Water, Weather and the Mountain West.

Sandy Campbell is a reference librarian in the Science and Technology Library at the University of Alberta.

This is an important book. It begins from the understanding that the glaciers in the Rocky Mountains are in retreat and global warming has accelerated that retreat. The meltwater from these glaciers forms a considerable part of the river flow and hence water supply for the prairies. Eventually, when the glaciers have completely melted away, the prairies will be a much drier environment and parts of the southern prairies will become desert.

With this certainty in mind, Robert Sanford leads the reader through the complex subject of water in the Canadian West. He deals with the future implications in agriculture and the need to irrigate. He also looks at the impact of deforestation on not only the water supply, but also water quality.

He reviews the impact of global warming on continental precipitation and surface water. He raises red flags at the persistent overuse of aquifer water around the globe, which causes simultaneous drops in groundwater levels.

Sanford looks in-depth at Canada’s drinking water supply. He considers current management, details threats to water supply, and reviews the economic issues. He concludes with some recommendations for securing the Canadian drinking-water supply.

Much of the last half of the book is dedicated to what we can do to make the best of a diminishing water supply. Sanford looks for lessons from drier parts of the world and makes recommendations for positive steps that individuals and Canadians as a whole can take. These range from turning off the tap when you brush your teeth to taking political action.

The greatest contribution of this work is the extrapolation of the current situation to its logical end and the detailing of the social, environmental, and economic changes that domino from that. The book is a wake-up call to all Canadians, but in particular, to prairie folk.