Development of a 3D cryohydrogeological model of a small watershed in a degrading permafrost environment in Nunavik, Québec

Richard Fortier, David-Roy Banville, Richard Lévesque, Jean-Michel Lemieux, John Molson, René Therrien, Michel Ouellet

In the proceedings of: GeoOttawa 2017: 70th Canadian Geotechnical Conference; 12th joint with IAH-CNC

Session: Cold Regions Hydrogeology I

ABSTRACT: Near the Inuit community of Umiujaq in Nunavik, Québec, a small 2-km2 watershed in a valley within the discontinuous permafrost zone has been recently investigated to assess the availability and quality of groundwater as a potential source of drinking water. According to the investigations carried out in this watershed, the valley bottom is covered by a 30-m thick succession of Quaternary sediments overlying the bedrock. Ice-rich permafrost mounds are found in a marine silt unit. Two aquifers have been identified within the watershed: a shallow aquifer in sandy littoral sediments and a deep aquifer in glaciofluvial sediments confined by marine sediments and permafrost. All available data have been analyzed, synthesized, and integrated into GoCAD to build a 3D cryohydrogeological model of the watershed. This model is the cornerstone of numerical modelling of coupled groundwater flow and heat transfer processes to assess the impacts of climate warming on groundwater resources in this degrading permafrost environment.

RÉSUMÉ: Un petit bassin versant de 2 km2 dans une vallée en zone de pergélisol discontinu près de la communauté inuite ujaq au Nunavik, Québec, souterraines Selon les investigations réalisées dans ce bassin versant, une succession de buttes de pergélisol riche en glace se sont formées dans une unité de silts . Deux aquifères ont été identifiés dans le bassin versant: un aquifère superficiel dans des sables littoraux et un aquifère profond dans des sables et graviers fluvioglaciaires confiné par les silts et le pergélisol. À partir de la synthèse des données disponibles, un modèle cryohydrogéologique 3D du bassin versant a été construit dans GoCAD. Ce modèle est la pierre angulaire de la pour déterminer les impacts du réchauffement climatique sur la ressource en eau souterraine dans cet environnement pergélisolé en voie de dégradation.

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Cite this article:
Richard Fortier; David-Roy Banville; Richard Lévesque; Jean-Michel Lemieux; John Molson; René Therrien; Michel Ouellet (2017) Development of a 3D cryohydrogeological model of a small watershed in a degrading permafrost environment in Nunavik, Québec in GEO2017. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Geotechnical Society.

@article{geo2017Paper684,author = Richard Fortier; David-Roy Banville; Richard Lévesque; Jean-Michel Lemieux; John Molson; René Therrien; Michel Ouellet,title = Development of a 3D cryohydrogeological model of a small watershed in a degrading permafrost environment in Nunavik, Québec,year = 2017}