Hodgins releases studies on water supply and demand in St Mary Lake and Maxwell Lake systems

Hyradulic engineer Don Hodgins has released two studies comparing dry-season water supply from St Mary Lake and Maxwell Lake to human demand and licensing policy.

The first study finds that current licences allow the withdrawal of 573 million Litres from St Mary Lake during the critical June-October season, whereas the safe yield during an extreme drought year is less than 380 million Litres.

Hodgins questions Provincial procedures for addressing this shortfall: “The Province recognizes that the full allocation will not be met during droughts, and has implemented a complex procedure for restricting or denying withdrawals. […] The weaknesses [of this principle] are obvious [and periods] when restrictions come into force are inevitable.”

The second study extends the analysis to include Maxwell Lake. Again, Hodgins finds that current licensing policy is functional for average hydrological years but inadequate for drought years. He also warns that water shortfalls are likely to become more common as a result of climate change. “[This does not] seem appropriate for future planning,” Hodgins concludes.