Sask agency expects three-quarters of water reservoirs to be full this year

Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency says that many of the province’s reservoirs are expected to fill this year after conservative efforts to store and retain water.

The agency said 33 out of the 45 major reservoirs are expected to fill or be close to full. Another six reservoirs are sitting between 70 to 90 per cent full and the remaining six, most of which are in the southwest, are not expected to fill completely.

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The Water Security Agency said that Lake Diefenbaker, the province’s largest reservoir, supplies over 60 per cent of Saskatchewan’s water supply needs and that levels were brought up higher than normal to build up that supply.

Snowpack in the province ranged between below normal and well-below normal, but agency said that runoff conditions can still change.

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More than 80 rural municipalities in Saskatchewan declared agricultural disasters last year due to severe drought conditions.

Winter conditions also didn’t hold much promise, with local water experts and rural municipalities expecting similar conditions this year due to dryer and milder winter weather.