Impacts of Agriculture on Water quality in Canada Presentation to the Tri-Lateral Symposium Banff,...
-
Upload
paris-wears -
Category
Documents
-
view
217 -
download
0
Transcript of Impacts of Agriculture on Water quality in Canada Presentation to the Tri-Lateral Symposium Banff,...
Impacts of Agriculture on Water quality in Canada
Presentation to the Tri-Lateral SymposiumBanff, Alberta,
October 23-25, 2003
Richard Butts Science Director
World’s Water
•Total world’s water 1.3 x 106 km3
•But, 97.5 % salt water
•Fresh water 2.5 %
•70% fresh water frozen
•Freshwater in lakes, rivers, groundwater very
important!
Canada is a water rich country!
•Annually Can. Rivers discharge 7 % of world’s renewable freshwater supply.•1/4 of population depend on groundwater•Great Lakes contain 18% of world’s fresh lake water
(But its not always in the right place).
Canadian Rivers
MacKenzie(in the east) and St. Lawrence (in the west) among world’s largest:
13, 17 (drainage area)1, Amazon; 2, Congo
5, 16 (length)1, Nile: 2, Mississippi
14, 15 (avg. ann. disharge)1, Amazon; 2, Ganges
Plant Hardiness Zones
Annual Snowfall
Crop Production
Cattle Numbers
EC & AAFC Workshop on Impact of Agriculture on Environment – Halifax Aug., 2003
What are the major impactors on our Environment?
EC & AAFC Workshop on Impact of Agriculture on Environment – Halifax Aug., 2003
Criteria for Prioritization of Contaminants
Degree of Concern APF PriorityEcosystem Health GapsFeasibility
Priorities by substance/Issue
Topic Category
Pesticides H
Phosphorus H
Nitrates H
Greenhouse gases M
Soil erosion M
Pathogens M
Habitat loss (degradation) M
Heavy metals M
Ammonia (air) M
EDS (antibiotics etc.) M
Water conservation M
Sediment loading in water M
Odors L
Alien invasive species L
Topic Category
Water Quality
P in surface water H
Pathogens from livestock H
Pesticides H
Nitrogen in drinking water M
Nitrogen in water M
Endocrine disrupters M
Antibiotics M
Heavy metals M
Sediments M
Salt L
Environment Health National Program:
Nutrients and Water Research
Richard Butts Science Director
S&T Needs: Nutrients and Water
Problems addressed: Adverse impacts of agriculture on the environment• inefficient fertilizer use and loss of N and P to the environment• toxic substance and contaminant accumulation in the environment• pathogen movement from farm operations to municipal water
Opportunities :Develop Best Management Practices to optimize production systems while minimizing adverse environmental effects.• safe and efficient use of fertilizers and pesticides to preserve and improve soil and water quality
National Science Theme: Nutrients and Water
178 FTE (46.5 RES; 20 Non-RES Prof)
Current delivery Research projects carried out at 18 Centres across Canada, in 138 projects and 70 industry matching initiatives
Current Centres of concentrated effort: Organic Residue: Lennoxville, Charlottetown Water: Fredericton, Ottawa Nutrients: Ste Foy, Lethbridge Pesticides: Lethbridge
Alignment of Science Theme: Water and Nutrients:
• Reducing risk from Intensive Livestock Operations Enteric bacteria, EDS, Ammonia loss reduction, Soil phosphorus
• Better understanding of soil processes; short and long-term Soil Carbon and Nitrogen dynamics, Long-term monitoring sites and capacity
• Development of Decision Support Systems (DSS)
Refinement of soil and water testing procedures for nutrient recommendations and environmental assessment ; Scaling-up to landscape levels; Selection of more beneficial manure management practices
Science Theme Outcomes: Water and Nutrients:
120.1 Enhanced understanding of nutrient cycling dynamics in soil• Better nutrient cycling models
• Identification and assessment of nutrient conserving management practices and superior BMPs
120.2 Safe and efficient management of manures and other organic amendments
• Best utilization of animal manures and other organic residues for maximum profit and minimum Human health and environmental impact
• Technologies to reduce odor, conserve nutrients and protect water resources from pathogens
Science Theme Outcomes: Water and Nutrients:
120.3 Safe and efficient use of inorganic and organic fertilizer products• Diagnostic tools for assessing nutrient and toxic element availability to
crops and for predicting fertilizer application
• Nutrient management technologies and products to: improve synchrony between nutrient supply and nutrient uptake by crops; reduce nitrogen and phosphorous loss to the environment; decreased toxic substance accumulation in the environment; reduce phytoavailability of heavy metals
• Capacity to predict the response to nutrient management practices based on agro-ecologic and - climatic factors such as climate change
Science Theme Outcomes: Water and Nutrients:
120.4 Impacts of agriculture-food production systems on water resources
• Quantified impacts of current agri-food production systems on water quality and quantity.
• Identified biological impacts of current agri-food production systems on water quality and quantity.
120.5 Beneficial (agricultural) management practices to preserve/improve water resources
• Development and quantification of BMP’s that improve/ optimize water quality and quantity.
• Identified chemical/ biological impacts of best management practices on water quality and quantity
Science Theme Outcomes: Water and Nutrients:
120.6 Large scale spatial and temporal trends in water resources as affected by agriculture
• Diagnostic tools for monitoring and assessing water quality and quantity
• Establishment of select, large -scale monitoring sites, representative of dominant agricultural production systems and agro-climactic environments across Canada.
• Determination of the magnitude and direction of water quality and quantity trends
120.7 More effective use of plant-microbe interactions for nutrient management
• Improved microbial inoculants for more effective use of applied and residual nutrients
• Enhanced soil microbial activities which improve crop production and conserve the soil environment
Agriculture chemicals in Groundwater: Problem definition
and restoration options
Potato Research Centre
Presentation to the Tri-Lateral SymposiumBanff, Alberta,
October 23-25, 2003
Richard Butts Science Director
OUTLINE
PINTRODUCTION
P SOIL EROSION; SURFACE WATER QUALITY
PAGRICHEMICAL LEACHING NITRATES PESTICIDES
P RESTORATION MEASURES
PWRAP -UP
SOIL EROSION
Results: CHLOROTHALONILFungicide: Trade names BRAVO, BRAVONIL, OLE
PPotatoes
PNon - leacher
PTile Drainage 4 of 66 samples at DL
PHome Wells Not detected
PResearch Wells Not detected
Results: METRIBUZINHerbicide: Trade names LEXONE, SENCOR
PPotatoes
PTile Drainage Max. 1.6 g/ L 0.2 g/ L after 10 months
PResearch Wells Not Detected
SUMMARY & CONCLUSIONSWHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
PSOME LEACHING POSSIBLE, EVENWHEN PROPERLY APPLIED.
PPOTENTIAL TO LEACH RELATED TOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES.
SUMMARY & CONCLUSIONS(CONTINUED)
P A DECREASE IN “MAXIMUM ACCEPTABLECONCENTRATIONS” WILL GREATLYAFFECT INTERPRETATION.
P MONITORING WATER QUALITY FOR AGRI-CHEMICALS IS A WISE COURSE OFACTION.
P CROP MANAGMENT A CHALLENGE;HIGHER EFFECECIENCIES SOUGHT.
SUMMARY & CONCLUSIONS(CONTINUED)
PMEAN PESTICIDES CONCENTRATIONSDETECTED NORMALLY << DRINKINGWATER STANDARDS.
P WHERE HIGH CONCENTRATIONS AREDETECTED, SUSPECT SPILL OR MISUSE.