Canadian prairie rural communities: their vulnerabilities and adaptive capacities to drought |
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Authors: | Virginia Wittrock Suren N Kulshreshtha Elaine Wheaton |
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Institution: | (1) Saskatchewan Research Council, #15 Innovation Blvd, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 2X8;(2) Department of Bioresource Policy, Business and Economics (BPBE), University of Saskatchewan, 3D12 Agriculture Bldg., 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5A8;(3) Saskatchewan Research Council and University of Saskatchewan, #15 Innovation Blvd, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 2X8 |
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Abstract: | Droughts can have severe negative effects on the environment, society and economy. The drought of 2001–2002 caused severe
strain on economic and social activities in western Canada, particularly on rural communities through changes in water resources.
This paper examines physical and social vulnerabilities and associated adaptation measures undertaken and the adaptive capacity
in communities in the South Saskatchewan River Basin, Canada. Although all of these communities were exposed to the 2001–2002
drought, they had different levels of impacts, resulting in different types of drought adaptation measures, some due to experience
with previous droughts and some in response to the 2001–2002 drought. Communities with unreliable water supply were the most
vulnerable to these droughts. This vulnerability resulted in historic adaptations being implemented (e.g., Hanna, Alberta)
and re-active adaptations (e.g., Cabri, Saskatchewan). It is important to examine the effectiveness of the current adaptive
strategies to cope with more extensive and extended drought situations. First Nation communities, such as the Kainai Blood
Indian Reserve, have many social and environmental issues but the impacts from the drought were minor. The Reserve had implemented
economic changes in the late 1980s to make it less vulnerable to drought but resulted in negative impacts to the Reserve’s
social health. It is imperative to determine how vulnerable First Nation communities are and will to improve future adaptive
capacity. This paper provides a snap shot view of how Canadian Prairie Communities have adapted to drought and how vulnerable
they are to future drought situations. |
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