Surface Water

Anoxic events are a common occurrence in Island estuaries and ponds during the summer months. Symptoms of an anoxic event include: floating mats of dead or dying algae, milky white or green discolouration of the water, Sulfur (H2S) or 'rotten turnip'...

Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae blooms, are not common in PEI but can be a concern as some strains can produce toxins that are harmful to human or animal health. In PEI cyanobacteria can be found in shallow, warm, and slow moving or still water...

Nitrate is a form of nitrogen. It can readily dissolve in water and can travel easily through soil to the water table. As a result, nitrate is common in our groundwater, ponds, streams, and estuaries. Human activity is responsible for over 90% of the...

Wetlands are shallow, wet areas that support aquatic plants such as sedges, bulrushes and cattails, as well as shrubs and trees. These areas provide habitat for waterfowl, fish, amphibians and hundreds of invertebrate species. Why are wetlands...

Each year people see things in streams, ponds and estuaries that cause concern, but this does not mean that the water is polluted. Often, there is a natural cause for these conditions. If you are concerned about water quality because of something you...