The Impacts of Climate Change on Water in Alberta

Climate change is significantly affecting the ecology of Alberta. Some of the major impacts include shifts in the distribution of plants, birds and mammals to higher latitudes and altitudes, earlier plant leafing and flowering, decreasing water levels, retreating and thinning glaciers, thinning and receding polar ice, increasing ocean temperatures, melting permafrost, rising sea levels, longer ice-free periods on lakes, and increasing ground temperatures.

University of Alberta Research

A few impacts of climate change This data was originally compiled by Drs. David Schindler and Bill Donahue, and includes some current impacts and future predictions of climate change on our water systems.

Muriel Lake water study Bill Donahue, PhD, is currently studying Muriel Lake in order to determine the reason for the lake's loss of water during recent years.
Does environmental warming increase invasion of alpine zooplankton communities by montane species? Angela M. Holzapfel is working towards a Master of Science degree in Biological Sciences with Dr. Rolf Vinebrooke at the University of Alberta. Her research focuses on how zooplankton species in Rocky Mountain lakes respond to environmental change, such as climate warming.
The impact of multiple stressors Michael Christensen is working towards his Master of Science degree at the University of Alberta with Dr. Rolf Vinebrooke. He is looking at systems affected by multiple stressors, such as global warming, drought, and acidification.