Introduction to Water Issues in Alberta

A multitude of stressors affect Alberta's waterbodies. Many are cumulative, as are climate warming, acid deposition, and ozone depletion, which all cause increased UV light penetration into water.

What are the issues? What is happening to Alberta's water? Many of these issues are caused by excessive consumer demand and the industrial activity that it causes.

• Collapsing freshwater fisheries
• Decreased water supply and unquestioned continual increase in human water demand
• Increased glacial melting
• Serious alterations to the hydrologic cycle affecting most of the major rivers, the majority of wetlands, and many lakes
• Contamination of lakes, rivers, and biota as a result of human activity
• Resistance to change in government and the public

On this site, bold words are those that appear in the definitions section. This site categorizes water issues as follows:

• The Impacts of Climate Change
• Industrial Impacts
• Agricultural Impacts
• Urban Impacts
• Biodiversity Loss