Farmers, ranchers question plan to quench mega-mall's thirst

Some farmers and ranchers east of Calgary are concerned about a proposal to pipe water from their regionto an entertainment complex north of the city.

At a meeting on the project in Strathmore on Thursday night, farmer Sharon Taggart said the Western Irrigation District shouldn't share its water.

"By the year, I think it was 2030, the Bow River is going to be in trouble. If that's the case and that happens, are we going to be cut off as agricultural producers because the City of Calgary, or the racetrack or the mall needs the water?"

Last year, the province decided it would no longer issue new water-use licences for three southern Alberta rivers, including the Bow River, which runs through Calgary.

The $1-billion mega-mall and racetrack project in the Municipal District of Rocky View near Calgary has been on hold since the town of Drumheller refused to treat and pipe water from the Red Deer River.

Municipal district officials have now turned to the Western Irrigation District east of Calgary, asking members for a chunk of its Bow River water allowance.

Western Irrigation District manager Jim Webber said this is a chance for farmers and ranchers to replace an aging, inefficient canal system.

The municipal district will pay for a modern $15-million irrigation pipeline that will save water that normally evaporates or spills back into the canals. In return, the irrigation district will transfer some of their water to the municipal district, which will pass it on to the mall.

"You won't even be able to measure it in the river. So no one is going to notice the difference," Webber said.

The members of the irrigation district still need to vote on the plan, and then it needs provincial approval.

Other developers at the meetinghad their fingers crossed, hoping the members will approve the deal, which would increase water capacity in the Balzac area.

Sunny Maan's company wantsto build a housing project near Balzac.

"Once this thing works, I think it works for everybody," he said.

Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach has said the project which features two horse-racing tracks, a casino and a shopping centre won't get more than $8 million in government funding without a water licence.