Waterford, home to two rivers and three canals, conjures up images of and involvement in water by its very name. The native population enjoyed the bounty of the waters for subsidy and transportation. Europeans arrived by boat, seeking a passageway to the West, and their journey ended in Waterford. Early settlers realized the ability to ford the rivers and found the soil bountiful from frequent overflow. As land was farmed and developed, rivers were dammed for transport and harnessed for power, and canals were channeled. Water was being utilized but never truly controlled, as the floods of many seasons have demonstrated. The water in this area is a gift, but it can at times create great devastation. Waterfordians, from the pre-Columbian era to the present day, have learned to respect the power of the rivers.