Follow the Drop – Lower Bow River

Congratulations and welcome to the lower reaches of the Bow River! The lower Bow River provides habitat for species that like deep, slower-moving water. The region is mostly grassland and there are springs and shallow wetlands which support diverse plants and wildlife, including several rare and at risk species. 

At this point, you have traveled the length of the Bow River and you are approaching the end of this particular journey! You have done some excellent navigating to support water users in this watershed, and from here the water will continue on to support many more ecosystems and activities downstream.

Specifically, the lowest section of the Bow River joins the Oldman River and together they are called the South Saskatchewan River.  Then the South and North branches meet to become the Saskatchewan River, and if you manage to hang on and travel all the way to the ocean, you will end up in the Hudson Bay.

As you’ve played the game, you’ve learned that water is necessary for meeting the competing needs of people, as well as for food and energy production.  You’ve also read about many of these different human activities and natural processes, and you’ve come to understand that because water is part of a cycle, most of the water taken out of the Bow River for use is eventually returned.  All of these uses impact water quality, and at this point of your journey, quality is largely determined by the contaminants from the many different human activities and natural processes you have experienced and learned about. Many substances in the water have also been filtered, diluted, or settled out along the way.