When it comes to the water levels in the area, the dry streak continues for this part of Saskatchewan.

Patrick Boyle with the province's Water Security Agency said the spring runoff was below normal, on the Moose Jaw River.

“They’re about one-third of what we would say their median or their typical level, and they remain below normal today,” said Boyle. “Still, some of those dry conditions are persisting. If you look at the Moose Jaw and area (around) Buffalo Pound Lake, it’s at its summer operating level and we anticipate to hold that in its upper range in the summer months.”

While spring runoff was below normal, there was enough to fill the Avonlea reservoir at the end of March.

There is some rain on the way in the immediate forecast for Moose Jaw and area but Boyle said the forecast is for near normal to below normal water flows.

“With minimal snow melt in 2019 and then dry conditions the last couple of years, certainly there’s a lot of areas in Moose Jaw and area that are very dry right now. I think there’s many producers that would welcome a rainfall,” Boyle said.

Low water levels can cause salinity issues in some communities that use surface water as part of their supply.

“Last year and the year previous there were some issues with livestock watering, with not having enough water for livestock... but also when you get these kinds of dry conditions, the water gets very saline in certain areas. And very saline water can impact some of your cattle and livestock and those dry conditions could persist.”

He said their office in Swift Current can do water testing for salinity within the water.

When water dries up, the water salinity increases quite a bit, Boyle said.