Recent snowfall in Lethbridge will help drought, but benefits depend on melt rate: expert

The City of Lethbridge says it's too early to say how the recent snowfall will help the drought situation in southern Alberta. (CTV News)

LETHBRIDGE, ALTA. -

Around 35 centimetres of snow fell in Lethbridge over the past six days, and while experts say it will help avoid a potential drought, it all matters on how slowly it melts.

“There's a maximum rate (at) which water can go into the soil, so as soon as you go over that then water will just run off and ends up in ponds or on the street or the curb,” said Willemijn Appels, senior research chair of the Mueller Irrigation Research Group at Lethbridge College.

“So, in the end, the slower the better.”

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She said while the snowfall in Lethbridge was much needed to help the soil in the region, it’ll depend on how much fell in the mountains to make a difference for current water levels.

“It’s not enough to end the drought, but it'll help for sure,” Appels said. “It looked this morning, there were some increases there as well so that snowpack has increased a little bit over the past week and if that melts in a nice timely fashion it'll end up in those reservoirs.”

But the Alberta government isn’t waiting to see how the melt goes.

“We are in probably the most significant drought situation that we've seen since 2001,” said Rebecca Schulz, minister of environment and protected areas.

As a result, the province is investing $75 million through its Water Innovation Program to support 101 completed projects, with 65 more in the works, including in southern Alberta, where the province calls the situation “more intense” than other parts of Alberta.

“This funding has also mapped groundwater for the Milk River Aquifer in southern Alberta, helping to provide more safe and secure water supply for an increasingly dry part of our province,” Schulz said.

“It (has) also helped researchers at the University of Lethbridge implement more functional flows to restore wetlands along the Oldman and Waterton rivers.”

The province has also created a water advisory committee to better prepare for a potential drought.

In February, the City of Lethbridge said the Oldman Reservoir is sitting at 30 per cent full, while the St. Mary's Reservoir is at 19 per cent, with the norm being between 50 and 75 per cent.

The City of Lethbridge says it's too early to say how the recent snowfall will help the water situation and officials will share more information at the economic and finance standing policy committee on April 11.