Groundwater below Lake Simcoe?

C.F.M. Lewis and B.J. Todd et al. - Hydrogeology of the Lake Simcoe Basin: A Geophysical View of Stratigraphy Beneath the Lake

C.F.M. Lewis and B.J. Todd and co-authors have just finished a hydrogeologic study of the Lake Simcoe basin. Lake Simcoe covers nearly 25% of its entire watershed, and yet very little is known about the thickness, continuity, configuration, and water transmissibility of the sediments below the lake. It was the specific aim of the study to rectify this situation. With the southern portion of the catchment basin falling within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), water resources will soon be put under increased stress due to a growing population and climate change. An in-depth knowledge of the sub-surface stratigraphy will allow local governments to manage the groundwater supply more efficiently, and help prevent water shortages in the future. To achieve this, previous seismic reflection profiles collected by the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) have been interpreted. Aided by new core samples taken from various sites throughout the lake, several geologically distinct layers were recognized in the profiles and correlated to similar sequences found at onshore locations. With this new information, the water management authority of the region will be able to better understand future supply and storage within the basin, and how a changing climate may impact it.

For more information contact Mike Lewis or ERCC@nrcan.gc.ca

The Oak Ridges Moraine marks the southern edge of the Lake Simcoe drainage basin (Photo Courtesy of Richard Fernandes)

The Oak Ridges Moraine marks the southern edge of the Lake Simcoe drainage basin

(Photo Courtesy of Richard Fernandes)

References
Hydrogeology of the Lake Simcoe basin: a geophysical view of stratigraphy beneath the lake; Lewis, C F M; Todd, B J; King, J W; Goodyear, D R; Slattery, S R. , .(ESS Cont.# 20070269 In Press).

Lewis, C.F.M., Todd, B.J., King, J.W., Goodyear, D.R., Slattery, S.R. 2007. Hydrogeology of the Lake Simcoe Basin: A geophysical view of stratigraphy beneath the lake. In Proceedings of OttawaGeo2007: The Diamond Jubilee, the 60th Canadian Geotechnical Conference and the 8th Joint CGS/International Association of Hydrogeologists Groundwater Conference, 21-25 October 2007, Ottawa, Ontario, pp. 523-530. CD-ROM.

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