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Groundwater occurrence in cold environments: examples from Nunavik, Canada

Occurrence des eaux souterraines dans des environnements froids: exemples du Nunavik, Canada

Ocurrencia de agua subterránea en ambientes fríos: ejemplos de Nunavik, Canadá

寒冷环境中地下水的赋存状况:加拿大努那维克的实例

Ocorrência de água subterrânea em ambientes frios: exemplos de Nunavik, Canadá

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Abstract

Water availability and management issues related to the supply of drinking water in northern communities are problematic in Canada. While rivers and lakes are abundant, they are vulnerable to contamination and may become dry in winter due to freezing. Groundwater can often provide a more secure and sustainable water source, however its availability is limited in northern Canada due to the presence of permafrost. Moreover, the exploitation of northern aquifers poses a dual challenge of identifying not only permafrost-free areas, but also permeable areas which will allow groundwater recharge and exploitation. Suitable aquifers are not as common in northern Canada since the shallow subsurface is mostly composed of low-permeability crystalline rocks or unconsolidated sediments of glacial origin that are highly heterogeneous. In order to investigate groundwater occurrence and associated geological contexts in Nunavik (northern Quebec, Canada), along with exploring how these resources will evolve in response to climate change, field and compilation work were conducted in the surroundings of the four villages of Salluit, Kuujjuaq, Umiujaq and Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik. These villages are located in different permafrost zones, ranging from continuous to discontinuous, as well as in different geological environments. It was found that despite the ubiquitous presence of permafrost, unfrozen aquifers could be identified, which suggests that groundwater may be available as a source of drinking water for small communities. Expected climate change, with predicted permafrost thawing and increases in temperature and precipitation, should enhance groundwater availability and may contribute to a more secure source of drinking water for northern communities.

Résumé

Les questions de disponibilité et de gestion de l’eau liées à l’approvisionnement en eau potable dans les communautés du nord sont problématiques au Canada. Alors que les rivières et les lacs sont abondants, ils sont vulnérables aux contaminations et peuvent s’assécher en hiver en raison du gel. Les eaux souterraines peuvent souvent fournir des ressources en eau plus sures et durables, cependant leur disponibilité est limité dans le nord du Canada à cause de la présence du pergélisol. De plus, l’exploitation des aquifères du nord pose un double défi d’identification non seulement des zones libres de pergélisol, mais aussi des zones perméables qui permettront la recharge des eaux souterraines et leur exploitation. Des aquifères appropriés ne sont pas aussi communs dans le nord du Canada, du fait que le soussol peu profond est surtout composé de roches cristallines de faible perméabilité ou des sédiments non consolidés d’origine glaciaire qui sont très hétérogènes. Afin d’étudier l’occurrence des eaux souterraines et les contextes géologiques associés au Nunavik (nord du Québec, Canada), en explorant la façon dont ces ressources vont évoluer en réponse au changement climatique, des travaux de terrain et de compilation ont été menés dans les environs des quatre villages de Salluit, Kuujjuaq, Umiujaq et Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik. Ces villages sont situés dans différentes zones de pergélisol, allant du continu au discontinu, ainsi que dans différents environnements géologiques. Il a été constaté que, malgré la présence omniprésente du pergélisol, des aquifères non affectés par le gel ont pu être identifiés, ce qui suggère que les eaux souterraines peuvent être disponibles en tant que source d’eau potable pour de petites communautés. Le changement climatique attend, avec une prévision d’un dégel du pergélisol et une augmentation de la température et des précipitations, devrait améliorer la disponibilité des eaux souterraines et peut constituer une ressource en eau potable plus sûre pour les communautés du Nord.

Resumen

Las cuestiones de disponibilidad y manejo en relación con el suministro de agua potable son problemáticas en las comunidades del norte de Canadá. Mientras que los ríos y lagos son abundantes, ellos son vulnerables a la contaminación y pueden llegar a estar secos en invierno debido a la congelación. El agua subterránea puede proporcionar a menudo una fuente de agua más segura y sostenible, sin embargo, su disponibilidad es limitada en el norte de Canadá debido a la presencia de permafrost. Por otra parte, la explotación de los acuíferos del norte plantea el doble reto de identificar las áreas no sólo libres de permafrost, sino también las zonas permeables que permitan la recarga y la explotación de los acuíferos. Los acuíferos adecuados no son comunes en el norte de Canadá ya que el subsuelo poco profundo está compuesto principalmente por rocas cristalinas de baja permeabilidad o sedimentos no consolidados de origen glacial que son altamente heterogéneos. Con el fin de investigar la ocurrencia del agua subterránea y contextos geológicos asociados en Nunavik (norte de Quebec, Canadá), junto con la exploración de cómo estos recursos van a evolucionar en respuesta al cambio climático, se llevaron a cabo trabajos de recopilación y de campo en el entorno de cuatro pueblos, Salluit, Kuujjuaq, Umiujaq y Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik. Estos pueblos se encuentran en distintas zonas de permafrost, que van desde continuo a discontinuo, así como en diferentes entornos geológicos. Se encontró que, a pesar de la presencia generalizada de permafrost, se pudieron identificar acuíferos no congeladas, lo que sugiere que el agua subterránea puede estar disponible como una fuente de agua potable para las comunidades pequeñas. El cambio climático previsto, con el pronosticado deshielo del permafrost y el aumento de la temperatura y la precipitación, debería mejorar la disponibilidad de agua subterránea y puede contribuir a una fuente más segura de agua potable para las comunidades del norte.

