Abstract
A hydrogeological study was conducted in northwestern New Brunswick, Canada, to improve the predictability of fracture-dominated groundwater flow within folded bedrock composed of fine-grained turbidites. Borehole televiewer logging and outcrop mapping, integrated with hydraulic packer tests revealed enhanced hydraulic conductivity associated with northeasterly striking bedding-plane fractures formed during folding and flexural slip. These fractures impart azimuthal anisotropy to the aquifer because of moderately dipping fold limbs. High-angle fractures form a well-developed non-stratabound network, comprising two open fracture sets striking NNE parallel to the current direction of principal stress, and WNW parallel to the direction of principal stress that dominated during the Acadian orogeny. The subset of fractures showing significant oxidation, deemed most important to the groundwater flow system, is dominated by bedding-plane and high-angle fractures striking near-parallel to the maximum principal stress direction, resulting in extensional opening and enhanced hydraulic conductivities. An equivalent porous media model, incorporating anisotropy and varying hydraulic conductivity with depth, indicates that horizontal flow dominates the aquifer with relatively minor exchange between different model layers. These findings have implications for understanding flow directions in the Black Brook Watershed and elsewhere in the Matapédia Basin where fractures formed under similar stress conditions.
Résumé
Une étude hydrogéologique a été conduite au nord-ouest de New Brunswick au Canada pour améliorer la prévision des écoulements souterrains dominés par la fracturation, au sein d’un socle plissé composé de turbidites à grains fins. Les opérations d’inspection télévisée de forage et la cartographie des affleurements, combinées avec des tests hydrauliques entre packers, révèlent une conductivité hydraulique plus forte en liaison avec des plans de fractures orientés nord-est formés durant le plissement et le glissement de la flexure. Ces fractures confèrent une anisotropie directionnelle à l’aquifère en raison d’un pendage modéré des couches plissées. Les fractures à angle élevé développent un réseau indépendant des strates, comprenant deux ensembles de fractures ouvertes de direction NNE, parallèles à la direction de contrainte principale dominante pendant l’orogénèse acadienne. Le sous-ensemble de fractures qui montre une oxydation significative, considéré comme le plus important pour le système d’écoulement des eaux souterraines, est dominé par des plans de stratification et des fractures d’angles élevés de direction subparallèle à la direction de la contrainte maximale principale, avec pour conséquence une ouverture en extension et des perméabilités plus élevées. Un modèle de milieux poreux équivalent, incorporant l'anisotropie et la conductivité hydraulique variable avec la profondeur, indique que l'écoulement horizontal domine dans la couche aquifère avec des échanges relativement mineurs entre les différentes couches du modèle. Ces résultats ont des implications sur la compréhension des directions d’écoulements dans le bassin versant de Black Brook et ailleurs dans le bassin de Matapédia où les fractures se sont formées sous des conditions de contraintes similaires.
Resumen
Se llevó a cabo un estudio hidrogeológico en el noroeste de New Brunswick, Canadá, para mejorar la predictibilidad del flujo de agua subterránea dominado por fracturas dentro del basamento plegado compuesto de turbiditas de grano fino. El registro de videos de perforaciones y el mapeo de afloramientos, integrados con pruebas hidráulicas con packer revelaron una conductividad hidráulica enriquecida asociada con fracturas de estratificación planas de rumbo noreste formadas durante el plegamiento y flexo deslizamiento. Estas fracturas provocan una anisotropía azimutal en el acuífero debido a que los limbos de los pliegues tienen un buzamiento moderado. Fracturas de alta ángulo forman una red bien desarrollada de un sistema no estratoligada, comprendiendo dos conjuntos de fracturas abiertas con rumbo NNE paralelo a la dirección actual de la tensión principal, y WNW paralela a la dirección de la tensión principal que dominó durante la orogenia Acadiana. El subconjunto de fracturas que muestra una oxidación significativa, asociado mayormente al sistema de flujo de agua subterránea, está dominado por planos de estratificación y fracturas de alto ángulo con rumbo prácticamente paralelo a la dirección de máxima tensión principal, lo que resulta en una apertura extensional y conductividades hidráulicas aumentadas. Un modelo de medio poroso equivalente, que incorpora anisotropía y variaciones de conductividad hidráulica con la profundidad, indican que el flujo horizontal domina el acuífero con un relativamente pequeños intercambios entre las diferentes capas del modelo. Estos hallazgos tienen implicancia para entender las direcciones de flujo en la Black Brook Watershed y en cualquier otro lugar en la cuenca Matapédia donde las fracturas se formaron bajo condiciones similares de tensión.
