On an early July morning, Barry Carriere packed his boat and set out on the calm waters of the Saskatchewan River Delta.
At 57, he’s been navigating these narrow channels and tributaries his entire life. But the trapper, fisherman and guide sees the delta increasingly in decline — with its waterways shrinking.
“This used to be a whole lake,” Carriere said, pointing to walls of invasive weeds that are choking out native plants. “The fish, the elk, the deer — all of that is moving south because there’s no water for them here.”
Carriere, who is from the Cumberland House Cree Nation in northern Saskatchewan, is one of many trappers, environmentalists and First Nations leaders who are raising concerns about the ecosystem’s decline. The Saskatchewan River Delta is the largest freshwater delta in North America, stretching 9,700 square kilometres from northeastern Saskatchewan to western Manitoba.
The Delta, also known as the Delta, is home to a variety of wildlife, from moose and bears to migratory birds. Kitaskīnaw in Cree — has experienced dramatic fluctuations in water levels due to the impact of hydroelectric dams and development in the south of the province.
Now Carriere fears that a $4 billion irrigation project the provincial government plans to launch next year will further damage the area’s health.
“If they do that irrigation project, that will be the final nail they hammer into the delta,” he said.
Carriere sails his boat down the delta near Cumberland House. The delta is home to many species of fish, insects, moose, bears and migratory birds. (Don Somers/CBC)
What are the plans?
The project, initially announced in 2020, plans to eventually irrigate about 202,000 hectares of land in southwestern and west-central Saskatchewan with water from Lake Diefenbaker. The lake was formed by building two dams to provide water for irrigation and drinking.
The project would double the amount of irrigable land in the province and allow farmers to grow high-value crops such as potatoes and cucumbers.
The first phase of the project, currently under design, will rehabilitate the existing and incomplete infrastructure on the western side of the lake. It will allow for the irrigation of approximately 36,000 hectares.
Patrick Boyle, spokesman for the Water Security Agency, a state-owned agency responsible for water management in Saskatchewan, said the project will use only a fraction of the available water in Lake Diefenbaker.
Steve Primrose is a cattle rancher with both dryland and irrigated crops. He hopes that will increase the availability of irrigation for Saskatchewan farmers. (Kendall Latimer/CBC)
“We actually lose more to evaporation, which is more than three percent, than to irrigation,” he said. “We believe there is a significant supply to meet all needs.”
Graham Strickert, an associate professor at the University of Saskatchewan and part of the Global Institute for Water Security, has been studying the delta for more than a decade. He estimates that the first phase of the project will have minimal impact on the flow into the delta. But if later phases go ahead, he says, it could potentially affect water levels, especially in dry years.
The wildlife-rich delta covers 9,700 square kilometres (3,700 square miles) from northeastern Saskatchewan to western Manitoba. (Don Somers/CBC)
According to Strickert, since the 1920s, when records began, there has been a 20 percent annual decline in water flowing through the delta, largely due to agricultural irrigation and urban consumption of drinking water.
He says dams and reservoirs also change the ecosystem by preventing new sediment from flowing into the delta.
“The river is getting deeper and wider. It’s slowly becoming a single river channel, and so the wetlands are not as productive as they once were,” Strickert said.
‘Billions’ from agricultural boom
On his farm in central Saskatchewan, Steve Primrose already irrigates his fields with water from Lake Diefenbaker. He says the new project will increase food security as farmers increasingly face droughts.
“We are going to ensure that families and future generations can continue to work in agriculture,” he said.
Invasive grasses are taking over riverbanks as parts of the delta no longer flood, making them inaccessible by boat. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC)
Primrose runs cattle ranches in Outlook, Sask., and is chairman of the South Saskatchewan River Irrigation District. He understands why people outside the industry worry about water use. But in reality, he says, with highly efficient pumping systems, farmers can use small amounts of water for significant returns.
“You have to manage it because it is a precious asset that we do not take lightly,” he said.
The province is also promoting the potential for major economic growth through new crops that require more water.
Boyle says the irrigation expansion will result in a significant boost to provincial GDP, potentially increasing tax revenues by “billions” over time. He says 0.4 hectares of dryland wheat contributes $400, while the same acreage of an irrigated, processed high-value crop, such as potatoes, contributes $20,000.
‘It cries out for help’
Solutions are being sought in the delta to protect the delta.
Strickert says there are several viable options, including changing the way hydroelectric plants operate to allow for a more consistent flow of water. That could include creating a retention pond or battery storage.
“It is not possible to return it to what it was before development. But it is possible to slow the decline and even reverse some of it through environmental restoration projects,” he said.
Cumberland House Chief Rene Chaboyer says he understands the need for irrigation for food security, but wants to ensure projects have minimal impact on the Saskatchewan River Delta. (Chanss Lagaden/CBC)
Some of those projects are already underway in Cumberland House Cree Nation, which borders the delta. Those efforts include prescribed burning of invasive weeds in the wetlands.
Chief Rene Chaboyer says he wants his community to play a direct role in managing the delta’s water. Last year, one of the driest years on record, the northern village’s drinking water supply nearly dried up.
“It’s been a huge fight for generations to try to save what’s left,” he said. “It’s crying out for help.”
Chaboyer acknowledges that irrigation is positive for food security, but he wants to ensure it is done responsibly to minimize the impact on the delta.
The Water Security Agency is working with the community to find solutions. Boyle said an interim water management committee has been set up for the delta, with representatives from Cumberland House. They have been carrying out flood mapping to gather more data on changes in the delta.
For Carriere, concrete solutions to halt the decline can’t come soon enough. He said that if nothing changes, he will soon lose even more access to traditional hunting grounds and his camp — because the channels will become too shallow to navigate.
“It’s dying and there’s no other way to say it.”
Cumberland House is located on an island in the Saskatchewan River Delta in the northeastern part of the province. It is home to about 2,000 people in both a village and the adjacent Cumberland House Cree Nation. It is accessible by a single unpaved highway. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC)