Groundwater Resources

Groundwater Resources

Groundwater research in Montérégie-Est and Chaudière-Appalaches

Rene Lefebvre (INRS-ETE) and Christine Rivard (GSC-Quebec)

This research is carried out within Quebec’s program to foster knowledge about groundwater (PACES) of the Ministry for Sustainable development, the Environment and Parks (MDDEP) of Quebec. PACES seeks to provide a realistic overview of the groundwater resource of southern Quebec municipal areas. The ultimate goal of this program is to ensure the protection of the resource for the future.

The Montérégie-Est project covers the adjacent watersheds of the Yamaska and Richelieu rivers. Groundwater sampling, geophysical surveys, hydraulic tests, and installation of observation wells have been done. Result analysis is underway. This is a group project involving the following other researchers: Erwan Gloaguen, Richard Martel and Claudio Paniconi (INRS-ETE) and Michel Parent (GSC-Quebec).

The Chaudière-Appalaches project covers all of the municipal areas of the region, except for Lévis. Three one-year steps are planned: 1) data collection and integration in a database, 2) fieldwork to obtain a complete overview of the aquifer, and 3) a hydrogeological synthesis with thematic maps and a written report. Erwan Gloaguen collaborates on this project.

Groundwater Geoscience Program

Program Manager : Yves Michaud

The Groundwater Geoscience Program assesses aquifers and makes the data available through the Groundwater Information Network.

Groundwater Knowledge synthesis and Program Management

Alfonso Rivera

This project will produce a book to be published as a synthesis of the current knowledge of the groundwater resources in Canada. This book will be based on data, information and analysis of projects developed under this program, and with a strong input from the program’s main partners and stakeholders, the provincial governments and universities.

Groundwater Inventory

Hazen Russel

To advance groundwater management across Canada, the Geological Survey of Canada has identified thirty aquifers as a priority objective for assessment. The mapping and evaluation of 12 regional aquifers has been completed in 2009. Seven key aquifers have been identified for completion by 2014.

  1. Richelieu-Yamaska / Lake Champlain, Christine Rivard
    • Délimitation des eaux souterraines saumâtres en Montérégie Est, Québec, Canada; Beaudry, C; Malet, X; Lefebvre, R; Rivard, C. Commission géologique du Canada, Dossier public 6960, 2011, ; 31 pages, doi:10.4095/289123.
    • Gosselin, J-S, Rivard, C., Paniconi, C., Martel, R. 2011. Applicability of temperature profile techniques for estimating recharge fluxes through the vadose zone, GeoHydro2011, Congrès conjoint de la CANQUA et de l’AIH-CNC, Québec, Qc, 28-31 août 2011.
    • Lefebvre, R., Rivard, C., Carrier, M.A., Gloaguen, E., Parent, M., Pugin, A.J.M., Pullan, S.E., Benoît, N., Beaudry, C., Ballard, J.M., Chasseriau, P., Morin, R.H. 2011. Integrated regional characterization of the Montérégie Est aquifer system, Quebec, Canada, GeoHydro2011, Congrès conjoint de la CANQUA et de l’AIH-CNC, Québec, Qc, 28-31 août 2011.
    • Beaudry, C., Lefebvre, R., Rivard, C., Malet, X. 2011. Hydrogéochimie régionale des trois bassins versants de la région de la Montérégie Est, Québec, Canada, GeoHydro2011, Congrès conjoint de la CANQUA et de l’AIH-CNC, Québec, Qc, 28-31 août 2011.
    • Laurencelle, M., Morin, R.H., Lefebvre, R., Rivard, Paradis., D., Lavoie, D., Benoit, N., Carrier, M.-A., Beaudry, C. 2011. Initial characterization of fractures and hydraulic properties of the Montérégie Est rock aquifer system, GeoHydro2011, Congrès conjoint de la CANQUA et de l’AIH-CNC, Québec, Qc, 28-31 août 2011.
    • Pugin, A.J.-M., Pullan, S.E. 2011. Seismic reflection surveying in regional hydrogeology: An example from the Montérégie region, Quebec, Acte de conférence pour GeoHydro2011, Congrès conjoint de la CANQUA et de l’AIH-CNC, Québec, Qc, 28-31 août 2011.
    • Blouin, M., Gloaguen, E., Pugin, A.J.-M., Chasseriau, P. 2011, A 3D integrated approach for geological modeling to improve hydrogeological characterization, Acte de conférence pour GeoHydro2011, Congrès conjoint de la CANQUA et de l’AIH-CNC, Québec, Qc, 28-31 août 2011.
  2. Chaudière, Nicolas Benoît
  3. Saint-Maurice, Michel Parent
  4. Waterloo Moraine, Hazen Russell
  5. Buried Valleys, David Sharpe
  6. Milk River , Alfonso Rivera et Hazen Russell
  7. Nanaimo, Steve Grasby

In addition to these seven aquifer assessments, this project also includes a research activity on the remote sensing in support of aquifer mapping and assessments. These are described below.

  • Remote Sensing in support of Groundwater Studies, Shusen Wang

Groundwater Information Management and Dissemination

Boyan Brodaric

The ultimate result of the project is a national de-centralized groundwater information system that links key distributed groundwater databases, such as those held by NRCan as well as provincial and other agencies, and which provides methods and tools to use the data for augmented decision support.

  1. Groundwater Information Network, Boyan Brodaric
  2. NRCan Groundwater Database, Éric Boisvert
  3. Pathways to Groundwater Decision Support, Murray Journeay

Establishing a National Perspective of Groundwater Resources in Canada

Alfonso Rivera

  1. Potential Aquifer Maps of Canada, Hazen Russell et Paul Wozniak
    • Hydrogeological regions of Canada: Data release. Sharpe, D R; Russell, H A J; Grasby, S E; Wozniak, P R J; Commission géologique du Canada, Dossier public 5893, 2008; 20 pages; 1 CD-ROM, doi:10.4095/226194
    • Atlas du Canada, Carte des régions hydrogéologiques.
  2. National aquifer evaluation framework, David Sharpe et Marc Hinton
  3. Modelling Surface Water/Groundwater with the EALCO Model, Shusen Wang
  4. Characterizing Groundwater Variations using GRACE, Jianliang Huang

Publications

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