{"id":20587,"date":"2023-11-25T09:32:40","date_gmt":"2023-11-25T15:32:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cf.iisd.net\/ela\/?p=20587"},"modified":"2024-06-12T13:15:52","modified_gmt":"2024-06-12T18:15:52","slug":"back-to-basics-what-is-fresh-water","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.iisd.org\/ela\/blog\/back-to-basics-what-is-fresh-water\/","title":{"rendered":"BACK TO BASICS: What is fresh water?"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Fresh water takes many forms, including clouds, rivers, icebergs, most lakes,<\/a> and the water in your glass. Because of this wide range, it\u2019s often defined as what it\u2019s not: salty.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Fresh water has less than 500 milligrams of salt per litre, or 500 parts per million (ppm) of salt, according to Environment Canada<\/a>. This is equivalent to 0.05%. The United States Geological Survey<\/a> uses a slightly different definition: less than 1,000 ppm, or 0.10%. Across organizations, it\u2019s almost always defined as less than 1% salt and often\u2014as in these two examples\u2014well below that.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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According to Environment Canada, fresh water has less than 500 milligrams of salt per litre, or 500 parts per million (ppm) of salt.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Seems Pretty Simple<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This western scientific approach does give a very straightforward answer, but what about other perspectives? At IISD Experimental Lakes Area, we work on Treaty #3 territory, the traditional land of the Anishinaabe Nation and the homeland of the M\u00e9tis Nation. In 2019, the Nibi Declaration of Treaty #3<\/a> formally recognized Anishinaabe nibi inakonigaawin, which translates to Anishinaabe water law. This declaration recognizes nibi (water) as alive and as having its own spirit. Nibi is seen as a relative and a teacher<\/a>. It has relationships with other living beings, and these relationships carry responsibilities \u2013 just like our relationships with human relatives and friends.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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As you read this, water is keeping your body oxygenated and at a comfortable temperature, digesting food, and protecting your joints, brain, and spinal cord.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

All Anishinaabe are responsible for taking care of nibi. Women have the specific role<\/a> of speaking for it, because\u2014like nibi\u2014they are capable of giving life. While Anishinaabe take care of and give offerings to nibi, nibi provides physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being and healing. Nibi is sacred, nibi is medicine, and nibi is alive.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

So Why Do We Need Fresh Water?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

All organisms need water to survive. Most species use either fresh or saltwater, and have specific adaptations to the kind of water that they need. For example, freshwater fish actively transport salt into their bodies and water out of their bodies to maintain the proper internal salt concentration<\/a>. The opposite process happens in marine fish. Despite covering only 0.8% of Earth\u2019s surface, freshwater ecosystems support over 40% of fish species and 2% of all invertebrate species<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Back on land, humans need to consume fresh water for cellular processes and use it for hygiene to stay healthy\u2014which has been particularly emphasized by COVID-19<\/a>. We\u2019re also mostly fresh water ourselves<\/a>. As you read this, water is keeping your body oxygenated and at a comfortable temperature, digesting food, and protecting your joints, brain, and spinal cord. It\u2019s even helping you process this information by playing a role in making neurotransmitters<\/a>. From the most fundamental biochemical reactions to large-scale habitat, fresh water is needed for every aspect of life.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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All organisms need water to survive. Humans depend on fresh water for many basic functions.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

We Don\u2019t Live in Fresh Water, but It Still Shapes Our Habitat\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Fresh water literally shapes our world. As it runs over rocks and soil, it carves its paths into the landscape. Rain falling near, say, Woodland Caribou Provincial Park<\/a>, about three hours north of IISD Experimental Lakes Area, may land in a headwater lake emptying into a river that ultimately leads to Lake Winnipeg.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

On its way, it could be swept into wetlands, tributaries, and pools alongside the river, becoming part of different habitats and connecting people within and across territories. The running water accumulates sediments, nutrients, and salts as it erodes the land, and it\u2019s this process that contributes most of the salt<\/a> that ends up in oceans.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Fresh water literally shapes our world. As it runs over rocks and soil, it carves its paths into the landscape.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

From Lake Winnipeg, water empties into Hudson Bay and the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. When it evaporates from oceans, the salt stays, turning the vapour into fresh water once again<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Fresh water is part of the landscape, and helps create the landscape too.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u2026 and it shapes everything else about our homes too.<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Lakes and rivers are often cornerstones of communities. Right now, like more than half<\/a> of the world\u2019s population, you\u2019re probably within 3 kilometres of a freshwater body, and you\u2019re almost definitely within 10 kilometres of one. Living close to fresh water has been important for cleaning, farming, and accessing drinking water throughout human history.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Even though many urban areas now rely on pipes that carry water long distances, people continue to live nearby for cultural and aesthetic reasons<\/a>. Think about the freshwater body closest to you\u2014what role does it play in your life? I\u2019m writing from near the Assiniboine River: for my community, its shores are a gathering place, the water itself is a boating or skating route, and its fish are a source of food.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Fresh water means different things to different people in different parts of the world.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The basic scientific definition\u2014less than 500 ppm of salt\u2014is useful for classification, but it doesn\u2019t include the complexities of fresh water\u2019s role in physical and cultural landscapes. Fresh water affects everything in our lives, from how our bodies are built to where we live to how we spend our time. It provides for us, and in return, we all have a part in taking care of it for generations to come. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Want to get back to some more basics? Be sure to check out our blog posts What Is a Lake?<\/a><\/em> and What Is a Limnologist?<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

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You know that ground-breaking freshwater research you\u00a0just<\/em>\u00a0read about? Well, that\u2019s actually down to\u00a0you.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

It\u2019s only thanks to our generous donors that the world\u2019s freshwater laboratory\u2014an independent not-for-profit\u2014can continue to do what we do. And that means everything from exploring what happens when cannabis flushes and oil spills into a lake, to how we can reduce mercury in fish and algal blooms in fresh water\u2014all to keep our water clean around the world for generations to come.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

We know that these are difficult times, but the knowledge to act on scientific evidence has never been more important. Neither has your support.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you believe in whole ecosystem science and using it to bring about real change to fresh water around the globe,\u00a0please support us\u00a0in any way you are able to.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are no silly questions in science. So, if you have always wondered what fresh water is, but have been too afraid to ask, allow us to answer your burning questions…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":8281,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false},"blog_types":[200],"environmental_issues_type":[],"class_list":["post-20587","blog","type-blog","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","blog_types-back-to-basics"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBACK TO BASICS: What is fresh water? | IISD Experimental Lakes Area Inc<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Fresh water takes many forms, including clouds, rivers, icebergs, most lakes, and the water in your glass. But what is freshwater exactly? 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