Drought and Erosion
Water is a valuable commodity that will be affected by climate. Extreme climate events will affect the quality and quantity of our water. Lower flows of water in lakes and rivers caused by heat waves and droughts can lead to poor water quality and to an increase in waterborne diseases. Surface water is also often contaminated during heavy storms and floods by sewer overflows, and agricultural and urban runoffs (Government of Canada, 2005). In areas where less precipitation is predicted with increasing temperatures with drought-like conditions, wind erosion may become a serious problem.
The area’s most at risk in Canada are the southern and central Prairies and the southernmost part of Ontario (Natural Resources Canada, 2005). The erosion of soil has implications for the agriculture and forestry sectors in Canada (Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, 2003), which will affect Indigenous communities who depend on these sectors across the country.
