Irrigation
What is irrigation?
Irrigation involves watering crops by using water available in nearby lakes or rivers or in the ground. The water is pumped into canals or pipelines, then onto fields. Irrigation is practiced in farming regions from coast to coast in Canada. Only 8.5% of Canadian farms use irrigation; the rest rely solely on precipitation for crop watering.
Why farmers irrigate
- Supplements precipitation and offsets the effects of drought and global warming
- Improves crop yields and diversifies what farmers are able to grow
- Provides opportunities to grow higher value crops, such as fruits and vegetables