The Southwest Alberta Groundwater Project is using advanced geo scanning technology to monitor ground water in southern Alberta.
As surface water supplies dwindle during Alberta’s drought conditions, the importance of ground water is growing.
In southern Alberta an innovative project is seeking to enhance ground water monitoring and deepen knowledge of critical aquifers to promote greater water security.
“Expanded groundwater monitoring will provide the information needed to sustainably manage this incredibly important freshwater source as climate impacts like drought worsen,” said Maggie Finkle-Aucoin, the project lead with Living Lakes Canada.
“A critical step in this project is engaging with communities, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to better understand local priorities and concerns.”
Led by water science and stewardship non-profits Living Lakes Canada and Oldman Watershed Council, the Southwest Alberta Groundwater Project is using advanced geo scanning technology, community consultation, and partnerships with private well owners to build out a ground water monitoring network.
The project is being piloted in the Oldman River Watershed in partnership with the Piikani Nation Lands Department.
The broader aim is to expand throughout Alberta.
More than 600,000 rural Albertans already depend on ground water for drinking water.
Ground water in Alberta also supplies diverse domestic, municipal, agricultural and industrial water needs.
Meanwhile, groundwater levels in parts of the province have reached record lows and a recent report by Alberta’s auditor generalhas identified that water conservation objectives are lacking in most river basins.
The Southwest Alberta Ground-water Project hosted its first public engagement event on-line Thursday.
Attendees learned about the current state of ground water knowledge in Alberta, and discover details about the project.
The event featured experts from the University of Calgary and the government of Alberta, and there was time for questions and answers following the presentations.
Living Lakes Canada is a national non-profit organization based in the B.C. Columbia Basin working towards the long-term protection of Canada’s freshwater.
Visit https://livinglakescanada.ca/ for more information.
