AGRICULTURAL WATER RESERVE FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA: “Without a protected water supply for agriculture, we risk losing local farms and, in turn, our ability to produce healthy, affordable and locally grown food,” wrote Jeremy Dunn, Kevin Boon and Danielle Synotte in their call for action
Why B.C. must act now on Agricultural Water Reserves
“Protecting water access for agricultural purposes is essential to maintaining food security for current and future generations. With a provincial election on the horizon, now is the time to push for new policies to safeguard access to water for agricultural goods,” wrote Jeremy Dunn (general manager of the B.C. Dairy Association), Kevin Boon (GM of the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association) and Danielle Synotte (executive director of the B.C. Agriculture Council) in an opinion piece published in the Vancouver Sun on September 18, 2024.
“In our view, candidates from all political parties must prioritize the establishment of an Agricultural Water Reserve (AWR) to ensure our farmers have the water they need to grow the food that feeds British Columbians.”
To Learn More:
To read the complete article published in the Vancouver Sun, download a PDF copy of Agricultural Water Reserve would secure food supply.
Water and a Changing Climate
“As summers get warmer and drier the need for irrigation of agricultural crops is increasing around the province. This trend is increasing rapidly and the challenge for water management in the province is to improve irrigation system efficiency and store excess stream flows in the spring and freshets for use during drought periods,” stated Ted van der Gulik, President of the Partnership for Water Sustainability. Prior to retirement from government, he was the Senior Engineer in the Ministry of Agriculture.
BC’s path to food security is through water security
Look back to see ahead. The 50th anniversary of the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) on April 28, 2023 was an opportunity for reflection followed by action. As Joan Sawicki accurately concluded in her story behind the story, this will require equally good policy and political courage.
The ALR saved the land. Without the ALR, there would be no prospect for food security. Will today’s decision makers rise to the moment and secure the water supply necessary to irrigate the land needed for food security?
In terms of risks and opportunities, the situation in the Fraser Basin illustrates what is at stake for British Columbians.
A Changing Climate Threatens Food Security
Home to two-thirds of British Columbians, the mighty Fraser River is the lifeblood of a vast watershed that stretches from the Rockies to the Pacific. The lower Fraser Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in Canada, is vital to BC’s long-term food security.
The Fraser drains one of the most diverse watersheds in North America – for example, its vast lands contain ten of BC’s fourteen biogeoclimatic zones. Yet many of the Fraser’s 34 tributaries, or riversheds, have been damaged by human activity.
TO LEARN MORE:
To read the complete story, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Fifty Years – and miraculously still here: BC’s Agricultural Land Reserve
