"You need to understand it to manage it." This was a consistent theme of Below Your Watershed — Understanding the Groundwater Connection, a recent two-day conference held by the South East Alberta Watershed Alliance in Medicine Hat.

Presentations ranged from overviews of "Groundwater in Southeastern Alberta" and "The Saskatchewan Groundwater Perspective" to research on "Groundwater Under the Direct Influence of Surface Water" and a "Domestic Well Monitoring" project. All the presentations underscored the importance of a better understanding, throughout the province, of the quantity, quality, and current use of groundwater in order to improve the management of it.

Hydrogeologist Roger Clissold, the keynote speaker for the conference, pointed out, "We often don't know exactly how much we are using." For example, in rural areas in Alberta, water metering is not common so how much groundwater is used for households is not known. Similarly, water use for agricultural purposes does not have to be measured — another problematic data gap. Clissold painted a troublesome picture of our groundwater balance sheet. If we don't know our "expenditures" (withdrawal rates), we can't have a strong handle on our "revenues" in terms of groundwater recharge rates. "For groundwater management purposes we must figure out use, recharge rates, and the availability of aquifers," he concluded.

Clissold's talk served as an excellent prelude to a presentation given by Steve Wallace, groundwater policy specialist with Alberta Environment. Wallace focused on five policy initiatives as follows:

1. Working Well Program

This program is a series of community-based, hands-on workshops for well owners designed to teach the basics about groundwater, well construction, and best management practices. Fifty-seven workshops have been conducted in 47 municipalities since 2008. Over 1,600 participants have attended the workshops thus far. For more information, visit http://www.environment.alberta.ca/3081.html

2. Ground Water Observation Well Network (GOWN)

GOWN started in 1956 and has over 250 active well across the province. Presently, around 200 of the GOWN wells are being monitored for water levels. More recently, groundwater quality sampling has been conducted in approximately 165 of the GOWN wells (about 30-40 wells per year). Twice a year, Alberta Environment recovers this information and uploads it on its website as hydrological graphs. For more details, visit http://www.environment.alberta.ca/apps/GOWN/Default.aspx; http://www.envinfo.gov.ab.ca/GroundWater/; http://www.environment.alberta.ca/apps/GOWN/Map.aspx

3. State of the Environment Reporting Website

This website is in the process of being improved and updated. The official launch date of the new website should occur sometime in late April or early May of this year. The website will include more information about air, land, water, and biodiversity indicators. Some of the groundwater indicators that will be found on the website include levels of nitrates and methane groundwater, and water well density. For more information, visit http://environment.alberta.ca/02488.html

4. Groundwater Vulnerability Mapping

These maps are being updated and extended in key land-use framework regions (e.g., South Saskatchewan, Red Deer, and North Saskatchewan regional areas). The maps provide a regional assessment of the potential relative risk of impacting groundwater resources from  development activities (i.e. shallow water contamination from surface activity). These maps are being done on a regional scale and are best used as screening tools but not to make local decisions. For more information, visit http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex10331

5. Provincial Groundwater Inventory

This inventory is the largest groundwater initiative being carried out by Alberta Environment (along with the Alberta Geological Survey). The aim of this 10-15 year project is to delineate the boundaries of aquifer systems, for all key areas across the province, and then classify them in terms of their quantity and quality.  The goal of this project is to gather sufficient information about the province's aquifer system in order to manage groundwater resources in a more sustainable manner. For more information, visit http://www.ags.gov.ab.ca/groundwater/groundwater.html

These initiatives presented by Alberta Environment at the conference show that the government has dedicated more resources to better understand the quality and quantity of groundwater resources in the province (e.g., by developing maps and engaging in more systematic monitoring activities). However, there is still a significant need to improve how we measure groundwater use in the province and ensure that groundwater resources are more sustainably used. The government must ensure that these initiatives, and future policy initiatives, live up to the expectations of Albertans and serve to better manage and protect the province's groundwater resources.

Sources

Clissold, R. 2010. Groundwater in Southeastern Alberta. Presentation given at the Below Your Watershed — Understanding the Groundwater Connection conference, Medicine Hat Lodge, March 11-12, 2010, in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

Nairne, R. 2010. Personal communication (telephone). Canmore, Alberta.

Wallace, S. 2010. Groundwater Observation Well Network and Provincial Groundwater Policy.

Presentation given at the Below Your Watershed — Understanding the Groundwater Connection conference, Medicine Hat Lodge, March 11-12, 2010, in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

Wallace, S. 2010. Personal communication (telephone). Canmore, Alberta.