Cypress Hills Water Users’ Association

In an effort to promote irrigation, the farmers and ranchers on both sides of the Cypress Hills along with members of the Maple Creek businessmen created the Cypress Hills Water Users’ Association. Efforts to create this organization began in May 1912 with D. J. Wylie, R. C. Williamson and Ralph Burley, an engineer with the Irrigation Branch of the Department of the Interior playing a major role. Their involvement resulted in a very well attended meeting on January 27, 1913. At this meeting it was decided to organize under the name, The Cypress Hills Water Users’ Association, and to affiliate with the Western Canada Irrigation Association.  The entire Cypress Hills area was divided into ten districts, each of which having a representative on the executive. The meeting also passed two motions for presentation to the next meeting of the Western Canada Irrigation Association. The first motion related to the need for reservoirs while the second requested the Department of the Interior to establish an irrigation office in Maple Creek.