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Health of our water | Index

The Health of our Water: Toward sustainable agriculture in Canada

Health of our Water document in PDF format (2.93MB) | [pdf help]

Table of Contents

Foreword

Preface

Executive Summary

Chapter 1 - Introduction

• Agriculture's dependence on water
• Agriculture's effects on water
• Sustainable agriculture
• The health of Canada's rural water
• Objectives of this report
• Reading and using the report

Chapter 2 - Canada's Rural Water Resources

• Introduction
• The hydrologic cycle
• Canada's water resources
• Water gains and water losses
• Surface water
• Groundwater
• Diverted water
• Transboundary waters
• Conclusion

Chapter 3 - Water Use

• Introduction
• Agricultural use of water
• Crop production
• Irrigation
• Frost protection
• Livestock production
• Rural domestic use
• Other rural water uses
• Electrical power generation
• Rural municipal use
• Manufacturing
• Mining, oil, and gas
• Fisheries, aquaculture, and wildlife habitat
• Recreation
• Legislation and regulation of water use
• Conclusion

Chapter 4 - Understanding Water Quality

• Introduction
• Risk and water quality
• Defining and measuring water quality
• Monitoring water quality
• National monitoring
• Provincial and local monitoring
• Agricultural effects on water quality
• Soil condition
• Sediments
• Nutrients
• Pesticides
• Pathogens and other factors
• Agriculture's need for good-quality water
• Irrigation
• Livestock
• Domestic use
• Interprovincial and international issues
• Conclusion

Chapter 5 - Surface Water Quality

• Introduction
• Suspended sediments
• Nutrients
• Pesticides
• Pathogens
• Metals
• Organic matter
• Conclusion

Chapter 6 - Groundwater Quality

• Introduction
• Nitrate
• Pesticides
• Bacteria
• Other contaminants
• Conclusion

Chapter 7 - Ecological Issues

• Introduction
• Watercourses
• Streams and rivers
• Agricultural drains
• Floodplains
• Lakes and ponds
• Riparian zones
• Wetlands
• Benefits of wetlands
• Waterfowl habitat
• Constructed wetlands
• Integrated ecosystems
• Water in the landscape
• Conclusion

Chapter 8 - Protecting Water Quality

• Introduction
• The role of farmers
• Land management
• Input and waste management
• Buffer zones and shelterbelts
• The role of the agricultural industry
• Codes of practice
• Peer advisory programs
• Environmental farm planning
• The role of the community
• The role of government
• Policy and programs
• Incentive mechanisms
• Conclusion

Chapter 9 - Maintaining Reliable Water Supplies

• Introduction
• Drought
• Surface water management
• Groundwater recharge
• Reclaimed water
• Balancing demand with supply
• Conclusion

Chapter 10 - Managing Excess Water

• Introduction
• Benefits of draining farmland
• Where drainage is needed
• Draining organic soils
• Drainage systems
• Surface drainage
• Subsurface drainage
• Effects of drainage on the environment
• Water quality
• Riparian zones
• Hydrology
• Managing drainage
• Role of wetlands
• Stormwater management
• Drain maintenance
• Conclusion

Chapter 11 - Limits on Rural Growth Related to Water

• Introduction
• Sharing the resource
• Competition for water
• Conflict with other sectors
• Water allocation
• Agricultural concerns
• Expanding irrigated farmland
• Expanding livestock industry in western Canada
• Drought and potential climate change
• Government controls
• Federal legislation
• Provincial legislation
• Municipal bylaws
• Regulatory constraints
• Conclusion

Chapter 12 - Concluding Remarks

• Introduction
• What is happening to rural water?
• Water quality
• Aquatic ecosystems
• Why are these changes happening?
• Why are these changes important?
• What is being done to address these issues?

Glossary

Bibliography

Authors' Affiliations

Acknowledgments