This fact sheet looks at the irrigation methods and conservation practices used on Canadian farms, using data from the 2014 Agricultural Water Survey.
Water is essential for crop production, whether it is provided by rain or irrigation. Although relatively few farms in Canada irrigate, this use of water can represent a significant portion of water use in some areas of the country. This article presents information on the use of irrigation in 2007.
Environment Accounts and Statistics Division is Statistics Canada's focal point for the collection, analysis and dissemination of environmental information. This reference guide briefly describes the division's programs, as well as all publications and electronic products offered on a quarterly, annual, biennial and occasional basis.
In 2008, Statistics Canada conducted the first Agricultural Water Use Survey. This pilot survey is part of the Canadian Environment Sustainability Indicators initiative and collects information on volumes of water used for irrigation, irrigated areas, irrigation practices and the quality of water used for agricultural purposes. This technical paper describes the methodology used for the pilot survey and includes recommendations for future cycles of the survey. The validation process seems to indicate that the method used to estimate the volumes of water used and the irrigated areas calculated underestimates the results. The report gives recommendations to minimize this bias in the next iterations of the survey. First, it is recommended to simplify the level of information collected by the survey; to review the sampling methodology; and to examine other means of collecting information on volumes of water used for irrigation. This pilot version of the survey remains a reliable source for consistent data on agricultural water use.