A new report indicates two central Alberta rivers will receive plenty of mountain runoff this spring.
The Alberta government’s Water Supply Outlook predicts “normal to above normal March to September river volumes in the Milk, Oldman, Bow, Red Deer and North Saskatchewan River basins.”
Both the Red Deer and North Saskatchewan rivers — which supply water to many areas in central Alberta — are forecast to have above-normal mountain runoff.
The report adds that “these March to September volumes are predicted to be above or well above the river volumes observed in 2025.”
The majority of mountain snowpack sites surveyed reported higher or much higher than typical levels.
In the southern portion of the province, mountain runoff is forecast to be normal to above the 30-year average in the Oldman River basin and normal in the Milk River basin. Both are considered well above the March to September volumes observed in 2025.
Grant Hunter, minister of environment and protected areas, says after three consecutive years of low early-season water supply forecasts, current conditions are the most favourable since early 2022.
“This is great news for our farmers, businesses, communities and all Albertans who use and rely on water each and every day. We will continue closely monitoring our supply over the coming months and keep working to help build a more drought-resilient province,” Hunter says.
Areas closer to the Rockies saw greater amounts of moisture detected in the ground compared with other regions, such as southern Alberta.
A new report forecasts above-normal mountain runoff for the North Saskatchewan River in 2026. (Alberta government/Water Supply Outlook)
Agriculture Minister R.J. Sigurdson says the province is taking a whole-of-government approach to managing water systems to ensure Albertans have a safe, reliable supply.
“There have been plenty of challenges thrown at our farmers and ranchers over the past few years and, while growing conditions were better in 2025 for most of the province, localized weather events and other stressors put pressure on many producers,” Sigurdson says. “I’m optimistic that early moisture indicators paint a positive picture for the 2026 growing season.”
You can see the full Water Supply Outlook here.
~ with files from LethbridgeNewsNow
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