Aquifer Mapping and Assessments

Hydrogeological Regions of Canada

Hydrogeological Regions

Cordillera: Mountains with thin sediment over fractured sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks of PreCambrian to Cenozoic age. Intermontane valleys are underlain by glacial and alluvial deposits of Pleistocene age.

Western Canada Sedimentary Basin: Region-wide basin of sub-horizontal Paleozoic to Cenozoic sedimentary rocks are overlain by thick glacial deposits filling buried valleys. Incised post-glacial valleys provide local relief. Shallow gas, coal, and brines may occur.

Canadian Shield: Undulating region of thin glacial sediment overlying complex deformed, fractured PreCambrian igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. Region contains several terrains: sedimentary basins, structural belts, and glacial-lacustrine basins.

Hudson Bay Basin: Sedimentary basin of Paleozoic to Mesozoic subhorizontal carbonate and clastic sediment covered by surficial deposits, with low relief and poor drainage.

Southern Ontario Lowlands: Eastern Great Lakes region is underlain by gently-dipping Paleozoic, carbonate, clastic and gypsum-salt strata overlain by glacial sediments up to 200 m thick with tunnel valleys. Karst, bedrock valleys, shallow gas and brines are also important components.

St. Lawrence Lowlands: Lowlands underlain by shallow-dipping Paleozoic sedimentary rocks and thick glacial sediment in glacial-marine basins. Appalachian and PreCambrian uplands discharge water to valleys. Shallow gas and saltwater intrusion are possible.

Appalachian Mountains: Upland to mountainous region with thin surficial sediment on folded Palaeozoic sedimentary and igneous rocks. Range of rock types yields a wide range of water compositions. Valleys contain important alluvial aquifers.

Maritimes Basin: Lowlands with flat-lying, Carboniferous clastic , salt, and gypsum rocks contain shallow coal deposits. Surface glacial sediment is thin and discontinuous. Salt water intrusion is possible.

Permafrost: Arctic islands and most areas north of 60° contain frozen ground affects on groundwater flow. Diverse topography and geology define sub-regions of sedimentary basins and crystalline rocks. Glacial sediment is thin, discontinuous; local peat accumulations are significant.

Aquifer Assessments Status

Completed (12 aquifers by 2009)

  • Fraser Lowlands (ID: 3);
  • Portneuf (ID: 30)
  • Winnipeg (ID: 14)
  • Carboniferous (ID: 24)
  • Mirabel (ID: 25)
  • Gulf Islands (ID: 1)
  • Oak Ridges Moraine (ID; 18)
  • Annapolis (ID: 23)
  • Châteauguay (ID:26)
  • Okanagan (ID: 4)
  • Paskapoo (ID: 6)
  • Sandilands (ID: 16)

Underway (7 new aquifers from 2009 to 2014)

  • Richelieu-Lake Champlain (ID: 27)
  • Chaudière (ID: 28)
  • St Maurice (ID: 29)
  • Buried Valleys (ID: 7)
  • Waterloo Moraine (ID: 21)
  • Milk River (ID: 9)
  • Nanaimo (ID: 2)

Not initiated (11 aquifers, beyond 2014)

