Water resources research in canada: Ii: Constraints, opportunities and strategies

Abstract

The federal government is the dominant actor in water resources research in Canada, providing nearly three quarters of the funds and spending one half of those funds allocated to water research. Fragmentation of research effort, the regulatory role of many federal line agencies, centralization of research effort, regional issues and varying perspectives constrain research activity. Alternative management strategies are assessed. It is recommended that a National Water Research Committee and a Federal Committee for Water Resources Research be established, that laboratories in national research institutes be made more accessible to nongovernment researchers, that regional research centres be created, that more incentive be provided for anticipatory research, that users have a greater role in influencing research priorities, that more social science research be encouraged, and that better funding mechanisms be arranged to support interdisciplinary research. © 1985 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.