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Articles

Groundwater knowledge management for southern Ontario: An example from the Oak Ridges Moraine

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Pages 240-253 | Received 27 Dec 2013, Accepted 06 Mar 2014, Published online: 19 Jun 2014
 

Abstract

The interest surrounding groundwater protection in Southern Ontario has grown considerably since the Walkerton tragedy of May 2000. Since that time, a number of technical studies have been undertaken by the Province to support the preparation of Source Water Protection plans. Underlying all sound water resource management initiatives in Ontario is the need for a renewed focus on the fundamentals, specifically in this case a focus on groundwater knowledge and its management. Using the Oak Ridges Moraine Hydrogeology Program as a unique example of a groundwater “knowledge management” system, this paper presents some unexplored opportunities that merit further consideration in the application of a “knowledge management” philosophy within Ontario’s overall water management framework. Within the Program’s study area, the linkage and integration of the Water Well Information System with other borehole datasets and consulting reports, as well as with water use (e.g. municipal pumping) and water quality databases, has created perhaps the most comprehensive, actively managed groundwater “knowledge management” system in Canada. Ongoing Source Water Protection and other work undertaken through consultants, including data and geological/hydrogeological interpretations, is being re-incorporated, where sound and appropriate, into the program’s existing groundwater knowledge infrastructure. The program’s groundwater “knowledge management” system has been developed with a long-term (i.e. multi-decade) water management time frame in mind and is made accessible to geoscientists undertaking work in the area.

L’intérêt entourant la protection des eaux souterraines dans le sud de l’Ontario s’est accru considérablement après la tragédie de Walkerton en mai 2000. Depuis cet événement, le gouvernement provincial a entrepris plusieurs études techniques pour soutenir la préparation de plans de protection des sources d’approvisionnement d’eau potable. Derrière toutes les initiatives visant la gestion rigoureuse des ressources hydriques en Ontario se trouve la nécessité de porter attention renouvelée sur les aspects fondamentaux et, pour ce cas particulier, une attention ciblée sur la connaissance des eaux souterraines et leur gestion. Utilisant le programme de caractérisation hydrologique de la moraine d’Oak Ridge comme exemple unique d’un système de « gestion des connaissances » sur les eaux souterraines, cet article présente quelques opportunités inexplorées qui méritent plus de considération dans l’application d’une philosophie de « gestion des connaissances » dans le cadre global de la gestion de l’eau en Ontario. Dans la zone d’étude du Programme, les liens et l’intégration de l’information sur les puits d’eau potable avec d’autres ensembles de données sur les forages et les rapports de consultants, ainsi que les bases de données sur l’utilisation (ex. : pompage municipal) et la qualité de l’eau, ont créé ce qui est probablement le système de « gestion des connaissances » sur les eaux souterraines activement géré le plus complet du Canada. S’ils sont rigoureux et pertinents, les futures travaux sur la protection continue des sources d’approvisionnement en eau et les études des consultants, y compris les interprétations géologiques et hydrogéologiques, seront intégrés à l’infrastructure existante de connaissances sur les eaux souterraines du programme. Le système de « gestion des connaissances » sur les eaux souterraines a été créé avec une vision à long terme (sur plusieurs décennies) de la gestion de l’eau, et il est disponible aux géoscientifiques qui entreprennent des travaux dans la région.

Acknowledgements

The discussion provided in this paper emanates from the authors’ experience and from water resource management discussions with staff at the various partner agencies (municipal government and conservation authority) of the Oak Ridges Moraine Hydrogeology Program (YPDT-CAMC), as well as the Province of Ontario and the Geological Survey of Canada. The opinions expressed remain the sole responsibility of the authors and do not specifically represent those of the partner agencies of the YPDT-CAMC program. This manuscript was significantly improved by comments on earlier versions received from technical staff: (1) from the program’s partner agencies (Russ Powell, Wendy Kemp, Mike Fairbanks and Bob Betcher), (2) from the consulting community (Lloyd Lemon at Genivar), (3) from Provincial staff (from the Environmental Monitoring and Reporting Branch of the Ministry of Environment), and (4) from journal reviewers (Gary Hunter plus two anonymous reviewers). In particular, critical review comments received from Emil Frind were also insightful and greatly enhanced the paper. The authors kindly thank all those that assisted in this endeavour.

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