Hydrogeology of the Whitecourt area, Alberta

The Whitecourt map area is only thinly covered by drift over most of the region northwest of the Athabasca River. The drift thickness may exceed 100 feet (30 m) in places in the southern, southeastern and eastern parts of the area in buried valleys. Sand and sand and gravel within these valleys form important aquifers which may yield upwards of 25 igpm (about 2 l/sec) to a single well. Two formations, both continental shale-sand sequences, the Paskapoo Formation of Paleocene-Late Cretaceous age, and the Wapiti Formation of Late Cretaceous age, underlie most of the area. Single well yields from aquifers within these formations generally range between 5 to 25 igpm (0.4 to 2 l/sec) although areas of both higher and lower production are to be found.

Sodium bicarbonate waters with total dissolved solids contents from 500 to 2000 ppm are the rule within commonly utilized aquifers at depths of less than 500 feet (150 m). The total dissolved solids contents are lowest in wells in the areas with more rugged topography and highest in the area of low relief.