Grainswest - Spring 2022

He added the Act is very weak on how Canada and the U.S. view water relations. Meanwhile, the Americans are lightyears ahead of Canada on water management, he said. The Americans have a highly sophisticated National Water Model and Canada just does not. While B.C. residents were alerted to winter flooding after sections of highway were already washed out, Americans knew days in advance a large flood was coming. “That allowed them to take action to protect their communities, get sandbags in place, make sure people weren’t on highways, let homeowners get things out of basements, even for water managers to empty reservoirs so you have space to hold flood waters. That didn’t happen on the B.C. side.” Not all is lost, though. Pomeroy heads Global Water Futures (GWF), the world’s largest university-led freshwater research program. With more than 200 funded professors across Canada, GWF has hired 1,100 additional scientists and technicians since becoming operational in 2016. Pomeroy and others on the executive team turned the initial $78 million federal grant into $300 million by partnering with industry and other levels of government. The group also works with 35 First Nations across Canada to make sure their voices are heard. Among its many priorities, GWF looks at agricultural water usage, mountain water, lakes, groundwater and forested areas. What the organization has to show for its work to date is literally the envy of others. The hydrological model GWF staff have collectively created is capable of modelling rainfall, snowfall, run-off, intensity and infiltration of rainfall, how streams form and flow, nitrogen and phosphorus movement systems and more. “We can scale that down to 50 metres resolution, but we can also cover a continent with it,” said Pomeroy with excitement. “We have developed a capacity in the model to inform how we manage water in Canada, it would be great if someone would use what we’re producing.” There may be at least one taker. The U.S. has expressed a serious interest in what GWF has produced and is currently reviewing its entire system to replace its current National Water Model. “It’s like the Americans coming to Canada and saying, ‘Hey can you build the Saturn V for us?’ It’s a massive deal.” As interested as he would be to see the Americans utilize GWF’s technology, nothing would make Pomeroy happier than if it was deployed here in Canada. “It makes great sense. One thing you don’t want is the United States having a better assessment of our water resources than we do,” he warned. “Our capabilities shouldn’t be this different. We shouldn’t have this kind of disadvantage. It puts ag and [peripheral] industries at a competitive disadvantage not to have this. We need a way forward for Canada.” IF YOU’RE NOT INTO HIGHER ROI, YOU’RE PROBABLY NOT INTO SEEDMASTER. No matter what you grow, SeedMaster ™ has the ultimate seeding solutions for greater precision, increased productivity and higher profit potential. But don’t take our word for it: third party PAMI testing confirms our UltraPro II’s individual rowmetering delivers uniform seed placement, near zero seed mortality and no impact on germination results. Start lowering input costs and raising your ROI at SeedMaster.ca 01/22-79091 Photo: AnthonyHoulePhotography