Hydrogeology of the Winagami area, Alberta

The Winagami map area is underlain by the sediments of the Shaftesbury, Dunvegan, Kaskapau, Bad Heart, Puskwaskau and Wapiti Formations of Lower and Upper Cretaceous age. The groundwater yields of the area vary from less 0.07 L/s (100 igpm). The presence of the Puskwaskau and Kaskapau sediments and lacustrine clays near Falher and in the northern half of the map area produce poor yields. The Wapiti sediments in the south yield from 0.07 to 0.35 L/s (1 to 5 igpm) and the sediments of the High Prairie and Valleyview channel yield 2 to 8 L/s (25 to 100 igpm) and sporadically reach 30 L/s (400 igpm) and sometimes more in the vicinity of High Prairie.

Groundwater quality is variable: total dissolved solids range from 200 to 3000 mg/L. Groundwater types are calcium/magnesium bicarbonate; however, sodium-chloride and sodium-sulfate types of water are found in the High Prairie channel.