Fresh water is a vital resource. It sustains agriculture, industry and power generation and provides us with drinking water and recreational activities. Fresh water also supports wildlife and ecosystems and is a major component of Nova Scotia's landscapes. The long tradition of water use in Nova Scotia dates back to early transportation routes, at least 5,000 years ago.

Possibly, because fresh water from Nova Scotia's lakes, rivers, wetlands and groundwater reserves is so plentiful, it is taken for granted as a commodity. As a result, there are conflicts of interest related to freshwater use in the province.

This Document Includes:

Historical Context
Before European Contact
1600s and 1700s
1800s and 1900s
Fresh Water and Resources Today
Watershed Management Floodplains
Damming
Wetlands
Water Supply
Groundwater
Acidification of Fresh Water
Recreation

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Additional Keywords:
transportation, Mi'kmaq, eel wiers, salmon, gristmills, sawmills, ice industry, water quality, pulp-and-paper, flooding, eutrophication, electrical power, hydroelectric production, fish migration, waterfowl breeding, fish spawning, water-table, contaminants, geothermal energy, runoff, acid drainage, acid deposition

Associated Topics

T2.3 Granite in Nova Scotia
T2.4 The Carboniferous Basin
T6.4 Estuaries
T8 Fresh Water
T12.3 Geology and Resources
T12.9 Soil and Resources
T12.11 Animals and Resources

Associated Habitats

H3 Freshwater
H4 Freshwater Wetlands