Southern Saskatchewan dry now and could get drier: report

Saskatchewan's Water Security Agency is forecasting below-normal spring runoff across southern areas of the province.

A preliminary report released today says based on current conditions, it will take well above average precipitation in February, March and April to produce above-average runoff in the region.

The report also anticipates that water supply issues which surfaced late last summer will intensify for municipalities and
irrigators across the south unless there's significant precipitation.

The agency says extremely low rainfall last summer led to record dry conditions in some locations that were made worse by a dry fall.

As a result, soil moisture at freeze-up was extremely low and most lakes and reservoirs that were full or near full last spring are now at below-average levels.

The agency is forecasting near-normal runoff across northern areas.

The Meadow Lake and the Upper Churchill River regions are expected to get normal to slightly above normal runoff.