| Title | Assessing the hydrologic and environmental impacts of climate change with an integrated groundwater and surface water model |
| Download | Download (whole publication) |
| |
| Licence | Please note the adoption of the Open Government Licence - Canada
supersedes any previous licences. |
| Author | Van Vliet, D; Bastien, J; Ghbn, N |
| Source | Regional-scale groundwater geoscience in southern Ontario: an Ontario Geological Survey, Geological Survey of Canada, and Conservation Ontario open house; by Russell, H A J ; Ford, D; Priebe, E H; Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 8212, 2017 p. 36,
https://doi.org/10.4095/299803  Open Access |
| Year | 2017 |
| Publisher | Natural Resources Canada |
| Meeting | Ontario Geological Survey and Geological Survey of Canada groundwater geoscience open house; Guelph; CA; March 1-2, 2017 |
| Document | open file |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | on-line; digital |
| Related | This publication is contained in Regional-scale groundwater
geoscience in southern Ontario: an Ontario Geological Survey, Geological Survey of Canada, and Conservation Ontario open house |
| File format | pdf |
| Province | Ontario |
| NTS | 30M/04; 30M/05; 40P/01; 40P/08 |
| Area | Hamilton; Spencer Creek |
| Lat/Long WENS | -80.3333 -79.6667 43.5000 43.1667 |
| Subjects | hydrogeology; environmental geology; soils science; Nature and Environment; groundwater; aquifers; surface waters; wetlands; climate; groundwater resources; resource management; regional planning;
watersheds; hydrologic environment; environmental impacts; models; water levels; soils; soil moisture; temperature; precipitation; ecosystems; flora; faunas; Spencer Creek Watershed; Climate change; adaptation; monitoring |
| Program | Groundwater Geoscience Aquifer Assessment & support to mapping |
| Released | 2017 02 22 |
| Abstract | There has been increased public awareness of the potential impacts of climate change on water resources in the Spencer Creek Watershed in Hamilton. This study, commissioned by Hamilton Conservation
Authority and the City of Hamilton was completed as a pilot study to evaluate not only potential impacts to surface water hydrology, but explore how an integrated model can provide a thorough assessment on those groundwater and surface water
interactions relating to environmental flows and wetlands.
The team for this project consisted of Matrix Solutions Inc., McMaster University, and the Ontario Climate Consortium (OCC). This pilot project received funding support from the Royal Bank
of Canada (RBC) Blue Water Project, the City of Hamilton, Hamilton Conservation Authority, and Mitacs.
1. The study goals included the following:
2. Characterize local future climates and create future climate change scenarios with which to
evaluate infrastructure and environmental vulnerabilities in the Hamilton area.
3. Apply possible future climates to an integrated groundwater and surface water model of the Spencer Creek watershed.
4. Compare baseline watershed and hydrologic
and hydrogeologic conditions and future conditions against multiple impact indicators to assess vulnerabilities to climate change in the Spencer Creek watershed.
5. Recommend adaptation and monitoring measures to address the risks posed to the
watershed by both current and future climate scenarios.
Future projected climate changes include increases in mean annual temperature, maximum temperatures, growing degree-days, and evapotranspiration. In addition, the models predict potential
increases in total annual precipitation, more days with substantial rainfall and more long duration events. All of these potential changes may affect the form and function of the environmental features in the watershed. The effect of these changes on
environmental features may affect water levels and soil moisture in wetlands and warmer stream temperatures. These hydrologic changes may then result in shifts in wetland species and more habitat for invasive species. For coldwater streams, these
changes could mean loss of brook trout habitat; and for forest habitats, vernal pools supporting amphibian reproduction may be lost. Warming and drying of forests may lead to shifts in vegetation and loss of rare species. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
Proceedings for Regional-Scale Groundwater Geoscience in Southern Ontario open house organized by the Ontario Geological Survey, Geological Survey of
Canada and Conservation Ontario Geoscientists. Open house is on 2017-03-01 and 02. Purpose is public engagement and dissemination of geoscience completed in Southern Ontario during the past year. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 299803 |
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