Work will soon be underway to create 3D groundwater mapping in an area stretching from just north of Mount Forest south to Elmira.
Wellington North was informed of the work in a presentation from geologist Abigail Burt with the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines at their meeting Monday evening. The work involves an area of about 1,900 square kilometers and will take about three to four years to complete, the engineer told councillors.
The end result will establish a 3D cross section mapping system that will show layers of sediment and ground water locations.
The information will show how groundwater circulates and the potential for contamination to reach it. It’s information that could be used to avoid a similar water tragedy that happened in Walkerton in 2000. Burt said some of the work will involve drilling holes, a procedure that can take three to four days. The holes are generally drilled on municipally-owned property. “The study is being undertaken to better understand the distribution and characteristics of subsurface aquifers (buried sand and gravel) that host important groundwater resources,” she said in an email to the township.
Some 15,000 water sources, municipal, private and commercial, operate in the coverage area.
“This information will enable informed land use decisions regarding the protection of sensitive lands as well as significant groundwater recharge areas. Data and observations captured as part of this study will provide valuable information for Source Water Protection Plans.”
