27 
The number and location of all aerial transects in all strata has been 
identical in 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1955. 
Weather and Water Conditions 
The 1955 waterfowl breeding season began under most excellent con- 
ditions as far as waterfowl were concerned. The water index was the highest 
recorded during the years of these surveys. In only one relatively narrow belt in 
the central prairies was water scarce. As the season progressed two adverse 
factors tended to lessen the total waterfowl production of the province. The effects 
of both of these factors, a heavy, wet snow in May and a lack of precipitation in 
June were felt most severely on Stratum C and southern districts of Stratum A. 
It became apparent during the brood survey that the May storm, coupled witha 
warm, dry June and July had practically wiped out any possibility of a normal 
hatch in Stratum C. The water present in early May, in this area, disappeared 
rapidly and by early July, only the permanent ponds remained. Production in this 
area was practically non-existant except in a few permanent areas on the prairies. 
Even on the Milk River Ridge, which is usually one of the best producing districts 
within this stratum, the heavy snowfall and cold temperatures associated with its 
higher altitude wiped out the early nesting effort. Some renesting occurred of a 
very restricted nature, but the area's capabilities were never approached in 1955. 
A marked deterioration of water conditions throughout the Province 
followed the dry warm weather of June and July. Even the effects of general 
rains in early July were offset by the high temperatures which followed. In spite 
of poor reproductive results in Stratum C, waterfowl were highly successful in 
Strata A and B because of the excessive amounts of water present May l. 
Table I. -Water Areas on Aerial Transects, May and July, 1955. 
Stratum A Stratum B Stratum C Province 
May July May July May July May July 
Total Ponds Seen 4827 2598 4750 2457 1015 349 10592 5404 
Ponds Per Sq. Mi. 18.33 9.87 24.83 13.00 11.87 4,08 19.03 10.05 
Loss or Gain - 46.1% - 47.6% - 65.6% - 47.2% 

Breeding Population Trends 
An over-all provincial gain of four percent in the waterfowl breeding 
population index over 1954 is not in itself significant and might be considered as 
approximately the same population as that of last year. Stratum-wise, a slight 
decrease occurred in the prairies (Stratum A), possibly accounted for by poor 
water conditions in areas of generally high populations. Greatly improved water 