摘要

与北部社区饮用水供水有关的水资源可用量及管理在加拿大存在着一些问题。加拿大 河流和湖泊众多, 容易受到污染, 由于冰冻, 这些河流和湖泊变干涸。地下水可常常 提供更安全和更持久的水源, 然而, 在加拿大北部由于存在着永久冻土, 水源可用量 受到限制。另外, 北部的含水层开采对确定无永久冻土区和可以进行地下水补给和开 采的的永久冻土区提出了双重挑战。在加拿大北部合适的含水层并不常见, 因为浅层 地表以下主要由透水性低的结晶岩或冰川来源的松散沉积物组成. 为了调查(加拿大 魁北克北部)努那维克地下水赋存情况和相关的地质背景, 连同探索这些资源是怎样 针对气候变化演化的, 在Salluit、Kuujjuaq、Umiujaq 和 Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik四个村庄进行了室外和综合研究工作。这些村庄位于连续、不连续的永久冻 土带及不同地质环境中。研究发现, 尽管普遍存在着永久冻土, 但非冰冻的含水层仍 可识别, 这表明地下水可以作为小型社区的饮用水水源使用。预料的气候变化、加上 预测的永久冻土融化及温度和降水的增加应该增加地下水可利用量, 并且为北部社区 更安全的饮用水源做出贡献.

Resumo

Questões sobre a disponibilidade e gestão da água relacionadas com o abastecimento de água potável em comunidades do norte são problemáticas no Canadá. Enquanto rios e lagos são abundantes, eles são vulneráveis à contaminação e podem tornar-se secos no inverno devido ao congelamento. Água subterrânea muitas vezes pode prover uma fonte de água mais segura e sustentável, no entanto a sua disponibilidade é limitada no norte do Canadá, devido à presença de pergelissolos (permafrost). Além disso, a exploração dos aquíferos do norte têm um duplo desafio de identificar não só áreas livres de pergelissolos, mas também áreas permeáveis que permitam a recarga e exploração dos aquíferos. Aquíferos adequados não são tão comuns no norte do Canadá já que a subsuperfície rasa é maioritariamente composta por rochas cristalinas de baixa permeabilidade ou sedimentos não consolidados de origem glacial que são altamente heterogêneos. A fim de investigar a ocorrência de água subterrânea e contextos geológicos associados em Nunavik (norte de Quebec, Canadá), juntamente como a forma de exploração destes recursos ira evoluir em resposta às alterações climáticas, a compilação e o trabalho de campo foram realizados no entorno das quatro aldeias de Salluit, Kuujjuaq, Umiujaq e Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik. Estas aldeias estão localizadas em diferentes zonas de permafrost, que vão de contínuo a descontínuo, bem como diferentes ambientes geológicos. Foi descoberto que, apesar da presença ubíqua de pergelissolos, aquíferos descongelados podem ser identificados, o que sugere que a água subterrânea pode estar disponível como fonte de água potável para pequenas comunidades. Mudanças climáticas esperadas, com o descongelamento previsto do pergelissolo e aumento na temperatura e precipitação, deve aumentar a disponibilidade de água subterrânea e pode contribuir para uma fonte de água potável mais segura para as comunidades do norte.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the Quebec Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and Fight against Climate Change (MDDELCC), the Quebec Research Fund – Nature and Technology (FRQNT), and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC; through a Strategic Project Grant). We are thankful to Guillaume Bédard of the Kativik Regional Government and to the communities of Salluit, Kuujjuaq, Umiujaq and Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik for their help and collaboration on this project.

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  1. Département de géologie et de génie géologique, Université Laval, 1065 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, Québec, Canada, G1V 0A6

    Jean-Michel Lemieux, Richard Fortier, Marie-Catherine Talbot-Poulin, John Molson, René Therrien, David Banville, Marion Cochand & Renaud Murray

  2. Center for Northern Studies, Université Laval, 2405 rue de la Terrasse, Québec, Québec, Canada, G1V 0A6

    Jean-Michel Lemieux, Richard Fortier, Marie-Catherine Talbot-Poulin, John Molson, René Therrien, David Banville, Marion Cochand & Renaud Murray

  3. Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, Québec, Québec, Canada

    Michel Ouellet

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  1. Jean-Michel Lemieux
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Lemieux, JM., Fortier, R., Talbot-Poulin, MC. et al. Groundwater occurrence in cold environments: examples from Nunavik, Canada. Hydrogeol J 24, 1497–1513 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-016-1411-1

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