Earth Sciences Report 1974-06

Author(s) Date 1973-12-31

The chemistry and water level distribution of the near-surface groundwaters are described and interpreted on a regional basis. To facilitate description and interpretation the available basic data were sorted into three groups. These groups were data from the drift, data from the upper 75 feet of bedrock and data from the bedrock from 75 to 250 feet. The data for each of these layers were then automatically contoured. These contour maps of chemistry and water levels for each layer are presented in the report. Interpretation of the contoured data led to the following major conclusions: the water level distribution closely resembles surface topography; over most of the area flow has a downward component relative to the water table; buried channel sands and gravels act as high permeability line-sinks and are a major influence on water level distribution; soils and drift lithology are the major influence on groundwater chemistry, flow direction is a minor influence; Stony Plain and Gladu Peak are major areas of infiltration to groundwater; ion exchange occurs from the drift to bedrock quickly and completely and some sulfate reduction takes place from drift to bedrock.

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Bibby, R. (1974): Regional chemistry and water level distribution of the near-surface groundwaters of the Edmonton area (northwest segment) Alberta; Alberta Research Council, ARC/AGS Earth Sciences Report 1974-06, 80 p.