Mapping Virtual Water Use in Canada’s Prairies: A Comparison between Prairie Virtual Water Demands and Renewable Supply

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Date

2014-06

Authors

Garcia, Gregory "Manny" Manuel

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

University of Oregon

Abstract

Canada is often perceived as a water-rich nation. However, in the prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, water is in lower supply. These provinces are also home to about 85 percent of the country's agriculture, which consumes the largest amount of water of any industry in the country. In this thesis, I first analyze the water demands from potential evapotranspiration and virtual water demands from nine of Canada's primary agricultural products (beef, pork, chicken, wheat, canota, soy, oats, barley, and com). I subsequently compare these demands with the renewable supplies of water from precipitation and streamflow to show that the prairies are approaching on the maximum hydrologic capacity of their environment.

Description

66 pages. A thesis presented to the Department of Geography and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Science, Spring 2014.

Keywords

International water policy, Virtual water, Canada, Water policy, Trade, Water accounting, Agriculture

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