The St. Mary's River is a Canadian river. At approximately 250 kilometres (160 mi), it is one of Nova Scotia's longest rivers. It runs through Guysborough County, Antigonish County, Halifax Regional Municipality, Colchester County and Pictou County of Nova Scotia and drains into the Atlantic Ocean at Sonora, Nova Scotia The river drains an area of approximately 1,350 square kilometres (520 sq mi) and has four branches; the West, East, North and Main. It offers important Atlantic Salmon habitat and the riverbanks are a habitat for the wood turtle. (Wikipedia)
There are an estimated 130 lakes in the St. Mary's River watershed, ranging in size from less than 5 hectares (12 acres) to 3 square kilometres (1.2 sq mi) (Lochaber Lake). The largest lakes, all on the East and North branches, are the Lochaber, Lochiel, Eden and Archibald's Mills Lakes.
Named Rivère Isle Verte by explorer Samuel de Champlain,[4] the current name is from Fort Saint Marie, a French-built fort which was later taken over and destroyed by the British. There was also a Fort Saint Charles on the river nearby; both were 17th century forts. Atlantic salmon, an endangered species, inhabit the river. There are efforts under way by the Nova Scotia Nature Trust to protect ecologically important lands along the river, including critical floodplain and upland forest, islands, beaches, and other wildlife habitat along the river is vital to maintaining the health of the river. The river also provides crucial habitat for two species at risk: Wood Turtle (globally Endangered, nationally Threatened), and Atlantic Salmon (Nova Scotia Southern Upland population, assessed as Endangered by COSEWIC). As habitat loss negatively impacts these species across their range, we need to do what we can to ensure the St. Mary’s River can remain their home.
What is a Watershed?
Each of us lives in a watershed, regardless of how far we are from a body of water. A watershed is the area of land that drains rainfall, snowmelt, sediment and dissolved materials to a particular water body, such as a stream, river, lake, reservoir or marine harbour. Watershed boundaries can be drawn on topographical maps by linking all the surrounding high points in the land. All watersheds, regardless of size, consist of the basin within these boundaries and the surface water body (or bodies). The physical characteristics of a watershed – the geology, soil, vegetation and slope, as well as human land uses – influence the quality and quanity of the water that flows through it.
Components of Watersheds
- upland areas such as forests and meadows
- streams and rivers
- lakes
- wetlands
- marine harbours and shorelines
- riparian zones, areas of saturated soils and water-loving vegetation that surround water bodies
Watersheds may be big or small, depending on the scale at which they are designated.
Functions of Watersheds
Watersheds and their components perform many important services for people and wildlife. For example:
- Rivers and streams, sometimes called the “arteries of the land,” nourish and connect ecosystems throughout the watershed
- Wetlands and lakes help to store and filter water, and provide habitat for fish and wildlife
- Upland forests and meadows provide wildlife habitat, nutrients for aquatic ecosystems, and encourage infiltration of rainwater into the ground
- The various components of watersheds provide people with opportunities for recreation, tourism, education and aesthetic appreciation
- Watersheds supply us with clean water for drinking and irrigation, from sources such as reservoirs and groundwater
- Watersheds provide habitat for fish (including the Pacific salmon), birds, mammals, as well as insects and other invertebrates
Interconnections Between Watersheds
As part of the water cycle, rainwater may take different routes across and through the land of the watershed as it flows downhill toward the ocean. Substances present on the land and in the air – either naturally or due to human activities – can be picked up by rainwater runoff and transported into natural water bodies. Minerals, metals, sediment, gases, bacteria and synthetic compounds are just a few of the substances that can be transferred from the air and land into water bodies. The connection between the land and water in a watershed is an important concept that helps us to link processes and activities that might not be immediately obvious. For example:
- pesticides applied to a home garden may end up in a lake or harbour many kilometres away, where they can harm fish and other wildlife
- livestock manure, if stored uncovered and exposed to rain, can cause bacterial contamination of marine shellfish
- oil and gasoline, dripped onto roadways from cars and eventually flushed into the ocean by the rain, contain many compounds that are toxic to marine life
- activities that affect the quantity and timing of water flows can also affect ecosystems and human property in watersheds
By recognizing these connections, we can reduce human impacts on watersheds. Watersheds usually span political and jurisdictional boundaries, such as parks, municipalities, and private property. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for coordinated planning across these boundaries. The more we understand and respect the natural processes at work in the watershed, the more sustainably we can live within that system.
St. Mary's River Association
To log this Earthcache visit the viewing location. Please answer the following questions and send in a timely manner to my geocaching profile or email. Answers not received will result in deleted logs.
1. Compare the elevation at the river level here near GZ to that of the elevation where the river terminates and enters the ocean at Sonora, NS (Estimate using reference point given for Sonora Harbour).
2. From the observation point, describe the clarity(how clear is it?) and turbidity(Is it transparent or does it contain suspended particles, murcky?) of the river water? Is this desirable? What factors contribute to water quality?
3. Do you see any potential areas of concern as you scan 360 degrees at GZ? Ie Any potential sources of contaminaion, flood plains, erosion concerns? Please explain.
4. [REQUIRED] In accordance with the updated guidelines from Geocaching Headquarters published in June 2019, photos are now an acceptable logging requirement and WILL BE REQUIRED TO LOG THIS CACHE. Please provide a photo of yourself or a personal item in the picture to prove you visited the site.
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