Hydrogeology of the Grande Prairie Area, Alberta

The Grande Prairie map area is located between longitudes 118 degrees west and 120 degrees west and latitudes 55 degrees north and 56 degrees north. It covers approximately 6000 square miles (15,500 square km). Precipitation is about 18 inches (46 cm) annually while the potential evapotranspiration is about 19 inches (48 cm).

Geological units of hydrogeological interest include the surficial deposits, the Wapiti Formation, and the Smoky Group. The latter two are of Late Cretaceous age.

The region is divided into two hydrogeological areas: 1) a southern area in which groundwater is abundant, with 20-year safe yields of 25 igpm (2 l/sec) common and water of reasonably good quality and 2) a northern area in which groundwater is not usually available and is of very poor quality. In addition-to the 1:250,000 scale groundwater availability map, maps at 1:1,000,000 scale present the hydrochemistry of the surficial deposits and of the bedrock.