"It's not if we'll have another drought, it's when."

That according to Pembina Valley Water Coop Board Member Marvin Plett.

The grim prediction is spurring on the 14 municipalities represented in the Pembina Valley Water Coop (PVWC) to begin planning for probable worst-case scenarios.

History reveals the prairies cycle through dry/wet periods.

"We're in a wet cycle right now, but the drought of the 1930's will happen again," Plett says. "We need to plan for it."

While the year long droughts of the last century were devastating, Plett notes the added challenge is the population in the Pembina Valley has dramatically increased in the last 80 years.

In the past, most farms relied on wells and dugouts, some capable of providing a year's worth of water. Now, most farms are mostly supplied by the PVWC.

"We have really no back-up on our farms like they did in the 30's," he says. "If we had the same conditions as they did then, it would be much more severe because we require a lot more water."

While water conservation is always key, Plett says it might not be enough.

"When the Red River dries up, there's nothing to conserve."

The Red River, which supplies a majority of the region's water, is also an international river. Yet, Plett explains no treaty currently exists between the two countries regarding the important water source.

The PVWC has brainstormed a number of disaster plans and drought solutions and hopes to have a plan in place within the next 18 months.

"Water is the most basic human need, but because we have so much of it in Canada we don't value it as much as we should," Plett says.