Municipality Climate Adaptation Case Study Report

St. Croix River International Biological Program (IBP) Site: mixed forest on Karst
topography; rare flora including Ram’s-head Lady Slipper (species listed as Endangered
in the Nova Scotia Species at Risk Act).
Akin Marsh: Eastern Habitat Joint Venture Site, Mount Denson.
Falls Lake Provincial Park: 4.86 ha (12 ac) on Falls Lake, Vaughan.
Smiley’s Provincial Park: 40.47 ha (100 ac) on Meander River, McKay Section.
Cheverie Creek Salt Marsh Restoration Project: Highway 215, Cheverie.
West Hants also includes three municipal drinking water supply watersheds within its
boundaries, all of which rely on surface water. French Mill Brook, located west of Falmouth,
consists of 1,139 ha (2,814 ac) designated as a Protected Water Area (PWA) under the Nova
Scotia Environment Act. It provides treated water to the Falmouth Growth Centre. Mill Lakes,
covering 1,778 ha (4,393 ac) south of Martock, also a designated PWA, supplies water to the
Town of Windsor and the Three Mile Plains Growth Centre. The Town of Hantsport’s water
supply is Davidson Lake, just west of French Mill Brook. Although not currently protected under
the Environment Act, Hantsport is in the process of seeking the designation.
Climate
Environment Canada compiles climate normals or averages from climate stations across
Canada which can be used to describe the average climatic conditions of a particular location.
Table 7 shows temperature and precipitation data for two stations in West Hants (Windsor-
Martock and Summerville), along with the Mount Uniacke station just east of the municipal
boundary.
Table 7
Climate Normals, 1971-2000
Windsor-Martock, Summerville and Mount Uniacke Climate Stations
Windsor-
Martock
Summerville*
Mount
Uniacke*
Temperature – Annual
Daily Average ( o C) 7.4 6.8 5.8
Daily Maximum ( o C) 12.3 11.4 10.9
Daily Minimum ( o C) 2.4 2.1 0.6
Hot Days (max. temperature >30 o ) 5.1 0.76 1.8
Days with min. temperature >0 o 215 210.4 190.3
Growing Degree Days >5 o 1990.9 1808.2 1651.4
Growing Degree Days >10 o 1061 913.3 814.2
Precipitation – Annual
Rainfall (mm) 1073.6 857.5 1282.7
Snowfall (mm) 234.6 196.4 270.1
Total Precipitation (mm) 1308.2 1054 1552.6
Days with Rainfall (>=0.2 mm) 122.3 94.5 129.3
Days with Snowfall (>=0.2 mm) 37.9 31 43.6
Note: * Station meets World Meteorological Organization standards for temperature and precipitation.
Source: Environment Canada: www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?stnID=65...
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