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2012 Toyota Earth Day Canada Scholarship Program - Deadline: January 31, 2012 2012 Green Matters Essay Contest - Deadline: March 9, 2012 |
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Water Quick Facts
Some 'did you know's' from Environment Canada...
Acid rain with a pH of 3.6 has 100 times the acidity of normal rain with a pH of 5.6.
Many of the lakes on the Canadian Shield, including those of the Great Lakes, were created by glacial erosion.
In nearly all the world's major religions, water is attributed important symbolic and ceremonial properties.
The UN Declares 2005-2015 "Water for Life" as the International Decade for Action and sets the world agenda on a greater focus on water- related issues. About 70% of the earth is covered in water.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/47/193 of 22 December 1992 by which 22 March of each year was declared World Day for Water.
Freshwater lakes and rivers, ice and snow, and underground aquifers hold only 2.5% of the world's water. By comparison, saltwater oceans and seas contain 97.5% of the world's water supply.
68.9% of the earth's fresh water exists in the form of glaciers and permanent snow cover.
Of the total world's freshwater supply, 30.8% is groundwater, including soil moisture, swamp water and permafrost.
Only 0.3% of total global fresh water is stored in lakes and rivers.
Fifty percent of the world's wetlands have been lost since 1900.
Almost two billion people were affected by natural disasters in the last decade of the 20th century, 86% of them by floods and droughts.
Annually, Canada's rivers discharge 7% of the world's renewable water supply - 105 000 cubic metres per second.
Almost 9%, or 891 163 square kilometres, of Canada's total area is covered by fresh water.
Approximately 60% of Canada's fresh water drains north, while 85% of the population lives within 300 kilometres of the southern border with the United States.
Canada has about 25% of the world's wetlands - the largest wetland area in the world.
In Canada, there is more water underground than on the surface.
With approximately 8% of its territory covered by lakes, Canada has more lake area than any other country in the world.
Canada has 563 lakes having an area greater than 100 square kilometres.
Floods are the most costly natural disasters in Canada in terms of property damage.
It is recommended that people drink 2 to 3 litres (about 8 glasses) of fluid every day.
You can survive about a month without food, but only 5 to 7 days without water.
Today, around 3 800 cubic kilometres of fresh water is withdrawn annually from the world's lakes, rivers and aquifers. This is twice the volume extracted 50 years ago.
It is estimated that in 1999, 26.5 million Canadians received central water services.
On average, 13% of municipal piped water is lost in pipeline leaks - up to 30% in some communities.
Hydropower currently provides 19% of the world's total electricity supply.
The average large dam today is about 35 years old.
Although the Canadian Dam Association register of dams (2003) reports 933 large dams in the country, there are many thousands of smaller dams.
Water power meets about 62% of Canada's electrical needs.
Canada is the largest producer of hydroelectricity, followed by the United States and Brazil.
Water withdrawals for industry: World - 22% of total water use; High-income countries - 59% of total water use; Low-income countries - 8% of total water use
Currently, there are 2921 active water level and streamflow stations being operated in Canada.
Forty percent of Canada's boundary with the United States is composed of water.
