REVISED METHODOLOGY FOR ASSESSING LAND SUITABILITY FOR IRRIGATION.

The new methodology focuses on interpreting the suitability of land for irrigation utilizing soil and landscape data made available through regular soil survey programs. Guidelines are provided to facilitate the ranking of soil and landscape attributes in terms of their degree of limitation for irrigation. Land with no significant limitation(s) for soils and/or landscapes receives an excellent rating; land with slight limitation(s) for soils and/or landscapes is rated as good; land with moderate limitation(s) for soils and/or landscapes receives a fair rating while land with severe limitation(s) for soils and/or landscapes is rated as poor. The revised methodology is intended primarily for use in the prairie region of Western Canada. An assessment of suitability of the land base is one of the first priorities for evaluating the feasibility of irrigation land use.