SEEPAGE CONTROL PLAN

The WID’s approved Seepage Control Plan for 2025 through 2029 under Section 164(1) of the Irrigation Districts Act.

YEARPROJECTSECTIONSTATUS
2025'C' CanalSec 18, 19, T26 R24 W4
Sec 24, 25, 26, 27, 34 T26 R25 W4
In Progress
2026'C' CanalSec 33, 28, 29, 32, 30 T26 R25 W4
Sec 25, 36, 26, T26 R26 W4
Proposed
2027Thompson PipelineSec 20, 27, 16, 9 T26 R26 W4Proposed
2028Cairnhill PipelineSec 20, 21, 16, 15, 10, 23-25 W4Proposed
2029Cairnhill PipelineSec 14, 11, 02, 01, 12, 23-25 W4Proposed

Secondary ‘C’ Canal (2025-2026)

The ‘C’ Canal system provides service to approximately 25% of the irrigation in the Western Irrigation District and several other significant water users. These sections of ‘C’ Canal are presently unrehabilitated with inadequate bank height and width as well as significant losses due to seepage.

The Western Irrigation District has reviewed multiple options in finalizing the scope of work for the rehabilitation of the Secondary Canal, including gravel armour on reinforced polyethylene liner and standard clay lining consistent with the IRP design manual. Given the design flow requirements associated with these sections enclosure into pipeline would not be feasible or economic. The District has selected a gravel armour on reinforced polyethylene liner solution as the preferred option as investigations for a buried liner solution did not identify sufficiently suitable material in the vicinity of the canal.

This project will be phased over multiple years, as demonstrated in Table 3. Lining the canal would result in significant water savings and capitalize on substantial district and landowner investments made in the past. Storage opportunities have been identified at several strategic locations along the canal and incorporated to improve hydraulic efficiency in conveyance and reduce return flows.

Thompson Canal

The District evaluated multiple rehabilitation options for the existing unrehabilitated canal system. The existing canal alignment was analyzed for potential relocations to shorten or to straighten the canal if rehabilitated as an open channel. The options assessed included gravel armour on reinforced polyethylene liner and/or large diameter PVC piping to abate all seepage and capitalize on enhanced water efficiencies with the planned expansion. Ultimately, a large diameter gravity-fed PVC pipeline was selected as it was both the most cost-effective and water efficient option while maximizing the overall seepage reduction. The canal’s rehabilitation will follow IRP design criteria to ensure sufficient capacity to expand irrigation downstream and minimize water lost due to seepage.

Cairnhill Pipeline

The District evaluated multiple rehabilitation options for the existing unrehabilitated canal system. The existing canal alignment was analyzed for potential relocations to shorten or to straighten the canal if rehabilitated as an open channel. The options assessed included gravel armour on reinforced polyethylene liner, large diameter gravity PVC/HDPE piping and/or pumped pressurized pipeline to abate all seepage and capitalize one nhanced water efficiencies with the planned expansion. At this time the district is in the process of weighing all options based on irrigation expansion potential and economics. The canal’s rehabilitation will follow IRP design criteria to ensure sufficient capacity to expand irrigation downstream and minimize water lost due to seepage. This project will be phased over multiple years.

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