SOUTHERN ALBERTA 
Weather and Water Conditions 
. At the beginning of the current waterfowl season, the 
number of potholes present in stratum A and B was less than 
during July in 1958. In stratum C winter and spring storms 
served to raise the number of potholes back to the spring level 
of 1958. This was insufficient to significantly effect the 
provincial totals and the current nesting season's complement 
of potholes was less than the July cout of 1958. Over the past 
three years, we have had a trend towards drier conditions, but 
these data show the rapid acceleration which had occurred to 
present the condition at the atart of the 1959 breeding season. 
Table 1 summarizes the pothole indices for May and 
July of the current year. Comparisons with the previous year 
and with the long-time average are also indicated. Drastic 
reductions are shown for both May and July and these are at the 
50 percent level. Stratum C was the only area to maintain it- 
self and July ponds for this showed a 28 percent increase over 
last year. Being a small strata, its effect is easily masked by 
poor conditions elsewhere and provincial water indices for May 
showed a reduction of 47 percent from 1958 and 37 percent from 
the long-time average. Provincial indices for July were similar, 
revealing a 51 percent reduction from last year and a 35 percent 
reduction from the long-time average. 
This year the number of water areas was a critical 
factor, critical to both breeding birds and to production. Some 
areas were completely dry and afforded no chance for waterfowl. 
Others were dry enough to cause mass failure of the nesting 
efforts of breeding pairs. Limited areas in the southwestern 
prairies, the Cypress Hills and extreme northern parklands had 
water conditions where waterfowl breeding activities proceded in 
normal fashion. 
Breeding Population Indices 
Tables 2 and 3 summarize 1959 waterfowl indices by 
species, stratum and Province. Comparisons are given between 
last year and our 8-year average. ‘The provincial breeding popula- 
tion index for southern Alberta has remained constant with that 
of 1958 and is still well above our 8-year average. 
Pintails are still in a declining trend. From our 
highest index of 1952 we have witnessed a steady decline until 
this year the index was 19 percent below average. This was held 
up 5-10 percent by an increase of 18 percent in stratum C over 
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