Greensville Tier 3
Tier 2 Water Budget analysis completed under the Clean Water Act identified Middle Spencer Creek for further analysis at the Tier 3 Risk Assessment level. Earthfx was hired by the Halton–Hamilton Source Protection Region to complete assess the water quantity risks and drought sustainability the Greensville Municipal well. Major features for in the study area include the Niagara Escarpment, large quarry operations and growing urban development in the North Hamilton area.
Regional Groundwater Model of the Regional Municipality of Durham
The Regional Municipality of Durham lies east of Toronto and encompasses an area of approximately 2,600 square kilometres. Population centres within the area include a number of urban communities along the Lake Ontario shoreline and a variety of small towns, villages, and hamlets that lie further inland. The region includes portions of the Lake Simcoe and Lake Scugog shorelines. The Oak Ridges Moraine is a significant physiographic feature and an area of high groundwater recharge and runs parallel to the shoreline about 24 kilometres north of Lake Ontario.
Regional Groundwater Model for the Grand River Basin
Earthfx Incorporated developed a preliminary regional-scale groundwater model for the entire Grand River Conservation Authority area. The objective of the study was to better understand regional groundwater flow in the GRCA and evaluate the interaction between the river and the various aquifer systems in the basin. A key aspect of the study was the integration of multiple smaller-scale models that were completed within the GRCA, including the RMOW River Wells model, the Waterloo Moraine Model, and the Cambridge and Guelph water supply models along with a number of smaller subwatershed-scale models.
Milton Tier 3 Water Budget and Water Quantity Risk Assessment, Milton, Ontario
The Region of Halton operates 3 municipal wellfields for the Town of Milton- the fastest growing community in Canada. The wells lie within a re-entrant (valley) cut into the Niagara Escarpment. High recharge occurs over the exposed Paleozoic bedrock in the upland and over the glacial outwash sediments in the valley. Kelso wellfield is located 400 m from Kelso Lake, part of the flood control system for Milton. The degree of interaction between the reservoir and the deep wells was unknown at the outset of this study. Nearby limestone quarry operations also indirectly affect the wellfields.
Tier 1 Water Budget Model for the Conservation Halton Area
Earthfx completed multiple modelling assessments for Halton Region beginning with the development of models for the Milton area, which were used in the Halton Aquifer Management Plan (Holysh, 1995). This work continued and expanded with development of a geologic database for the Region (2004) and a regional groundwater flow model (2006).
Database and Groundwater Model Analysis of the Oak Ridges Moraine, Ontario
Land development in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is encroaching on the high recharge areas of the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM). The ORM provides drinking water for over 2 million residents and headwater streamflow for all the major rivers in the GTA. As part of provincial efforts to protect the moraine, Earthfx was hired to develop a database, regional scale groundwater flow model and sub-regional scale refined model of the GTA core area. The first major phase of this project, completed by Earthfx in 2006, set the foundation for ongoing groundwater management across the entire ORM area.
Peel Region Water Resources Management Model 2019
In March, 2019 Earthfx was contracted by the Region of Peel to develop a fully integrated GSFLOW surface water/groundwater model of the entire region. This project, referred to as the “Peel Water Resources Management Model, 2019” (PWRMM19) represents a major advance over previous surface water hydrology and groundwater models and will produce an authoritative decision-support tool that will guide water resources management and long-term planning efforts. Key applications include source water protection, engineering and watershed and wetland management
Whitemans Creek Tier Three Local Area Water Budget, Risk Assessment, and Drought Impact Study
The Whitemans Creek subwatershed is located in southwestern Ontario immediately south of the Region of Waterloo (left). The subwatershed drains an area of approximately 400 km² and discharges to the main branch of the Grand River. Agricultural activity comprises over 75% of the land use in the watershed. The area is also home to a number of Provincially Significant Wetlands (PSW’s) and sensitive coldwater fisheries. This important subwatershed has been the focus of water management studies since the 1950’s, as total permitted irrigation rates (primarily from drought sensitive shallow sand aquifers in the lower watershed) exceed 80,000 m³/d (21,100 Mgal/d).
Tier 3 Water Budget and Water Quantity Risk Assessment, Regional Municipality of York, Ontario, Canada
Under the 2006 Clean Water Act, watershed-based Source Water Protection studies are conducted to assess risks to municipal water supplies from a water quantity and water quality perspective. Assessing risks due to land use change, drought, and interference from other water takings requires an understanding of the water budget in the area surrounding the municipal wells. York Region operates 12 municipal wellfields. The risk to the wellfields, as well as the impact of the wellfields on other users, cold water streams, and Provincially Significant Wetlands was evaluated.The study focussed on the development, calibration, and application of an integrated surface water/groundwater model to assess the water budget in the study area, delineate wellhead protection areas, and assess the risk to the municipal supply wells.