Agricultural Water Survey - 2016

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For Information onlyThis is an electronic survey example for information purposes only. This is not a working questionnaire.

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Information for the Respondent

Purpose

The Agricultural Water Survey is conducted to gather information on irrigation water use, irrigation methods and practices, and sources and quality of water used for agricultural purposes on Canadian farms. The results will help farm operators, governments and the Canadian public gain a better understanding of the demand for water and how it is used on Canadian farms.

Additional information

The Agricultural Water Survey is conducted to gather information on water use, irrigation methods and practices, and sources and quality of water used for agricultural purposes.

This survey is part of the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) program. The data collected will be used in CESI's reporting activities and to inform water use policy and development of programs for Canadian irrigators. Statistics Canada will also use the survey results to report on total water use by sector in Canada. Your information may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes.

Authority

This is a voluntary survey conducted under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19. Your cooperation is important to ensure that the information collected in this survey is as accurate as possible.

Confidentiality

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects which could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Statistics Canada will use the information from this survey for statistical purposes.

Data-sharing agreements

To reduce respondent burden, Statistics Canada has entered into data-sharing agreements with federal, provincial and territorial government organizations, which have agreed to keep the data confidential and use them only for statistical purposes. Statistics Canada will only share data from this survey with those organizations that have demonstrated a requirement to use the data.

Section 12 of the Statistics Act provides for the sharing of information with federal, provincial or territorial government organizations. Under Section 12, you may refuse to share your information with any of these organizations by writing a letter of objection to the Chief Statistician and returning it with the completed questionnaire. Please specify the organizations with which you do not want to share your data.

For this survey, there are Section 12 agreements with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Environment Canada, the Institut de la statistique du Québec, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, and Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.

For agreements with provincial government organizations, the shared data will be limited to information pertaining to business establishments located within the jurisdiction of the respective province.

Record linkage

To enhance the data from this survey and to minimize the reporting burden, Statistics Canada may combine it with information from other surveys or from administrative sources.

Return procedures

Please return the completed questionnaire within 30 days of receipt by mail, using the enclosed, postage paid envelope.

Thank you

YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS SURVEY IS IMPORTANT REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH IRRIGATION WAS DONE DURING THE GROWING SEASON.

Reporting instructions

- Who should complete this survey?
This survey is addressed to the farm operation and is to be completed by a person that has good knowledge of the irrigation activities practiced on this farm.

- If exact values are not available, please provide estimates.

- Comments on any part of the survey should be provided in the space on the second-last page of the questionnaire.

Instructions

Please refer to the growing season when answering the following questions.

Irrigation is defined as applying water to the soil to assist the growing of crops in dry areas during periods of inadequate rainfall; to prevent soil compaction or erosion; or to protect plants against frost.

Include:
- all irrigated land, producing or non-producing, used for forage crops, fruits, vegetables, field crops, hay and improved pasture, on owned land or land rented or leased from others

Exclude:
- land rented or leased to others
- summerfallow
- Christmas trees
- greenhouses, nurseries and sod operations
- land drained by a drainage system that is never irrigated

Irrigating Operations

Irrigating Operations - Question identifier:1.

Have you ever irrigated your crops?

1: Yes
2: No

Irrigating Operations - Question identifier:2.

Did you irrigate your crops in 20xx?

1: Yes
2: No

Irrigating Operations - Question identifier:3.

In 20XX, were you unable to irrigate for any length of time because of any of the following issues?

1: Shortage of surface water
2: Shortage of underground water (include shallow wells and deep wells)
3: Poor water quality
4: High cost of obtaining water
5: Irrigation ban
6: Other issue(s), specify:
8: No issues prevented irrigation for any length of time

Irrigating Operations - Question identifier:4.

Will you be using acres, hectares, or arpents to report land areas?

1: Acres
2: Hectares
3: Arpents

Irrigating Operations - Question identifier:5.

What was the total land area of cropland and improved pasture on this operation, producing or non-producing, that irrigation water was applied to in 20xx?

Irrigating Operations - Question identifier:6.

What unit of measure will you use to report the quantity of water used for irrigation?

01: Inches
02: Millimetres
03: Total acre-feet
04: Total gallons (imperial)
05: Total gallons (US)
06: Total litres
07: Total cubic metres
08: Acre-feet per acre
09: Imperial gallons per acre
10: US gallons per acre
11: Other: Please specify

7. Irrigation Volumes - Forage Crops

7. Irrigation Volumes - Forage Crops - Question identifier:a.

Did you produce or grow forage crops on this operation during the growing season?

