Irrigation in Saskatchewan
PFRA Reservoirs in southwest Saskatchewan

Since 1938, PFRA has managed the construction of 26 large water storage reservoirs in Southwest Saskatchewan. The 26 reservoirs have an aggregate storage capacity of 392,200 cubic decametres and $3.1 million construction cost. The large storage basins now serve 40,000 acres of irrigated hay-land controlled by the federal and provincial governments. These storages also provide a considerable degree of flood control while augmenting recreation facilities and offering habitats for wildlife. In addition, water from the reservoirs is used for stock watering, for other agricultural purposes and for domestic consumption.

Table 1 shows the capacity of reservoirs in southwest Saskatchewan. The largest is Cypress Lake Reservoir, which is increasingly being used as a recreational area. The second largest reservoir is Duncairn Dam.

Table 1
RESERVOIR AC. FT. CAPACITY PURPOSE
Val Marie 11,400 Irrigate 4,700 acres on PFRA's Val Marie Project
West Val Marie 3,400 Irrigate 3,100 acres on PFRA's West Val Marie Project
Eastend 2,000 Irrigate 3,100 acres on PFRA's Eastend Project
Cypress Lake 100,000 Irrigate 3,100 acres on PFRA's Consul Project, 2,500 acres on provincial projects, and supplement urban water supply for communities of Eastend and Val Marie
Altawan 5,800 Irrigate 100 acres of PFRA pasture, and 1,300 acres of provincial forage
Middle Creek 13,200 Supply private and provincial projects, and supplement Lodge Creekfor international division
Adams Lake 670 Supply channel stock watering and private irrigation
Downie Lake 10,000 Four reservoirs supply water to irrigate 5,000 acres on PFRA's Maple Creek Project, and 500 acres of Privately owned land
Harris 5,000
Junction 8,400
McDougald 750
Duncairn 84,000 Irrigate 6,700 acres on PFRA's Rush Lake Project and 3,500 acres on provincial projects at Waldeck and Herbert, and for urban use in Swift Current as well as other uses
Highfield 12,600
McDougald 2,374
Admiral 980 Irrigate private and provincial lands
Cadillac 1,780 Irrigate 600 acres on provincial project
Gouverneur 6,300 Irrigate 2,000 acres on provincial project
Russell Creek 1,520 Irrigate 1,000 acres on provincial project
Braddock 1,600 Irrigate private and provincial lands
Thomson Lake 30,000 Irrigate private land, supply stock water in the Wood River Watershed, and recreation
Lac Pelletier 4,100 Supply Swift Current watershed
Nashlyn 500 Supplement Cypress Lake for irrigation
Simms Lake 4,000 Irrigate 350 acres of provincial lease land at Bedford (Alberta) Project
Bedford 220 Irrigate backflood scheme
Lonesome Lake 800 Irrigate backflood scheeme
Cabri 350 Urban water supply for Town of Cabri
Summercove 1,486 Stock water

Map of South Sask damsView a higher resolution map(pdf file)

Cypress Lake

This reservoir has a storage capacity of 128,650 cubic decametres and is contained by two large embankments, one at each end. It is 14 kilometres long and is located 39 kilometres west of the town of Eastend, on the south side of the Cypress Hills. Constructed in 1939 at a cost of $400,300, the reservoir is somewhat unique in that three creeks -- Davis, Belanger and Sucker -- which flow into the Frenchman River (an international stream), can be diverted into it at the east end, and Battle Creek (also an international stream) can be diverted into it from the west end.

As a result, releases can be made from the east end of the reservoir into the Frenchman River, as required to meet international commitments and/or to supplement the Eastend, West Val Marie and Val Marie project irrigation flows. Similarly, releases can be made from the west end of the reservoir into the Battle River, to fulfill international commitments and/or to supplement the Consul and Vidora irrigation project flows.



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