The development of a national water quality database to assess shifting baselines in a changing climate

The quality of water in watersheds is expected to be altered due to climate change. However, there is insufficient scientific knowledge to predict how these changes are likely to be manifested. The assessment of long-term trends in historical data over time and space (e.g. watershed and regional variability) may offer insight into the potential impacts of future climate change scenarios on water quality. The compilation of 3 to 4 decades of national, provincial, and territorial water quality monitoring data across Canada was initiated in 2018. Using this data, this project aims to answer the following questions: (1) Are there specific metals or water quality parameters that show consistent responses to climate change that could be used as ‘indicators’ for future projections? (2) Are there specific areas in Canada that are more sensitive to changes in climate (i.e. hot spots)? (3) Does underlying geology influence the extent and magnitude of climate-driven changes in water quality? This project provides an opportunity to establish a national database to track and monitor water quality in a changing climate which would be of use to research organizations, governments as well as offering potential for citizen science applications