FAQs

• Irrigation acres
• Terminable (Term) acres
• Annual acres (different then annual expansion acres)
• Annual expansion acres

A fee that is charged when new irrigation acres are added to a parcel within the assessment roll. The rate is set in WID Bylaw 441 for 2023 is $1,450 per Irrigation Acre.

The quarter, section, township, range and meridian a property is located. You can find it on a property title, mortgage document, utility bill, or you can contact your local MD office.

Note: This is not the address on your blue road sign.

The provincial legislation that enables the establishment of irrigation districts in Alberta and describes the structure, governance, powers, and duties for the formation and operations of irrigation districts.

For lands with Irrigation acres assigned to them, there will be an irrigation order on your land title stating it is part of the Western Irrigation District’s assessment roll.  Contact us if you need to know the specifics of what contracts are on your land.

Household purposes and other irrigation acres types like Annual and Terminable acres are not listed on title, and you can contact us at 403-934-3542 for more information.

Water delivery to specific parcels can be discuss with your Water District Supervisor or the administration staff when submitting/completing applications.

Annual assessment for Irrigation Acres, Terminable Acres, Annual (including expansion) acres are prepared and sent out by mail mid-August annually.  They assessments are due in full by December 31^st annually.

Active household purpose agreements for domestic (stock) use including reduced agreements for users with storage, and Yard and Garden agreements are automatically renewed year to year and bills are sent our in January annual.  If you wish to cancel an agreement notice must be given prior to March 1^st annually.  All are due in full by April 30^th annually.  WID Staff including administration and the water operations teams will review agreements where water delivery may be a concern and discuss with users prior to March 1^st if changes are required.

Permission is required to access any WID-owned land for any purpose; Chestermere Reservoir is the only exception.

More information.

WID water is diverted from the Bow River at the Harvie Passage, flows through the City of Calgary and into Chestermere Reservoir via the Western Headworks Canal. From Chestermere water flows east using canals, pipelines and other reservoirs to provide service to our users.

Chestermere Reservoir is usually  fully operational by May 1 each year. It may take up to 2 weeks to fill to its operational level.

After the Thanksgiving Day long weekend, water is let out of the reservoir to lower it to winter levels.

Please review our map which includes corresponding Water District Supervisors for the areas.

Our water season runs from May 1 to September 30 each year. Should there be a water delivery issue during the water season and there is no water, please contact your Water District Supervisor.

If you are planning new irrigation, we highly recommend you contact the office to ensure all requirements from the Irrigation Districts Act are met, appropriate contracts are available to support your needs and that appropriate land classification details are available to ensure a successful irrigation implementation.

A suitable land classification is a requirement of the Irrigation Districts act before new or additional irrigation acres (including alternate parcel acres) can be applied to a parcel.  The land classification is generated by a Land Agrologist, and their report indicates the suitability of the land for irrigation.  You can find more information on Land Agrologists here and they can help you understand your land class and options on how you may be able to support healing the land.

The 2023 Water agreement rates can be found here.