| Title | The Ontario Geological Survey's groundwater initiative: deliverables, data, derivatives and future direction |
| Download | Download (whole publication) |
| Author | Mulligan, R P M; Bajc, A F; Brunton, F R B; Burt, A K; Dell, K M; Hamilton, S M; Priebe, E H |
| Source | Regional-scale groundwater geoscience in southern Ontario: an Ontario Geological Survey, Geological Survey of Canada, and Conservation Ontario geoscientists open house; by Russell, H A J; Ford, D; Priebe,
E H; Holysh, S; Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 8363, 2018 p. 29, https://doi.org/10.4095/306557 (Open Access) |
| Year | 2018 |
| Publisher | Natural Resources Canada |
| Meeting | Regional-Scale Groundwater Geoscience in Southern Ontario: Open House; Guelph; CA; February 28 - March 1, 2018 |
| Document | open file |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | on-line; digital |
| Related | This publication is contained in Russell, H A J; Ford, D;
Priebe, E H; Holysh, S; (2018). Regional-scale groundwater geoscience in southern Ontario: an Ontario Geological Survey, Geological Survey of Canada, and Conservation Ontario geoscientists open house, Geological Survey of Canada, Open File
8363 |
| File format | pdf |
| Province | Ontario |
| NTS | 30; 31C; 31D; 40; 41A; 41G; 41H/03; 41H/04; 41H/05; 41H/06; 41H/12; 41H/13 |
| Area | Simcoe County; Southern Ontario |
| Lat/Long WENS | -84.0000 -76.0000 46.0000 41.5000 |
| Subjects | hydrogeology; regional geology; surficial geology/geomorphology; geochemistry; geophysics; environmental geology; groundwater; groundwater resources; aquifers; groundwater resources; resource
management; hydrostratigraphic units; groundwater geochemistry; groundwater flow; groundwater regimes; modelling; boreholes; hydraulic analyses; cuestas; water quality; stratigraphic correlations; urban geology; 3D mapping; karst; groundwater
recharge areas; drinking water; groundwater-surface water interaction; Phanerozoic; Cenozoic; Quaternary; Paleozoic; Devonian; Silurian |
| Program | Groundwater Geoscience,
Aquifer Assessment & support to mapping |
| Released | 2018 02 16 |
| Abstract | Regional mapping investigations by the Ontario Geological Survey (OGS) to support groundwater studies in southern Ontario have expanded significantly since 2001. The OGS groundwater initiative involves
the collection and dissemination of high-quality geoscience data to enhance characterization of the subsurface through the execution of three mapping activities; 3-D Paleozoic bedrock mapping, 3-D Quaternary sediment mapping, and ambient groundwater
geochemistry mapping.
3-D Paleozoic bedrock mapping studies aim to characterize and delineate stratigraphic units that host aquifers and control local and regional bedrock groundwater flow systems. Mapping, drilling and collaborative
investigations in Silurian strata along the Niagara Escarpment (including 397 boreholes) have led to an improved understanding of the occurrence, connectivity and genesis of karst systems as well as the hydraulic properties of these bedrock flow
systems (GRS16). Integrative studies have also supported the mapping of groundwater recharge areas and chemical evolution profiles (MRD337) for key hydrostratigraphic units. The next phase of study involves mapping bedrock units, buried cuestas and
bedrock potable groundwater flow zones in upper Silurian to Middle Devonian strata of southwestern Ontario.
3-D Quaternary sediment mapping investigations produce 3-D models of regional-scale stratigraphic units. The models aid in
hydrostratigraphic assessment and correlation of sediment units as well as the delineation of potential recharge areas and a better understanding of surface water-groundwater interactions. Projects are complete in Waterloo (GRS03),
Brantford-Woodstock (GRS10), Barrie-Oro (GRS11), and Orangeville-Fergus (GRS15). Borehole data collected for the South Simcoe area is available (MRD324) and model construction is nearing completion. Geophysical data collected by the Geological Survey
of Canada to support ongoing mapping in the Niagara (MRD353) and south and central Simcoe areas are available (GSC OF8251; 7883; 8252). Results from 3-D sediment mapping projects have produced a database of subsurface information from >350 boreholes
in southern Ontario.
The ambient groundwater geochemistry project provides an improved understanding of the relationships between groundwater chemistry and the composition of aquifers in southern Ontario, as well as insights on the flow
evolution, residence time, and vulnerability of groundwater systems, through the collection and analysis of untreated bedrock- and overburden-derived groundwater at >1850 locations (MRD283-REV). Ambient geochemistry data have led to the
identification of multiple natural and anthropogenic factors locally affecting groundwater quality in the province. Derivative products include improved characterization and delineation of rapid recharge areas and subsurface karst terrain. Ongoing
work has shifted focus to Ontario's near-north, from Manitoulin Island eastward to the North Bay area.
In the future, the groundwater initiative aims to enhance integration of its three core activities thereby providing a holistic approach to
assessments of the provincial groundwater resource. Continued investigations will allow for the synthesis of information from individual regional studies to scales suitable for the analysis across multiple watersheds and possibly at the scale of the
Great Lakes drainage basin. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 306557 |
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