What? Our neighbors in the Great White North experiencing a shortage of fresh water? The country that often claims to have 20% of the world's liquid fresh water? Take off, hoser!
That's what Bob and Doug would likely say, then shrug and quaff some more Molson beer. More conspiracy theorist-oriented folks might suspect that General Electric is siphoning off Canada's water supplies, selling it to the Western USA, and secretly replacing it with contaminated water (that's a joke).
But the water shortage could be true. Native Newfie Todd Jarvis sent me this link to a CBC News item that describes the grim picture painted by an internal report prepared by Environment Canada. I was unable to locate the report on EC's site but it is an internal report; the Canadian press had to use the Access to Information Act to get a copy. It's obvious the Canadian government doesn't want this out for public consumption.
The Council of Canadians blamed the government for suppressing the report.
Before discussing the article, let's get to some Canadian water facts.
For starters, estimates of Canada's fresh water vary. From an in-depth report by CBC News:
Estimates of Canada's supply of fresh water vary from 5.6 per cent to nine per cent to 20 per cent of the world's supply, depending on how one defines "fresh water" – whether it means "available," "usable," or merely "existing." One study says Canada has 20 per cent of the world's fresh water – ranking it at the top – but only nine per cent of "renewable" fresh water.
Suffice it to say it has "a l0t".
As in other regions, Canada's demographics and hydrographics do not correspond. About 80-85% of its population (c. 32M people) lives within about 100 miles (300 km) of its southern border with the USA. Yet 60% of its fresh water drains to the north of this border region. Below is a graphic I received from Romain Audet that I posted when I discussed the NARA project.
Canada withdraws an average of 65 BCM (billion cubic meters; almost 53 MAF) of fresh water annually, about 13% of what the USA does.
Back to the article on the report:
"We can no longer take our extensive water supplies for granted," says the report, titled A Federal Perspective on Water Quantity Issues.
It suggests the federal government take a more hands-on role in managing the country's water, which is now largely done by the provinces. Ottawa still manages most of the fresh water in the North through water boards.
The Conservatives promised a national water strategy in last fall's throne speech but have been criticized since for announcing only piecemeal projects.
The Tories, like the previous Liberal government, are also behind in publishing annual reports required by law that show how water supplies are used and maintained.
The last assessment posted on Environment Canada's website is from 2005-06.
The internal draft report says the government currently does not know enough about the country's water to properly manage it.
Choice quotes form the report:
"Canada lacks sound information at a national scale on the major uses and user[s] of water."
"National forecasting of water availability has never been done because traditionally our use of the resource was thought to be unlimited."
What about information on ground water? The report says, "Sparse and often inadequate."
The above has implications for transboundary aquifers:
"Our lack of data places Canada at strategic disadvantage for bilateral negotiations with the U.S."
The report forecasts drought in the Prairie Provinces, and ground water shortages in British Columbia and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin. The Great Lakes are also at risk; the report notes that Lake Superior reached its historic low in September 2007 and Lakes Huron and Michigan were about 0.50 meters below their historic average levels last fall. Low lake levels mean reduced revenues for the hydroelectric industry, navigation issues, etc.
The report also warns that reduced supplies could instigate water 'showdowns' between provinces, as well as between Canada and the USA.
Like the states in the USA, the Canadian provinces handle most water management. The report suggests a stronger role for the federal government. I suspect that suggestion will not be greeted with great joy, especially in the western provinces.
Looks like our Canadian brothers and sisters have has their heads in the snow lo these many years. They do have a lot of fresh water, only 10% of the USA's population, and time to figure things out. But they need a national water strategy, or vision, or something.
As I noted earlier, the Canadian Water Resources Association (CWRA) had a working group that developed a process to develop and implement a National Water Strategy. They have produced a report, which you can read about and access here.
Let's hope Canada acts quickly. Otherwise, where will our NAWAPA and NARA water come from?
"Canada is like an old cow. The West feeds it. Ontario and Quebec milk it. And you can well imagine what it's doing in the Maritimes. " -- Former Saskatchewan Premier Tommy Douglas
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