Expert warns of imminent risk after making concerning observation in the mountains: 'It's not looking very promising'

A lack of snowfall in the Canadian Rockies could spell doom for farmers and their crops.

What's happening?

In Alberta, farmers are concerned that the snowpack is lighter than usual, the CBC reported. Stephen Vandervalk relies on the Castle Mountain Resort report to form his outlook for the year, and snow there was 25%-30% less than what it usually is the first week of March.

"That's one of the main feeding sources for our dam, and yeah, it's significantly down," he said. "It's not looking very promising."

The dam irrigates Vandervalk's crops, and though other areas have received above-average or well-above-average precipitation, much of Alberta is in a precarious position.

Almost the entire province is experiencing Stage 1 drought conditions, and the Milk River region in the southeast corner of Alberta is in Stage 2, which means water users and aquatic environments are at risk.

Even if there is rainfall to come, as Ryan Fournier, press secretary to the Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, told the CBC, the lack of accumulated snowfall is a problem. Abnormally high temperatures have melted some of what has fallen, and the below-average buildup will continue without colder temperatures or more snow.

Why is this important?

"People last year at this time were very concerned about drought. We were going into unprecedented negotiations around water," Tricia Stadnyk, a Canada Research Chair in hydrologic modeling, said. "[We were] at Stage 4 drought scenario with the province, and this year we're not. But we're actually lower in snowpack [in certain regions] than we were at this time last year."

Last year, Vandervalk could use only less than half the water he typically dedicates to his crops. Some 800 kilometers (497 miles) to the north, plants are already sprouting in fields, and ditches are running with water, the CBC reported.

"It's not impossible that we're heading into one of the worst mountain droughts of this century," said John Pomeroy, a Canada Research Chair in water resources and climate change.

"We were very prepared for a drought in stream flows last year and we haven't had those discussions this year, and this year is looking far worse than last year."

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What's being done about the drought in Alberta?

While this year's conditions may be so bad in part because of last year's drought, this kind of extreme weather is only becoming increasingly intense and more common because of rising global temperatures. This warming of the planet is caused by the burning of dirty fuels, such as gas and coal, for energy that powers industry, transportation, and people's homes.

To solve the problem and rebalance Earth's natural systems, we can work together to use clean, sustainable energy, including solar and wind power. These sources do not release heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere.

Try walking, cycling, and using public transportation instead of driving, or switch to an electric vehicle or e-bike. Other significant steps include installing a heat pump and replacing your grass with natural clover and native plants.

These changes have the added benefit of saving you money on car payments and maintenance, utility bills, and water usage.

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