  • Shushwap Highlands (ID: 5)
  • Upper Cretaceous sands (ID: 8)
  • Judith River (ID: 10)
  • Eastend-Ravenscrag (ID: 11)
  • Inter-till aquifers (ID: 12)
  • Carbonate Rock (ID: 13)
  • Odanah shale (ID: 15)
  • Assiniboine Delta (ID: 17)
  • Grand River Basin (ID: 19)
  • Credit River (ID: 20)
  • Upper Thames (ID: 22)
Key Aquifers
Aquifer Region Province Size Usage Status Risk
Gulf Islands fractured aquifers Cordillera British Columbia 475 km2 Domestic (D) Completed Growing Population (GP), Contamination (C)
Nanimo Lowland Cordillera British Columbia Unknown Domestic (D), Agriculture (A) Underway Unknown
Fraser Lowlands Cordillera British Columbia Unknown Domestic (D), Agriculture (A) Completed Unknown
Okanagan Valley Cordillera British Columbia 1000 km2 (CAN) Domestic (D) Completed Growing Population (GP), Agriculture (A)
Shushwap Highlands Cordillera British Colombia Unknown Domestic (D) not initiated Unknown
Paskapoo Western Plains Alberta 70000 km2 Domestic (D), Agriculture (A), Energy (E), Industry (I) Completed Growing Population (GP), Agriculture (A), Industry (I), Energy (E), Geothermal Energy (G)
Buried valley/blanket aquifers Western Plains Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba Unknown Domestic (D), Energy (E), Industry (I) Underway Unknown
Upper Cretaceous Western Plains Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba Unknown Domestic (D), Energy (E), Industry (I) Not initiated Unknown
Milk River Western Plains Alberta Unknown Domestic (D), Agriculture (A) Underway Unknown
Judith River Western Plains Saskatchewan, Alberta Unknown Domestic (D), Agriculture (A) Not initiated Unknown
Eastend-Ravenscrag Western Plains Saskatchewan Unknown Domestic (D), Agriculture (A) Not initiated Unknown
Inter-till aquifers Western Plains Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba Unknown Domestic (D), Agriculture (A) Not initiated Unknown
Carbonate rock Western Plains Manitoba Unknown Domestic (D) Not initiated Unknown
Basal Clastic Unit (Winnipeg) Western Plains Manitoba Unknown Domestic (D), Industry (I) Completed Unknown
Odanah shale Western Plains Manitoba Unknown Domestic (D) Not initiated Unknown
Sandilands Western Plains Manitoba 400 km2 Domestic (D) Completed Growing Population (GP), Agriculture (A)
Assiniboine delta Western Plains Manitoba Unknown Domestic (D) Not initiated Unknown
Oak Ridges Moraine Southern Ontario Ontario 2500 km2 Domestic (D), Industry (I) Completed Growing Population (GP), Industry (I)
Grand River Basin Southern Ontario Ontario Unknown Domestic (D) Not initiated Unknown
Credit River Southern Ontario Ontario Unknown Domestic (D) Not initiated Unknown
Waterloo Moraine Southern Ontario Ontario Unknown Domestic (D) Underway Unknown
Upper Thames Southern Ontario Ontario Unknown Domestic (D) Not initiated Unknown
Annapolis-Cornwallis valleys Maritimes Basin Nova Scotia 2600 kn2 Domestic (D), Agriculture (A) Completed Growing Population (GP), Agriculture (A)
Carboniferous basin Maritimes Basin Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia 11000 km2 Domestic (D), Agriculture (A) Completed Growing Population (GP), Agriculture (A)
Mirabel St. Lawrence Lowlands and Appalachia Québec 1500 km2 Domestic (D), Agriculture (A), Industry (I) Completed Growing Population (GP), Agriculture (A), Industry (I)
Châteauguay St. Lawrence Lowlands and Appalachia Québec 1450 km2 (CAN), 1200 km2 (USA) Domestic (D), Agriculture (A), Industry (I) Completed Agriculture (A), Industry (I)
Richelieu St. Lawrence Lowlands and Appalachia Québec Unknown Domestic (D), Agriculture (A) Underway Unknown
Chaudière St. Lawrence Lowlands and Appalachia Québec 1450 km2 (CAN), 1200 km2 (USA) Domestic (D), Agriculture (A), Industry (I) Underway Unknown
Maurice St. Lawrence Lowlands and Appalachia Québec Unknown Domestic (D), Industry (I) Underway Unknown
Portneuf St. Lawrence Lowlands and Appalachia Québec 525 km2 Domestic (D), Agriculture (A) Completed Unknown

Project Highlights (2009-2014)