Water

Basic Aspects of the Issue

Water is a huge issue both in terms quantity and quality, ground water and surface water on the prairies. Original settlement followed the waterways. The Pallaisser report originally recommended no settlement on the southern Saskatchewan plains because of a lack of water. Floods of the flat flood plains are frequent when north flowing rivers melt in the USA first but cant escape because of later thawing ice in Manitoba. Droughts such as the one in the west in 2001 or the bad drought of the 1930's have terrible effects on the agricultural based economy.

Contamination of water is also becoming a large problem both from local agricultural and industrial waste and also from airborne pollutants washing down in he rain and snow. Our chemophelic (chemical loving) society is awash in its own products. Many of them with effects we have no understanding of. Any one of the chemicals we use is usually made of a variety of constituent parts, and could better be described as a "cocktail".

Rural Development Institute Research Studies

• "Impact Assessment of Rural Water Systems" - C. Emdad Haque
  This study examines the Winnipeg Pipeline which takes water from Lake of the Woods in Ontario to Winnipeg in order t look at future pipeline needs on the prairies. This study has added relevance in light of the pipeline issue for water supplies for the USA, and the needs of fresh water which might arise with an increase of intensive agricultural production if there is some sort of ground water contamination.

• "Resolving Issues Related to Co-operative Water Infrastructure - A Case Study Approach" - Sheila Caspo, Richard Rounds, and Emdad Haque
  This study is to look at dispute resolution in initial negotiations for community co-op water projects. These issues center around loss of a sense of control (e.g. with urban sprawl and extension of water into rural areas).

  It contains a lit review and survey results for key people involved in a variety of projects. It was designed to give an information base for those in Manitoba who might be negotiating inter-community services. As they looked at a variety of cities, there are a variety of operating platforms looked at and a number of policy recommendations for the Manitoba Government.

• "Water Quality Issues in Clear Lake Basin Riding Mountain National Park" -
  

Other Resources