The Canadian prairies is a large area of flat sedimentary land stretching throughout western Canada between the Canadian Shield in the east and the Canadian Rockies. The Canadian prairies – the portion of the Great Plains landform that supports various grasses and shrubs – cover much of the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta — a region known as the Prairie provinces, Canadian Prairies, or simply the Prairies. (The "p" in prairie(s) is typically capitalized in political references, but not when describing landscapes.) The Prairie provinces are included among the provinces of Western Canada.

The Canadian prairies are one of the world's major farming areas. Two of the most important commodities are wheat grown in the southern prairies and beef cattle raised in Alberta.

Physiogeography

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Three grassland types occur in the Canadian prairies: tallgrass prairie, mixed prairie, and fescue prairie. Each has a unique geographic distribution and characteristic mix of plant species. All but a fraction of one percent of the tallgrass prairie has been converted to cropland. What remains occurs on the 6,000 square kilometre plain centred in the Red River Valley in Manitoba. Mixed prairie is more common and is part of the dry interior plains that extend from Canada south to the US state of Texas. More than half of the remaining native grassland in the Canadian prairies is mixed. Though widespread in southern Saskatchewan and southeastern Alberta, due to extensive cattle grazing, it is estimated that only 24 percent of the original mixed prairie grassland remains. Fescue prairie occurs in the moister regions, occupying the northern extent of the prairies in central and southwestern Alberta and west central Saskatchewan (see map).

The southern Canadian prairies, supporting brown and black soil types, are semi-arid and highly prone to frequent and severe droughts. The region known as Palliser's Triangle is so arid that farming has never been successful there without government help and irrigation. The zones around the cities of Regina and immediately east of Calgary are also very dry. In an average year, southern Saskatchewan receives between 300 mm (12 in) and 510 mm (20 in) of precipitation, with the majority falling between April and June. Frost from October to March limits the growing season.

The eastern section of the Canadian prairies in Manitoba, is well watered with several large lakes such as Lake Winnipeg, and several large rivers. The area also gets reasonable amounts of precipitation. The middle sections of Alberta and Saskatchewan are also wetter than the south and have better farmland, despite having a shorter growing season. The areas around Edmonton and Saskatoon are especially notable as good crop land. However, Edmonton and Saskatoon both lie far enough north that they are surrounded by aspen parkland rather than fescue prairie.

Further north, the area becomes too cold for most agriculture and is dominated by boreal forest. The Peace Region in northwestern Alberta is an exception, however. It lies north of the 55th Parallel and is warm and dry enough to support extensive farming. Like the area around Edmonton, aspen parkland is a major biome in the Peace Region. The long daylight hours in this region during the summer are an asset despite having an even shorter growing season than central Alberta. In fact, agriculture plays a major economic role in the Peace Region.

External Links

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• Grasslands of the Canadian Prairies
• CBC Digital Archives - Devastating Dry Spells: Drought on the Prairies
• Music on the Canadian Prairies during sunrise

Geography of Canada | Regions of Canada | Prairies | Natural history of Alberta | Natural history of Saskatchewan | Natural history of Manitoba

Prärieprovinz | Praderas canadienses | Prairies canadiennes | Prairie Kanada | Pradarias canadenses