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Historicizing Adaptation Blog Series
In the mid-2020s, Saskatchewan is debating the possible expansion of irrigation in the province. The question is whether the province should continue to pursue irrigation dreams inspired by the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan, a mid-20th century multipurpose infrastructure project that included the construction of two large dams (Gardiner Dam and Qu’Appelle River Dam) and the reservoir that extends between them (Lake Diefenbaker). “Water and the Modern Prairies” is considering the original efforts to develop the irrigation aspects of the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan through examination of documentary records, historical photographs and maps, oral history materials, and contemporary landscapes. The project will address questions about farmer perspectives, political motives, experts’ interventions, and environmental effects.
