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Human Activity and the Environment (16-201-X) focuses on current environmental issues. The latest information and statistics are gathered from many sources to produce an in-depth analytical article.

The article "Freshwater in Canada" provides up-to-date statistics on freshwater supply and demand. The report includes includes maps, charts and tables for each of Canada's 25 drainage regions. It also provides data on some of the factors that influence the supply and quality of freshwater.

Canada's renewable water resources are mostly the result of rain and melted snow that flow over the ground, eventually reaching our rivers and lakes. This article describes the results of a new methodology producing consistent national estimates of Canada's total annual average water yield from 1971 to 2000.

In this paper, we present the methodology developed by Statistics Canada to calculate the average annual water yield for Canada. Water yield, for the purposes of this paper, is defined as the amount of freshwater derived from unregulated flow (m³ s^-1) measurements for a given geographic area over a defined period of time. The methodology is applied to the 1971 to 2000 time period.

This research was conducted to fill data gaps in Statistics Canada's water statistics program. These gaps exist because estimates of freshwater flow for Canada have not been calculated regularly and have been produced using a variety of methods that do not necessarily generate comparable results. The methodology developed in this study produced results that are coherent through space and time. These results will be used in the future to investigate changes in water yield on a more disaggregated basis.

To achieve the water yield estimate a database of natural streamflow observations from 1971 to 2000 was compiled. The streamflow values were then converted to a runoff depth and interpolated using ordinary kriging to produce spatial estimates of runoff. The spatial estimates were then scaled to create a National estimate of water yield as a thirty-year average. The methodology and results were then validated using a stability analysis and several techniques involving uncertainty. The result of the methodology indicates that the thirty-year average water yield for Canada is 3435 km³.

For the purposes of this study, eight environmental management systems (EMSs) were considered: whole farm environmental plan; manure management plan; fertilizer management plan; pesticide management plan; water management plan; wildlife conservation plan; grazing management plan, and nutrient management plan.

The information on the use of farm environmental plans was obtained from the Farm Environmental Management Survey (FEMS) conducted in 2001 by Statistics Canada and sponsored in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

This paper develops a production framework that allows for self-supplied water intake, an unpriced 'natural' input. The framework is then exploited to estimate the corresponding water shadow prices and to assess the extent to which water impacts on the multifactor productivity performance of the Canadian business sector's industries.

This activity focuses on how water is used for irrigation, the benefits and risks associated with irrigation and the ways farmers manage their water use.

Water is a basic necessity of life: access to clean water in sufficient quantity is an integral part of our well-being. It has had a strong influence on Canada's development as a country and remains a precious part of our natural resource wealth.

While Canadians live in a country with a plentiful supply of fresh water, they are also concerned about a number of water-related issues. These include the availability, distribution, use and quality of water, as well as the controls placed on water usage. This article examines these issues by creating a statistical portrait of Canada's fresh water resources.

Over the last few years, the rapid expansion of large livestock operations has fuelled heated debates in many rural communities across Canada. Proposals for new hog operations, among others, have encountered vocal opposition from neighbours and residents in the community. Promoters defended the economic value of their project claiming that good farming practices and improved technology minimizes the potential risk of nuisance and pollution. However, opponents raised concerns about the reduction of their quality of life in association with large livestock operations, especially hog farms. They fear being driven out of their homes by strong odours or worry about accidental contamination of ground water in surrounding areas, as in Walkerton, Ontario. Still others are upset by prospects of added truck traffic, dust and noise resulting from feed and livestock transportation.

This Statistics Canada publication is a collection of five annotated maps and graphs that describe the geographic distribution of manure in Canada by river basin. The amount of manure produced is estimated along with some of the major substances found in manure: (i) nitrogen, (ii) phosphorus, (iii) total coliform bacteria and (iv) fecal coliform bacteria.

The maps and figures presented in this report indicate that there are geographic areas in Canada characterized by higher levels of total livestock manure and related production of nitrogen, phosphorus and bacteria. Areas that repeatedly showed the highest levels were found in central and southern Alberta, southern Manitoba, southern Ontario, southeastern Quebec, parts of Prince Edward Island, the west Fraser River area in southern British Columbia and an area near Wolfville and Kentville, Nova Scotia.

