Map: November Precipitation Brings Prairie Drought Improvement

Dec 11, 2024

Abnormal dryness and drought have improved markedly across Western Canada following above normal precipitation in most areas during November.

The latest monthly update of the Canadian drought monitor shows just over one-third (34%) of Prairie agricultural lands were being impacted by abnormal dryness or drought as of the end of November. That is down from 57% at the end of October and below 42% in September.

A sizable portion of the Prairie region received over 200% of normal monthly precipitation during November. Along with cooler temperatures, the precipitation “helped reduce or alleviate drought conditions in many regions,” the monitor said.

In central Alberta, November precipitation led to a significant reduction of severe drought areas and the elimination of an area of extreme drought that had persisted for much of the year. The west-central region also saw a reduction in abnormally dry conditions around Lloydminster. Northern Alberta experienced minor improvements in drought conditions in November, including the Peace River region which saw reductions in abnormally dry to extreme drought. On the other hand, drought conditions worsened in southwestern Alberta during November, with continued below normal precipitation in the Foothills.

Southern Saskatchewan saw some improvement in November, specifically, the removal of severe drought. However, abnormally dry and moderate drought areas remained, with pockets of moderate drought persisting around Swift Current, Moose Jaw and along southcentral areas near the Canada/US border. In northern Saskatchewan, drought conditions also improved with the removal of two pockets of severe drought, one north of Buffalo Narrows and another in the area northeast of La Ronge that extends towards the Saskatchewan/Manitoba border.

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Video: From Conventional to Regenerative: Will Groeneveld’s Journey Back to the Land

"You realize you've got a pretty finite number of years to do this. If you ever want to try something new, you better do it."

That mindset helped Will Groeneveld take a bold turn on his Alberta grain farm. A lifelong farmer, Will had never heard of regenerative agriculture until 2018, when he attended a seminar by Kevin Elmy that shifted his worldview. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a deep exploration of how biology—not just chemistry—shapes the health of our soils, crops and ecosystems.

In this video, Will candidly reflects on his family’s farming history, how the operation evolved from a traditional mixed farm to grain-only, and how the desire to improve the land pushed him to invite livestock back into the rotation—without owning a single cow.

Today, through creative partnerships and a commitment to the five principles of regenerative agriculture, Will is reintroducing diversity, building soil health and extending living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible. Whether it’s through intercropping, zero tillage (which he’s practiced since the 1980s) or managing forage for visiting cattle, Will’s approach is a testament to continuous learning and a willingness to challenge old norms.

Will is a participant in the Regenerative Agriculture Lab (RAL), a social innovation process bringing together producers, researchers, retailers and others to co-create a resilient regenerative agriculture system in Alberta. His story highlights both the potential and humility required to farm with nature, not against it.