Scientists have been examining information on economic costs, water quantity/quality benefits, and cost effectiveness of agricultural BMPs at a watershed scale using farm economic, watershed hydrologic and integrated economic-hydrologic modelling. This project developed the WEBs open source GIS tool to make BMP modelling systems accessible to agricultural conservation practitioners.
Drought can have a significant impact on crop yield, particularly for field crops that are not irrigated. It is generally believed that adopting a no-till management system conserves more soil moisture, but there is a lack of scientific data to support this recommendation, especially under different crop rotations. This project analyses ten years of field [...]
This comprehensive report is a synthesis of both a literature review and the results of a stakeholder survey. The review is an analysis of the available academic, technical, trade, and ‘grey’ literature on nutrient removal and recovery and will help characterize drivers of the wastewater treatment industry such as policies, climate, and existing infrastructure. The [...]
This 2013-2015 project drew on the best available information to evaluate and interpret current knowledge, practice and regulatory frameworks, and identified feasible options for removal, recovery and reuse of nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater treatment systems in Canada.
This research was conducted with the overall goal of improving membrane performance for drinking water treatment in Canadian utilities and focused on two main themes:
fouling abatement strategies (identifying and targeting specific fractions of organic matter present in surface waters that cause fouling of membranes) and integrating membranes with established yet complementary technologies prior to [...]
A team of researchers from eight Canadian universities worked together with twenty project partners (including two case study communities), to develop six practical tools that enable communities to assess water and manage water security. These tools can be used independently or applied in combination, depending on the needs and resources of the community.
This report takes a deeper look at Canada’s opportunity to increase its agricultural output in order to meet global demand for food, but also speaks to the responsibility we have to ensure the long-term sustainability of our precious fresh water resources. Virtual water and water footprint analysis are part of a suite of tools [...]
When the federal government undertook an inquiry about water in 1985, economist Andrew Muller attempted to find out. He came up with an estimate of between $7.5 and $23 billion. Running Through Our Fingers is an attempt by Steven Renzetti and Diane Dupont — two of Canada’s best environmental economists, to revisit Muller’s analysis and [...]
This paper is designed to help frame and meaningfully advance a national conversation around Canada’s opportunities to become a global leader in water sustainability and innovation. This includes the development and application of water-related “resources” – knowledge, business skills and ingenuity – to implement a winning strategy with respect to best management and use of [...]
This report is intended to help practitioners and decision makers build a business case for advanced and integrated water management. The content is based on interviews with 17 subject matter experts and thought leaders. Together, they defined a common vision, shared innovations in their unique and diverse disciplines, and suggested cross-cutting business case considerations.