Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you for inviting me back to the committee and for allowing us to appear again.

Today I'd like to build on my previous remarks to reinforce the importance that responsible water management, which is sustainable, adaptable and reliable, is not only clearly good for Saskatchewan communities, producers and industry, but is also beneficial for habitat, aquatic species and the environment.

Saskatchewan is home to an estimated more than 110,000 lakes and rivers, representing some of the most abundant freshwater resources in North America. The Water Security Agency plays a critical role in managing our abundant water resources through proactive operation of Saskatchewan's network of 74 dams and hundreds of kilometres of conveyance channels.

We oversee more than 600 drinking water and more than 800 waste-water facilities. Water Security Agency scientists also study and analyze wildlife and plant life. WSA carries out water testing and sampling to help understand and track the quality and quantity of water. Last year WSA gathered over 500 water quality samples in lakes and rivers across the province.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of WSA managing water levels at Lake Diefenbaker to help protect the endangered piping plover. Since 2014 we have seen a rise in the number of plover hatchlings to reach maturity by over 550%. Nesting sites are up almost 150% in the same time span. We take the health of habitat and water quality very seriously, with investments and studies to back it up.

Many of you will know that agriculture is the backbone of Saskatchewan's economy and that we are Canada's leading exporter of almost all agricultural products. What you may not know is that our province is home to some of the most environmentally sustainable products in the world. Our no-till and zero-till practices and lower fertilizer applications are responsible for Saskatchewan farmers having a carbon footprint 95% lower than competitive jurisdictions around the world. Our producers are the best stewards of the land and have been for over 100 years. It is our livelihood, so we must be.

It is amazing to consider that Saskatchewan has half of Canada's arable acres. Based on our recent studies, we now know that 86% of the wetlands in our province are undrained. There is room to develop in a sustainable way to gain the benefits of agricultural water management, which includes economic growth, gained efficiencies and improved soil health. We are working on a stewardship policy to do just that. This is something no other jurisdiction in Canada has done before.

Over the last year and a half, WSA has engaged a total of 80 stakeholder organizations and first nation and Métis communities in the creation of this stewardship policy. With input from engagement and learning from our practical demonstration and research projects, WSA is developing a policy that will support our producers, allowing for economic growth while protecting our environment. This is very important work, because the sustainable production of food will be needed.

Earlier this year, the Province of Saskatchewan announced it's moving forward with the first 90,000 acres of the larger Lake Diefenbaker irrigation projects. Irrigation also acts as one of the simplest and best adaptation measures against varying climate conditions. It helps us be more resilient and sustainable during both flood and drought situations.

What if this project not only contributed to the economy while helping adapt to a changing climate but also then lowered emissions? Building on the success of Saskatchewan's dryland farming, expanding irrigation promises additional economic and climate change benefits. The Lake Diefenbaker irrigation project will produce over 297 million kilograms more food per year.

Based on our initial research, irrigated crop acres will be 16% less emissions-intensive than our already carbon-efficient dryland crops. That means the amount of crop produced in the entire Lake Diefenbaker irrigation project would be grown with 126,000 tonnes fewer emissions per year than if the equivalent amount had been grown on dryland conditions. Over 20 years, the project will account for over 2.5 million tonnes of avoided emissions.

That is why we think this project needs your attention. We're going to be producing more crops on the same land base with fewer emissions per tonne of crop produced. Based on what we know, this project helps economic growth while lowering emissions. It is something for which we would ask each of you to support the federal government being a partner.

In closing, I would like to say that responsible freshwater management holds immense potential for Canada, with strengthened food security, climate resilience, water sustainability and lasting economic benefits. I believe we are doing just that in Saskatchewan.

Thank you very much.