IRRIGATED LAND LEASE AUCTION
Municipal District of Taber & Bow River Irrigation District
The Municipal District of Taber (MD of Taber), in partnership with the Bow River Irrigation District (BRID), invites eligible bidders to participate in a public auction of irrigated agricultural lands.
Eligibility
Eligible bidders include:
- MD of Taber residents (including residents of Taber, Vauxhall, and Barnwell); and
- BRID irrigators or lessees of irrigated land within the BRID.
Auction Details
- Date: June 8, 2026
- Time: 10:00 a.m.
- Location: MD of Taber Main Operations & Maintenance Facility
Four (4) blocks, totaling approximately 15 quarter sections, will be offered by public auction for four‑year lease terms commencing in the 2027 crop year.
Offered Parcels
- Block 1: Section 33‑12‑14 W4 (approx. 540 acres)
- Block 2: Section 28‑12‑14 W4 (approx. 540 acres)
- Block 3: Section 27‑12‑14 W4 (approx. 540 acres)
- Block 4: Section 34‑12‑14 W4 (approx. 405 acres)
Final acreage will be determined upon completion of irrigation development and charged accordingly.
Bidding Process
- Bids will be submitted as a dollar amount per acre, per year.
- In the first round, the highest bidder will select one block.
- Subsequent rounds will continue until all blocks are auctioned.
- A minimum bid of $400 per acre per year has been established.
- Any block not achieving the minimum bid will be withdrawn from the auction.
Deposit
A non‑refundable deposit of $25 per acre plus GST is payable on the day of the auction and will be applied to the first year’s lease rental.
Lease Terms and Responsibilities
- Lease term: 4 years (2027–2030)
- Field preparation is permitted in 2026
- The MD of Taber and BRID will supply irrigation pivots and pumps
- The MD of Taber will ensure existing dugouts are infilled, soils compacted, and land appropriately graded
Successful bidders are responsible for:
- Electricity costs
- Municipal land taxes
- BRID annual agreement fees
- GST
- Annual lease payments under a cultivation lease agreement with the MD of Taber
Bidder Pre‑Registration
All bidders must be pre‑registered by 4:00 p.m. on June 5, 2026.
Bidder pre‑registration forms are available:
Site Tours
All interested bidders are strongly encouraged to attend a guided site tour. Unattended access to the lands is not permitted.
Guided tours will be held on:
- May 8, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.
- May 22, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.
Meeting Location: NE 34‑12‑14 W4
To confirm attendance, please contact Brian Peers:
- Office: 403-223‑3541
- Cell: 403-715‑0985
Additional Information
You may also contact Brian Peers at bpeers@mdtaber.ab.ca or call 403-223‑3541.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Scope Reservoir Joint Project is a 2026 initiative representing a 50/50 cost-share and revenue agreement between the Municipal District of Taber (MDT) and the Bow River Irrigation District (BRID). The project will develop a 15-pivot irrigation system across approximately 2,025 acres of municipally owned land near Scope Reservoir.
Land leases will be awarded through a competitive public auction, with revenues shared equally between MDT and BRID. These revenues are projected to exceed annual operating costs and the initial capital investment significantly, positioning the project not only as financially self-sustaining but also as a source of long-term municipal funding.
This initiative supports MDT’s Land Management Strategy, which promotes flexible, high-value uses of municipal lands that benefit both the municipality and the broader community. Projects are evaluated based on alignment with municipal priorities, long-term strategic value, and their potential to enhance service delivery and infrastructure investment.
MDT’s share of the investment is estimated at $5.5 to $6 million, to be financed through borrowing in accordance with the Municipal Government Act (MGA).
LOCATION MAP
PROJECT LAYOUT
Links
FAQs
A: The MD of Taber is proceeding with the Scope Reservoir Joint Project because it offers a sustainable alternative to generate revenue from 3,100 acres of municipally owned land while aligning with long-term land management goals and supporting local agricultural development.
A: The project impacts approximately 3,100 acres owned by the MD of Taber.
A: No. More than 69,280 acres of grazing lands owned by the municipality and an additional 160,800 acres of Crown-owned (Provincial) lands are currently being leased for ranching and grazing operations within the municipality, which continues to support the grazing and ranching segments of the community.
A: No. The 3,100-acre parcels are privately deeded lands owned by the Municipal District of Taber, meaning they are owned by the municipality rather than the general public.
A: The anticipated rental revenue from this project will be utilized for the delivery of municipal services and for investment in infrastructure improvements (i.e., transportation, drainage, and water and sewer systems, etc). These enhancements will strengthen municipal service delivery that residents rely on, support economic resilience, and improve quality of life across the MD of Taber.
A: No, this project will not impact others' annual water allocations, and it will not impact the number of acres available to applicants for new irrigation acres under the 25,000-acre expansion of the district that was approved by the BRID’s irrigators earlier this year. The proposed area is located downstream of the Scope Reservoir inlet and represents the last significant undeveloped block of privately deeded (non-Crown) land in that region. Its strategic location makes it ideal for irrigation expansion using excess water that currently cannot be fully utilized. Due to limited downstream irrigation demand, enough water is spilled from the reservoir each year to prevent overfilling to supply all the water for this project. By developing this land into irrigated agricultural land, the MD of Taber and Bow River Irrigation District can make efficient use of surplus water—without drawing from existing allocations or affecting other users’ water rights.
