Saskatchewan awards contract for Lake Diefenbaker irrigation project

The Saskatchewan government has awarded its lead engineering contract on the proposed Lake Diefenbaker irrigation expansion to Clifton Associates.

The $4-billion project was announced last summer by the province, which said phases built over the next 10 years would add 2,500 jobs per year and billions to the province’s gross domestic product.

Phase one, estimated to cost $500 million, would see the existing Westside Irrigation system rehabilitated and expanded by 80,000 acres. Phase two would add another 260,000 acres west of Outlook, and northward also to the North Saskatchewan River.

Design work will take place over the next 12 to 18 months, according to the Ministry of Procurement.

The third phase would extend canals southeastward to a point north of Moose Jaw.

Sask Water Authority states that 900,000 acre-feet of additional water is available at

Lake Diefenbaker, and proposals would require 700,000.

Work near Swift

Construction has begun to replace an overpass on the Trans-Canada Highway east of Swift Current, that province announced recently.

Graham Construction’s Regina office is handling the $18-million project to replace eastbound bridge lanes that carry the highway over rail lines. The separate westbound lanes bridge will be rehabilitated.

Initial work got underway in late January on the westbound section. That should be completed in June, at which point work on the other section would begin ahead of a fall completion date.