Climate Change

While the species distribution of aquatic life has changed in the past 100 years, there are bigger changes happening to the watershed. And this is climate change.

 

The Canadian Aquatic Bio-monitoring Network for the mountain parks is monitoring watersheds across the Rocky Mountains. Through monitoring like this we are getting a better picture of aquatic health for the Rocky Mountains as a whole and the health of specific streams and lakes.

Volunteers looking for aquatic invertebrates. Carthew Lakes - Waterton Lakes National Park

We are learning that climate changes is altering water temperatures and levels. This begins right at the start of the watershed with the disappearing glaciers and snow pack

Research is showing that brown trout and rainbow trout are the most adaptable to the changes in the water temperatures and water levels. In contrast there are very few streams and lakes suitable for the bull trout to live.