A CHANGING CLIMATE

Our planet has never been hotter. Canada's rate of warming is about twice the global rate, and the Arctic is warming even faster. At the same time that permafrost and glaciers are melting more rapidly, there are also increasingly shorter seasons for ice and snow to build up. All of these changes impact our freshwater supply.

Furthermore, as things heat up in freshwater ecosystems, aquatic species have to adapt – if they can’t, their populations may be at risk. Furthermore, warmer temperatures can also intensify the impacts of pollution or contamination. For example, when an excess of nutrients (pollution) enters our waterways, it fuels algae growth. Algae grow even more rapidly in warmer waters, sometimes developing into a harmful bloom that depletes freshwater oxygen supplies, creating “dead zones” that kill fish and other aquatic species.

Floods are common and they are part of a natural cycle. However, due to the changing climate, the world is seeing new rainfall patterns, more extreme storms, faster snow melt, and rising water levels – all of which contribute to more frequent and more severe flooding events. With these floods, there are serious potential impacts for humans, including (but not limited to) loss of life and property. At the same time, our freshwater quality and ecosystems are suffering. For example, as floodwaters recede into lakes, rivers, and streams, they introduce contaminated runoff (or pollution) from cities, farms, and industrial sites.

Drought also poses a huge threat for human life – without water, we cannot survive. During a drought, freshwater sources can disappear completely, sometimes never returning. Others suffer from decreased quality. Water levels drop. The strong flows that ensure a healthy level of oxygen for aquatic species slow down. Precipitation patterns change. Ecosystems rush to adapt.