Overview

The amount of water in our lakes and rivers, and how that volume changes throughout the year, are crucial determinants to the health of the environment and the quality of water for our communities. Withdrawing, storing or diverting water disrupts patterns of river flows, affecting migratory fish and the natural hydrology of rivers. As a result, water flow is one of our key indicators of water health.

In June 2017, WWF-Canada released their country-wide assessment of all Canada’s waters. The Watershed Reports included four key factors, including water flow. The other three factors measured are water quality, fish and benthic invertebrates. Each of these factors were individually evaluated, and an overall health score was assessed by averaging the score of these four factors.

Watersheds across Canada are given a rating for water flow by WWF-Canada based on: how much water flows in river; when it flows; and whether there are significant changes in natural flow patterns over time.

Last updated June 2018