Vision, mission and objectives

The Provincial Groundwater Observation Well Network program provides monitoring of the water table and groundwater chemistry of aquifers and basins to support the management, protection and sustainable use of our groundwater resources and associated ecosystems.

Vision

The vision of the network is to collect, interpret and report high quality, reliable groundwater level and baseline chemistry data in a timely fashion.

Mission

The network monitors water conditions of key aquifers across the province to support the effective management, protection and sustainable use of our groundwater resources and associated ecosystems.

Monitoring objectives

1. Understand local and regional hydrogeological processes, such as:

• Fundamental aquifer and basin characteristics, including water table and potentiometric levels, hydraulic properties and baseline groundwater chemistry
• Groundwater and surface water interactions, including environmental flow needs and drought or flood conditions
• Aquifer recharge and discharge mechanisms, rates and timing in lowland and upland areas

2. Support the sustainable use of groundwater and minimize conflicts between water users by providing data to:

• Assess short and long-term effects of human activity on groundwater and surface water levels
• Inform water authorization decisions, including the impact of groundwater withdrawals in specific areas to determine if further groundwater withdrawal is sustainable
• Develop water budgets
• Better understand the impacts of climate change on aquifers