Alberta Irrigation Efficiency Program
- Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) will provide funding support, through the Alberta Irrigation Efficiency Program, to encourage irrigation producers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save water.
- This program is one of five climate change projects that were delivered by ARD on behalf of Alberta Environment (ENV) under the 2008 Climate Change Strategy (CCS).
- ENV committed $200,000 per year for three years (2008/2009, 2009/2010, and 2010/2011) in support of the Alberta Irrigation Efficiency Program.
- Producers may be eligible for 40% of the cost of irrigation system upgrades, up to $4000 per producer. Energy and water savings resulting from this program will be reported to ENV annually.
- Eligible equipment includes equipment for a low pressure centre pivot system (drop tubes, pressure regulators, filters, sprinkler heads and nozzles); pump modifications such as end-gun booster pumps or trimmed impellers; and pivot control panel upgrades, including base stations for telemetry. Motors to drive pumps are not included.
- Applications must be for equipment purchased after April 1, 2008. Eligible equipment must be installed and operational within six months of the application date. Applicants will be limited to one payment for the life of the program.
- Producers not eligible for funding in a given fiscal year because available funds are committed will become eligible the next fiscal year until such time as all program funding has been committed.
- The program will be administered by the Irrigation and Farm Water Division, ARD. Farmers will be able to obtain application forms from ARD (www.agric.gov.ab.ca), as well as from licensed irrigation equipment dealers in Alberta.
- Conversion of wheel-move and high pressure centre pivot irrigation systems to more energy efficient centre pivot irrigation systems could save 250,000 to 850,000 litres of water per hectare per year. Total water savings could be 2 to 8 billion litres over the three-year life of this program.
- Similar incentive funding was previously provided for irrigation system upgrades under the Canada-Alberta Farm Stewardship Program administered by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (PFRA). This program was discontinued in 2008.
- The application form and program requirements can be downloaded and printed by following this link:
Alberta Irrigation Efficiency Program Application
