Sustainable Agriculture and Water Use for Prince Edward Island

在将有限的水资源转用于农业和城市用途与保持水生生态系统的完整性之间，世界面临着艰难的选择。灌溉对加拿大农业的经济繁荣至关重要，我们不断发展的城市需要越来越多的淡水。然而，我们河流中水的数量、质量和时间也必须保持，以维持水生生态系统。本研究将探讨地下水的使用、健康溪流的维护和环境水管理，以及在这些问题上的社会分工。研究将审查从爱德华王子岛七个流域全面抽取地下水用于农业灌溉和城市供水。该研究将评估在不断变化的气候条件下取水对河流流量和生命的潜在影响，以及灌溉可能带来的好处，包括通过更好的养分管理减少肥料使用，通过增加有机物质调节土壤健康，减少土壤温室气体排放，以及促进经济繁荣。将观察对土壤、地下水、溪流、河栖鱼类和无脊椎动物的影响。在PEI新《水法》的背景下，这项工作将评估如何将科学、监管和社会价值协同起来，以改善知识知情的治理。研究结果将给加拿大人带来许多好处，包括在考虑气候变化的情况下改进了解河流流量的方法，从生物学角度测试河流流量调节是否有效的方法，包括补充灌溉在内的先进土壤营养管理策略，增加土壤有机质以减少水需求的更好方法，以及将更广泛的思想纳入区域环境管理，包括包容性参与和参与。总之，这些结果将提供关键信息，帮助加拿大迈向水的可持续性。

The world faces difficult choices between diverting finite water resources for agricultural and municipal useand maintaining the integrity of aquatic ecosystems. Irrigation is essential for the economic prosperity ofCanada's agricultural industry, and our growing cities require increasing quantities of fresh water. However, thequantity, quality, and timing of the water in our rivers must also be maintained to sustain aquatic ecosystems.This research will explore groundwater use, healthy stream maintenance, and environmental watermanagement, as well as societal division on these issues. Studies will examine full-scale groundwaterextraction from seven Prince Edward Island (PEI) watersheds for agricultural irrigation and city water supplies.The study will evaluate potential impacts of water extraction on stream flow and life in a changing climate, aswell as possible benefits of irrigation, including reduced fertilizer use though better nutrient management,healthier soil mediated by increased organic matter, reduced greenhouse gas emissions from soil, and increasedeconomic prosperity. Effects on the soil, groundwater, streams, and stream-dwelling fish and invertebrates willbe observed. Set within the context of PEI's new Water Act, this work will evaluate how science, regulation,and social values can be synergized to enable improved knowledge-informed governance. The outcomes willhave many benefits to Canadians, including improved methods to understand stream flow that consider climatechange, ways to biologically test whether stream flow regulations are working, advanced soil nutrientmanagement strategies involving supplemental irrigation, better ways to increase soil organic matter to reducewater needs, and the incorporation of broader thinking into regional environmental management, includinginclusive participation and engagement. Together, these outcomes will provide crucial information that willhelp Canada move toward water sustainability.