SASKATOON -- A dry summer and fall in Alberta last year means less early moisture coming from the foothills into Saskatchewan, Water Security Agency spokesperson Patrick Doyle says.
That shortage has led to the low level of the South Saskatchewan River. Lake Diefenbaker is about .75 metres below normal, he said.
Boyle says that while the province is drier than last spring, a significant amount of runoff from the mountains can usually be expected in late May or early June.
That will mean more water in Lake Diefenbaker which will then be released from Gardiner Dam into the rest of southern and central Saskatchewan.
Boyle says while an increase in rainfall will help farmers, it won’t do much for increasing the river level which is why Alberta runoff is crucial.
