FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

Our research is ongoing. As we move through the later stages of our research, we will focus our efforts on meeting the needs of Canada’s agricultural community by developing tools, approaches, policy recommendations and practical solutions that improve the management of Canada’s water resources for agriculture.

01

WE WILL DEVELOP A CANADIAN AGRICULTURAL WATER USE TOOLKIT FOR CROPS

Given that changes in water availability and climate will have a major impact on crop production and growth in different regions across Canada, a new toolkit will help practitioners and policy-makers identify regional water challenges and adapt local growing practices to changes in water availability due to climate change. Our toolkit will be supported by the additional collection of field observations, such as water and CO2 exchange, energy balance, soil moisture and biometric variables, for additional crops.

02

WE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR MODELS TO DRIVE OUR UNDERSTANDING AND PREDICT FUTURE CHANGES IN AGRICULTURE ACROSS CANADA

Our model development is continually evolving to improve our understanding of what the future of Canadian agriculture will look like in the coming decades at a watershed scale. We are improving models by integrating crop growth models with climate simulations in hydrological models, testing interactions between water quality, climate changes and hydrology, and considering the spatial representation of producer decisions around beneficial management practices. We are working with technical specialists and policy-makers to assess future scenarios of agricultural practices, regional hydrology, water quality impacts, and economic benefits of ecosystem services in the face of climate change so that we can proactively adapt to a changing climate

03

WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN CLIMATE AND LANDSCAPE DRIVERS, LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND WATER QUALITY TO BETTER INFORM HUMAN AND POLICY DECISION-MAKING AND RELEVANT SUPPORT PROGRAMS

The diversity of beneficial management practices currently used (tillage, cover crops, 4Rs Nutrient Stewardship, manure application and storage, tile drainage and control, pasture management, natural and constructed wetlands, and slag filters), and the variability in their efficacy across regions, can make it challenging to design support programs or apply solutions that optimize water quality. Working with our partners, we will develop place-based solutions that are optimized for the diverse regions across Canada as well as trans-nationally into the US to help decision-makers design the most effective programs for agricultural water quality management.

04

WE WILL PROMOTE A HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT BY INCORPORATING ECONOMIC CHOICES AND PRODUCER BEHAVIOURS INTO DECISION-MAKING

The choices for agricultural water management will largely depend on decisions made by agricultural producers and policy support programs that are in place. Our research will continue to involve partners and knowledge users to examine producer decision-making, attitudes and motivations with respect to beneficial management practices and adaptation to climate change, cost-benefit analysis of nutrient management options, and innovative market mechanisms needed for effective policy design and governance systems.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT →