Acid Rain

Acid Rain Acid rain is rain, snow or fog that is polluted by acid in the atmosphere and damages the environment. Two common air pollutants that acidify rain are sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. When these substances are released into the atmosphere, they can be carried over long distances by prevailing winds and return to earth as acidic rain, snow, fog or dust. When the environment cannot neutralize the acid being deposited, damage occurs. Acid …

…not all areas in Western Canada are naturally protected. Lakes and soils resting on granite bedrock, for instance, cannot neutralize precipitation. These districts include areas of the Canadian Shield in northeastern Alberta, northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and parts of western British Columbia. Lakes in these areas are as defenseless to acid rain as those in northern Ontario. They must be shielded from exposure to acid rain, if not environmental damage could be swift and serious.