摘要
在加拿大新布伦瑞克省西北部进行了水文地质研究,以增进由细颗粒浊积岩组成的皱褶基岩内断裂主导的地下水流的看预测性。钻孔视频录井和出露填图并结合水力压水试验揭示了与皱褶和曲滑期间形成的东北向层理面断裂相关的、增强的水力传导率。因为皱褶体中度倾斜,这些断裂给含水层传递了方位各向异性。高角度断裂形成了发育良好的非层控网络,包括两个开放的断裂组,走向北北东的断裂组平行于目前主要应力方向,走向西北西的断裂组平行于阿卡迪亚造山运动期间主导的主要应力方向。有显著氧化的断裂亚组被认为对地下水流系统来说最重要,受走向与最大主要应力方向接近平行的节理面及高角度断裂控制,导致缝隙扩大及水力传导率增加。各向异性和随深度变化的水力传导率合并一起的等同孔隙介质模型显示,水平流主导着含水层,不同模型层之间的交换相对较少。这些发现对了解Black Brook流域的水流方向及Matapédia盆地中相似应力条件下形成断裂的其他地方的水流方向有重要启示作用。
Resumo
Foi realizado um estudo hidrogeológico no noroeste de New Brunswick, no Canadá, para melhorar a previsibilidade do fluxo de águas subterrâneas dominado por fraturas no bedrock composto por turbiditos de granulometria fina afetados por dobramentos. Um furo com registo de imagem e mapeamento de afloramentos, juntamente com testes packer hidráulicos revelou condutividade hidráulica melhorada associada a fraturas de planos de estratificação de orientação NE formados durante o movimento de dobramento e flexão. Estas fraturas transmitem anisotropia azimutal ao aquífero devido à moderada inclinação dos flancos da dobra. Fraturas de elevado ângulo formam uma rede não estratificada bem desenvolvida, composta por dois conjuntos de fraturas abertas orientadas a NNE, paralelas à direção de tensão principal atual, e WNW, paralelas à direção de tensão principal que dominou durante a orogenia Acadiana. O subconjunto de fraturas mostrando oxidação significativa, considerado o mais importante para o sistema de fluxo de águas subterrâneas, é dominado por planos de estratificação e fraturas de elevado ângulo quase paralelas à direção principal de tensão máxima, resultando em aberturas extensas e condutividade hidráulica elevada. Um modelo equivalente de meio poroso, incorporando anisotropia e variação da condutividade hidráulica com a profundidade, indica que o fluxo horizontal domina o aquífero, com trocas relativamente menores entre as diferentes camadas do modelo. Estes resultados têm implicações para a compreensão das direções de fluxo na Bacia Hidrográfica de Black Brook e noutros locais da Bacia de Matapédia, onde as fraturas são formadas sob condições de tensão semelhantes.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank Greg Bickerton and John Voralek from the Environment Canada’s National Water Research Institute (Burlington, ON) for conducting the constant head tests in the Black Brook Watershed. Special thanks go to Mona Levesque and Sylvie Lavoie from AAFC and Michael West for their assistance during field work. The authors acknowledge Dr. Yefang Jiang (AAFC) who initiated drilling of the boreholes during the early stages of the joint EC-AAFC groundwater research program in the BBW. Finally, the authors are also grateful to DF Boutt, JR Shackleton and an anonymous reviewer for thorough and insightful comments that improved this manuscript considerably. Funding for this study was provided by Environment Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food A-Base projects, the New Brunswick Environmental Trust Fund, and NSERC.
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DesRoches, A., Danielescu, S. & Butler, K. Structural controls on groundwater flow in a fractured bedrock aquifer underlying an agricultural region of northwestern New Brunswick, Canada. Hydrogeol J 22, 1067–1086 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-014-1134-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-014-1134-0