Connecting water budget analysis to water safety planning for small Atlantic Canadian communities.

随着气候的变化，加拿大人赖以生存的自然供水系统也在发生变化，而大西洋加拿大的小型供水设施资源有限，无法用来评估其供水的可持续性。达尔豪西大学水资源研究中心(CWRS)将与新斯科舍省雅茅斯镇和大西洋第一民族水务局(AFNWA)合作，填补与乔治湖流域保护区有关的知识空白，该保护区为雅茅斯镇、阿卡迪亚第一民族和该县部分地区提供饮用水。对乔治湖的最后一次研究是在20世纪60年代，最近的一次干旱引发了关于气候变化对水源影响的问题。这一伙伴关系的目标将是：(A)利用最新的科学技术准确划定流域边界和土地覆盖范围；(1b)进行全面的水资源收支分析，以了解流域满足人类和生态需求的能力；(2a)在气候预测中纳入因素，以了解流域的脆弱性；(2b)将水文预测与水安全计划(WSP)风险评估框架联系起来，并提出关键的水文指标，以支持加拿大小型大西洋水务公司和原住民社区的气候变化规划。该项目将对市政和原住民水资源政策和规划作出贡献，并将培训一名硕士研究生。该项目的预期成果将包括水预算分析和一个指导工具，以帮助其他市政系统和原住民系统应用水文预测和世界水资源计划的方法来确定水源的风险并减轻其风险。这一工具将有助于财政资源有限的大西洋区域小型系统优先处理和应对气候变化对饮用水安全的影响。

As the climate changes, the natural water systems upon which Canadian's rely are changing too and small water utilities in Atlantic Canada have limited resources with which to assess the sustainability of their water supplies. The Centre for Water Resources Studies (CWRS) at Dalhousie University will partner with the Town of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority (AFNWA) to fill knowledge gaps related to the Lake George Watershed Protection Area, which provides source drinking water to the Town of Yarmouth, Acadia First Nation, and parts of the county. Lake George was last studied in the 1960s and a recent drought has raised questions about climate change impacts on source water. The goals of this partnership will be to: (1a) Accurately delineate the watershed boundaries and landcover using the latest scientific techniques; (1b) Conduct a comprehensive water budget analysis to understand the capacity of the watershed to meet human and ecological needs; (2a) Factor in climate projections to understand watershed vulnerabilities; and (2b) Link the hydrologic projections to a water safety plan (WSP) risk-assessment framework and suggest key hydrologic indicators to support climate change planning for small Atlantic Canadian water utilities and First Nations communities. This project will contribute to municipal and First Nations water policy and planning, and one Master's student will be trained. The expected outcomes of the project will include the water budget analysis and a guidance tool to help other municipal and First Nations systems apply hydrologic projections and WSP approaches to characterize and mitigate risks to source water. This tool will be instrumental for small systems in the Atlantic region with limited financial resources to prioritize and respond to the impacts of climate change on drinking water security.