Mini Quiz !1. What % of the Earth’s surface is covered by

water? – 70%

2. What % of water is accessible for human use?– 3% is freshwater, 2.4% is frozen or deep

underground, so less than 1% is accessible

3. On average, how many litres of water does a Canadian use each day?– Between 329 to 343 litres

Presentation Overview

• Water in Canada• The Hydrologic Cycle• What is a Watershed?• Our Watershed• Brief History• Water Colour• Pollution• Endangered Ecosytem

• Tidal Bore• Tidal Bore in the Past• Tidal Bore or Total Bore?• Tidal Bore Photos• About us• Our issues• Take Action

Water in Canada

http://www.ec.gc.ca/water/images/info/facts/e-Canada_domestic_water_use.htm

The Hydrologic (Water) Cycle

http://www.ec.gc.ca/water/en/nature/grdwtr/e_cycle.htm

What is a Watershed?

• Watershed: A watershed is an area of land that drains surface water from a connected system of watercourses and that ultimately drains into one particular river, creek, stream, lake or ocean.

http://www.tetes-chercheuses.fr/images/img45e68f6cb8362.jpg

What is a Watershed?

http://geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca/h2o/bowen/images/watershed_e.jpg

• Watershed: The watershed includes both the streams and rivers that transport the water, as well as the land surfaces from which water drains into the watercourses.

Our Watershed

• Here is our watershed

http://www.petitcodiac.org/riverkeeper/francais/La_Petitcodiac/Bassin/bassin.html

Brief History

• Geological formation of this region dates back to more than 250 million years ago

• What is the Mi’kmaq name for the Petitcodiac River and what does it mean?– First Nations named it Pet-Kout-Koy-Ek which

means River that bends like a bow.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=fr&ie=UTF8&t=k&ll=46.007455,-64.80835&spn=0.449255,0.85144&z=10

Brief History• There was a thriving

shipbuilding industry in the 1850’s

• What important species was commercially fished before the constructionof the causeway?• Commercial Atlantic Salmon

fishing exceeded 2000 kilograms per year, from 1960 to 1967

• Population decline between 1967 and 1968 to a mere 668 kg harvested

Brief History

• In 1968, a causeway was built…

Brief History• From 1968 to 1992,

Moncton’s dump was located on the shores of the Petitcodiac

• Moncton’s raw sewage was discharged directly into the river until Greater Moncton’s sewage treatment plant started operating in 1994

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=fr&ie=UTF8&ll=46.068973,-64.808221&spn=0.016763,0.034676&t=k&z=15

Water Colour

• What causes the brown colour of our river?• The Petitcodiac River’s colour is due to suspended

sediments.• These sediments come from the silty banks of the

river.• The silt remains suspended because of the waves

current, tides, wind etc… • There is no direct link to the color of water and toxic

pollution

Pollution

• Pesticides• Abandoned Dams• Toxics in the air• Acid Rain• Toxic Waste• Causeways

• Landfills• Wastewater• Sedimentation• Snow Dumps• Stormwater• Chemicals

What are some examples of water pollution?

Endangered Ecosystem• Changes in the Petitcodiac

ecosystem, affect ecosystems thousands of kilometers away (Arctic, American East Coast , South America, etc.).

• All ecosystems are linked together, one way or another

• So this is why we don’t want to pollute our watershed and use too much water…

http://www.glf.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/os/bysea-enmer/images/img_food_web_mod5.jpg

Tidal Bore

• The tidal bore is created by the great Bay of Fundy tides

• The front of the bore is the tide coming in

• Rare natural phenomenon• Visit Youtube and type in:– Tidal Bore– Amazon Surf

Tidal Bore in the Past

• Up to 2 metres high• Heard from more than

1.5 kilometres away!

Tidal Bore or Total Bore?

• Today, it can be as high as 75 cm traveling at speeds up to 13 km/h

• Since Petitcodiac Causeway construction, the tidal bore lost its strength

Tidal Bore Photos

Tidal Bore Photos

• Not-for-profit organization• Member of the Waterkeeper Alliance• Goals:– To restore and protect the ecological integrity of

the Petitcodiac River system– To ensure compliance with environmental laws– To educate the public about our river and

pollution issues

About us

Our Issues• The causeway has been our main issue since

the start of our organization in 1999• The gates will open in 2010, but…• We must ensure the project is completed• Other issues needing attention:– Uranium– Pesticides– Sewage– Abandoned dams and other causeways

Take Action

• What can you do?• Reduce water use• Be informed• Get involved• Respect our environment

and our river• Become a volunteer• Contact us at

info@petitcodiac.org

Thank You!

• Thanks for your time