Existing government policy in Canada provides little protection to groundwater despite its increasing use and contamination from a variety of anthropogenic sources. Biomonitoring of spring-dwelling organisms is suggested as a practical method of assessing groundwater quality and the history of individual aquifers. It recommends that an inventory be made to identify rare and regionally characteristic Canadian spring types and their biota which should then be protected as part of our biological heritage. In the early days of civilization, springs were regarded as sacred places. Groundwater use in Canada is increasing.
Problems exist in pinpointing the exact location of springs in different parts of the country.
Their unique biological features in the original state, therefore, have been lost to science. No federal agency maintains a national inventory of groundwater data or a record of springs. This brief points out the biological significance of springs and their use in monitoring groundwater quality, together with the need to preserve these valuable habitats. Biological Significance Spring faunas provide unique information on endemism and zoogeography and, specifically for Canada, post-Pleistocene colonization patterns. Springs hold a position of importance as study areas that is far out of proportion to their size and number.