Agriculture

Wood Lake and Oyama orchard - photo by Karen Miller

Agriculture is the largest water useVolume or rate of water diverted or withdrawn from a water body (eg a stream, lake, or groundwaterWater existing below the ground surface in aquifers aquiferAn underground formation that stores groundwater) for use by humans on the land surface. Actual water use is determined through direct measurement. Water demand is an estimate of actual water use. sector in the Okanagan valley, and this project shows that agricultural water use has become more efficient in recent years.

In part, this is a result of shifts to grapes and other crops that require less water, and it also reflects improved irrigation practices such as the move to drip systemsA water-saving irrigation method that allows water to drip slowly to the roots of plants. and irrigation schedulingThe process used by irrigation system managers to determine the correct frequency and duration of watering..

Because agriculture is completely dependent on water – natural precipitation or irrigation – it is the industry most vulnerable to persistent drought. The models and data developed and collected through this project will help farmers understand their vulnerability.

The overall health of the industry will depend on development of agreements for how water will be shared during shortages – reducing uncertainty about water availability, and reducing competition between farmers and urban and environmental water needs.

Related Links:

• Agriculture Water DemandWater use determined using an estimation approach, such as a model Model report (8.7Mb PDF)
• Okanagan Irrigation Management (OKIM)
  Online reporting tool for agricultural property landowners within the Greater Vernon Water service area and the District of Summerland that compiles information on metered water use, calculated theoretical water demand, and land use data.
• Drought Watch (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

	Landscape Calculator helps develop watering times for landscape irrigation.
	Agricultural Calculator helps develop watering times for agriculture irrigation.
	Weather Calculator obtains real time evapotranspirationThe combined processes of evaporation and transpiration data from Farmwest.com
	Soil Calculator determines soil parameters useful for irrigation design.