you would like to see take place in southern and south east Alberta cowman. I have been on several tours of municipalities in the south and seen first hand by way of test plots etc., that the areas that use irrigation would be a barren wasteland. Irrigation is not cheap for those using it, although I am sure that all taxpayers have been responsible for the irrigation infrastructure. The sugar beet industry alone drives the economy in some urban centres in the south, and that industry relies on irrigation.

[cakadu]

Irrigation costs the taxpayers a lot of money and it is a matter of return on the investment that is being made. Our irrigation methods are not the most efficient use of the available water. Why can't we adopt better methods for irrigation? Terracing is pretty much out of the question down in all that flat land, but has anyone ever tried drip irrigation? Puts the water where it belongs - down by the roots - and not being broadcast all over the place. 30% of that water evaporates before it ever hits the ground and while it remains in the hydrological cycle, it is lost for it's intended purpose, which is the crops.

What about the fact that we continue to try and force the land to do what it is not meant to do? There is no doubt that all of Alberta deserves to have it's advantages.

Just because the Red Deer river is not yet totally allocated, does that mean we have to allocate it to the limit? What about saving for the future? Water is the one thing that there isn't any more of. In fact, not one new drop of water has been created since time began.

With respect to the Balzac project, it has been put on hold and the time period for submitting objections has been extended to at least November 30th because there wasn't sufficient time and/or notice given for discussion.

I would think that the other problem that the complex would have is finding labour to work on it, let alone finding staff once it is up and running.

[GreenValley]

grassfarmer, just learn that 1500m3 per day is close to around 330,000 gal/day for 2 years and start to recycle water in year after, about 500m3 or 111,000 gal/day. Someone saying should be no problem in this valley because we in valley area of which water flow down to valley. In my farm groundwater static level is somewhat 23 feet from ground. Don't think even will effect 1 foot drop because of rainfall or snow will continue downward toward to valley. BS.
Some say would be happy to have lower water static ie: low land swamp would be better if proposed water injection in use. agree what cowman say the company are after cook the books, in fews later and sell off higher shares make CEO richer. Hope the owner has water right license and sell the water to company maker farmer richer.

[grassfarmer]

greenvalley, there are a number of us concerned about this proposal and we will be going to the stakeholders meeting in Rimbey on Thursday night, 7pm at seniors drop in centre. Get some neighbours together and maybe together we can stop this ridiculous proposal.

[cowman]

grassfarmer: Good luck on getting some sanity into this thing! These water injection deals are completely asinine and are among the stupidest things the oil patch does!
Nothing but pure greed!

[coppertop]

water injection bothers me a lot more than irrigation does. Good luck grassfarmer !!