Recommended Liming Strategies for Salmon Rivers in Nova Scotia, Canada

Abstract

The Southern Upland of Nova Scotia is acidified due the extreme sensitive ecosystems combined with being down-wind from large sulphur emission sites in southern Canada and northern US. Atlantic Salmon populations have disappeared from 14 rivers and populations have been damaged in another 35 rivers. Only rivers with pH>5.4 have non-damaged populations. Attempts to improve this situation have been restricted to the genereal emission control plans of Canada. No liming program exists at present. This report gives detailed information regarding liming strategies in general and for four major river systems in particular. East and West River, Sheet Harbour, together with La Have and Medway River are regarded as being typical representatives of the damaged rivers. Liming of these rivers is possible, and a combination of lake liming, river lime dosing and catchment liming is recommended. Suggestions are also made regarding the approach towards a relatively high-quality liming strategy for the province, and the establishment of a monitoring program for water chemistry and biology.