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.