Human Activity and the Environment (16-201-X) focuses on current environmental issues. The latest information and statistics are gathered from many sources to produce an in-depth analytical article.

Water is a basic necessity of life: access to clean water in sufficient quantity is an integral part of our well-being. It has had a strong influence on Canada's development as a country and remains a precious part of our natural resource wealth.

While Canadians live in a country with a plentiful supply of fresh water, they are also concerned about a number of water-related issues. These include the availability, distribution, use and quality of water, as well as the controls placed on water usage. This article examines these issues by creating a statistical portrait of Canada's fresh water resources.

This Statistics Canada publication is a collection of five annotated maps and graphs that describe the geographic distribution of manure in Canada by river basin. The amount of manure produced is estimated along with some of the major substances found in manure: (i) nitrogen, (ii) phosphorus, (iii) total coliform bacteria and (iv) fecal coliform bacteria.

The maps and figures presented in this report indicate that there are geographic areas in Canada characterized by higher levels of total livestock manure and related production of nitrogen, phosphorus and bacteria. Areas that repeatedly showed the highest levels were found in central and southern Alberta, southern Manitoba, southern Ontario, southeastern Quebec, parts of Prince Edward Island, the west Fraser River area in southern British Columbia and an area near Wolfville and Kentville, Nova Scotia.

Human Activity and the Environment (16-201-X) focuses on current environmental issues. The latest information and statistics are gathered from many sources to produce an in-depth analytical article.

The article "Freshwater in Canada" provides up-to-date statistics on freshwater supply and demand. The report includes includes maps, charts and tables for each of Canada's 25 drainage regions. It also provides data on some of the factors that influence the supply and quality of freshwater.

Canada's renewable water resources are mostly the result of rain and melted snow that flow over the ground, eventually reaching our rivers and lakes. This article describes the results of a new methodology producing consistent national estimates of Canada's total annual average water yield from 1971 to 2000.

For the purposes of this study, eight environmental management systems (EMSs) were considered: whole farm environmental plan; manure management plan; fertilizer management plan; pesticide management plan; water management plan; wildlife conservation plan; grazing management plan, and nutrient management plan.

The information on the use of farm environmental plans was obtained from the Farm Environmental Management Survey (FEMS) conducted in 2001 by Statistics Canada and sponsored in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

This paper develops a production framework that allows for self-supplied water intake, an unpriced 'natural' input. The framework is then exploited to estimate the corresponding water shadow prices and to assess the extent to which water impacts on the multifactor productivity performance of the Canadian business sector's industries.

Over the last few years, the rapid expansion of large livestock operations has fuelled heated debates in many rural communities across Canada. Proposals for new hog operations, among others, have encountered vocal opposition from neighbours and residents in the community. Promoters defended the economic value of their project claiming that good farming practices and improved technology minimizes the potential risk of nuisance and pollution. However, opponents raised concerns about the reduction of their quality of life in association with large livestock operations, especially hog farms. They fear being driven out of their homes by strong odours or worry about accidental contamination of ground water in surrounding areas, as in Walkerton, Ontario. Still others are upset by prospects of added truck traffic, dust and noise resulting from feed and livestock transportation.

In this paper, we present the methodology developed by Statistics Canada to calculate the average annual water yield for Canada. Water yield, for the purposes of this paper, is defined as the amount of freshwater derived from unregulated flow (m³ s^-1) measurements for a given geographic area over a defined period of time. The methodology is applied to the 1971 to 2000 time period.

This research was conducted to fill data gaps in Statistics Canada's water statistics program. These gaps exist because estimates of freshwater flow for Canada have not been calculated regularly and have been produced using a variety of methods that do not necessarily generate comparable results. The methodology developed in this study produced results that are coherent through space and time. These results will be used in the future to investigate changes in water yield on a more disaggregated basis.

To achieve the water yield estimate a database of natural streamflow observations from 1971 to 2000 was compiled. The streamflow values were then converted to a runoff depth and interpolated using ordinary kriging to produce spatial estimates of runoff. The spatial estimates were then scaled to create a National estimate of water yield as a thirty-year average. The methodology and results were then validated using a stability analysis and several techniques involving uncertainty. The result of the methodology indicates that the thirty-year average water yield for Canada is 3435 km³.

This activity focuses on how water is used for irrigation, the benefits and risks associated with irrigation and the ways farmers manage their water use.