River St Lawrence example essay topic

The St. Lawrence is the only outflow to the sea from the Great Lakes. For about 115 miles after leaving the lake, the St. Lawrence forms the boundary between the U. S and Canada, making it the second longest river in Canada and 700 miles long. The Saint Lawrence Seaway includes the Great Lakes, which make up about half of the total length. It is very important economically, its system of canals, locks, deepened channels and waterways are the most important in North America, large sea-going ships can reach Quebec and Montreal, and the seaway allows smaller ships to call at inland lake ports such as Toronto, Hamilton, Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee and Duluth Superior on the Great Lakes.

On its way to the Atlantic Ocean from Lake Ontario, the Saint Lawrence falls 75 metres. Nearly all of this drop is made in the short and fairly short stretch before the river reaches Montreal 168 miles downstream. Therefore, the water flows extremely fast in this stretch. To avoid these rapids, canals and locks were built to allow ships to use the river system above Montreal.

However, the canals were too shallow at 4 metres, and the locks were too small to take big ships. Canada and the United States set to work in the 1950's to build new canals and larger locks. At the same time they produced dams to provide water for electric power stations. The power stations at the Long Sault Rapids and at the Beauharnios alone provide as much electricity as is used by the city of New York, which I think is substantial achievement. The St. Lawrence Seaway was completed in 1959, when the opening ceremonies were held in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II and President Eisenhower. Ships using the seaway pay a toll towards maintenance and operating costs.

The seaway cannot be used in winter as the Great Lakes and river ports often freeze at this time, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence is often blocked by ice sometimes until mid April. For most of its time in Canada, the St. Lawrence flows through the province of Quebec. It flows through the St. Lawrence Valley, one of Canada's leading agricultural and industrial areas, with dairy farms, paper mills and timber works. The first European expedition to follow the St. Lawrence inland was led by the Frenchman, Jacques Cartier. He named the river St. Lawrence because he found it on August the tenth, the feast day of St. Lawrence. He sailed upstream to the "island with a mountain", which was later named Mont Real, which in time became simply Montreal.

He was stopped there by the rapids. He thought these were the gateway to China, and so the rapids were named La Chine, which became La chine. Samuel de Chaplain explored the river and founded Quebec in 1608. In 1616 he explored the river system, going by way of the Ottawa River, as far west as Lake Huron.

A number of human activities have played a role in the river's economic development: shipping, agriculture, power generation, commercial fishing, shoreline urbanisation, industry and recreation and tourism. Shipping is a major economic activity on the St. Lawrence, but there is a serious pollution risk involved. The wave action caused by ships are sources of stress on the River's ecosystem. A few hundred thousand cubic metres of sediment have had to be dredged from the Seaway each year since 1989 to serve shipping. Some of the best farmland in Quebec lies along the banks of the St. Lawrence. However, the intensification of agricultural practices since the early 1960's has become a problem.

The use of fertilisers and pesticides and erosion of farmland along the River is a cause for concern for the St. Lawrence ecosystem. One-third of the River's wetlands was lost to farming between 1945 and 1976. The power generation industry has had a major impact on the environment. Hydroelectric dams cause major changes to the aquatic ecosystem, while power plants require high volumes of water for cooling and their discharges increase water temperature, which can have a harmful effect on the environment. Nearly 80% of Quebec's population lives along the St. Lawrence and 50% draws its drinking water from it. These figures have an impact on the River in terms of wastewater discharges and encroachment.

The river also drives industry by supplying factories and plants with the water needed for their processes. While industry contributes to Quebec's economic growth, it also adds to the pollution of the St. Lawrence. However, the St. Lawrence Action Plan has successfully encouraged industrial clean up, primarily through a program targeting 50 priority plants that were major polluters of the river. "Ecotourism" is a recently developed activity focused mainly on the environment. In addition to marine mammal watching, the best-known activity, observation of the natural landscape is also quite important. The River's immense size, varied shoreline and diverse flora and fauna explain its powerful attraction.

I think the St. Lawrence is just as important economically as it is geographically as its shipping, agriculture and tourist industries are the main industries in the region, especially Quebec. However, there is great debate over pollution and the river will ultimately be destroyed if the topic is not taken seriously. Although the cargo vessels and agricultural fertilisers and pesticides are important, I think maintaining the rivers beauty and cleanness is always the first priority..