1: Yes
2: No

7. Irrigation Volumes - Forage Crops - Question identifier:b.

Did you apply irrigation to forage crops on your operation during the growing season?

1: Yes
2: No

7. Irrigation Volumes - Forage Crops - Question identifier:c.

What area of land was irrigation applied to for forage crops?

7. Irrigation Volumes - Forage Crops - Question identifier:d.

How much water was applied to the forage crops in each of the following months?

5: April
6: May
7: June
8: July
9: August
10: September
11: October
12: Total

8. Irrigation Volumes - Field Crops

8. Irrigation Volumes - Field Crops - Question identifier:a.

Did you produce or grow field crops, including potatoes, on this operation during the growing season?

1: Yes
2: No

8. Irrigation Volumes - Field Crops - Question identifier:b.

Did you apply irrigation to field crops, including potatoes, on your operation during the growing season?

1: Yes
2: No

8. Irrigation Volumes - Field Crops - Question identifier:c.

What area of land was irrigation applied to for field crops, including potatoes?

8. Irrigation Volumes - Field Crops - Question identifier:d.

How much water was applied to the field crops, including potatoes, in each of the following months?

5: April
6: May
7: June
8: July
9: August
10: September
11: October
12: Total

9. Irrigation Volumes - Fruit Crops

9. Irrigation Volumes - Fruit Crops - Question identifier:a.

Did you produce or grow fruit crops on this operation during the growing season?

1: Yes
2: No

9. Irrigation Volumes - Fruit Crops - Question identifier:b.

Did you apply irrigation to fruit crops on your operation during the growing season?

1: Yes
2: No

9. Irrigation Volumes - Fruit Crops - Question identifier:c.

What area of land was irrigation applied to for fruit crops?

9. Irrigation Volumes - Fruit Crops - Question identifier:d.

How much water was applied to the fruit crops in each of the following months?

5: April
6: May
7: June
8: July
9: August
10: September
11: October
12: Total

10. Irrigation Volumes - Vegetable Crops

10. Irrigation Volumes - Vegetable Crops - Question identifier:a.

Did you produce or grow vegetable crops, excluding potatoes, on this operation during the growing season?

1: Yes
2: No

10. Irrigation Volumes - Vegetable Crops - Question identifier:b.

Did you apply irrigation to vegetable crops, excluding potatoes, on this operation during the growing season?

1: Yes
2: No

10. Irrigation Volumes - Vegetable Crops - Question identifier:c.

What area of land was irrigation applied to for vegetable crops, excluding potatoes?

10. Irrigation Volumes - Vegetable Crops - Question identifier:d.

How much water was applied to the vegetable crops, excluding potatoes, in each of the following months?

5: April
6: May
7: June
8: July
9: August
10: September
11: October
12: Total

Irrigation Systems

Irrigation Systems - Question identifier:11.

What irrigation method was used to irrigate your crops in 20XX?

Irrigation Practices and Water Sources

Irrigation Practices and Water Sources - Question identifier:12.

Of all the water used for irrigation in 20XX, what percentage came from each of the following?

1: On-farm underground water or well water, including shallow wells and deep wells
2: On-farm lakes, rivers, creeks or streams, ponds or dugouts i.e. direct access (surface water)
3: Off-farm water transported to the farm e.g., via pipeline, canal system or vehicle, including municipal water and any surface water located off-farm
4: Other source(s), specify:

Irrigation Practices and Water Sources - Question identifier:13.

Of all the off-farm water used for irrigation in 20XX, what percentage came from each of the following?

1: Tap water
2: Treated wastewater
3: Provincial water sources (irrigation district, irrigation project)
4: Private sources
5: Other source(s), specify:

Irrigation Practices and Water Sources - Question identifier:14.

Why did this operation need to obtain water from an off-farm source in 20XX?

1: No water or not enough water available on the farm for irrigation
2: Poor quality of on-farm water for irrigation
3: Other reason(s) specify:

Irrigation Practices and Water Sources - Question identifier:15.

Which of the following practices were used in 20XX to conserve water or energy?

1: Wind breaks
2: Leaving stubble on fields (e.g., minimum tillage, direct seeding)
3: Watering at night or in the morning
4: Pressure reduction
5: Water or energy saving nozzles
6: Incorporating compost or other organic material into soil to increase soil water retention
7: Other water or energy saving methods or devices
8: No practices used

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