B152 - Ground Water In Ontario, 1951 And 1952 - Geology Ontario

TABLE VI OBSERVATION WELLS MEASURED IN 1951 AND 1952
BY THE HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER COMMISSION OF ONTARIO 1
Drainage Area
Watershed
Location
Measurement of
Water Levels
Commenced
Lake Huron . . .
ḟ
Moose River. . A
Ottawa River. . .
Mississagi River
Abitibi River
f
Frederick House Riven
\
Madawaska River
'
George W. Rayner generating station
Abitibi Canyon generating station
Frederick House dam
Night Hawk Centre
Shillington
South Porcupine
Algonquin Park headquarters
Bancroft
Bark Lake dam
Carlow
Prince's Lake
Sproule Bay
Whitney
Dec. 15, 1952
Oct. 14, 1951
July 12, 1948
Aug. 9, 1948
Aug. 9, 1948
Aug. 9, 1948
Oct. 21, 1949
Nov. 12, 1949
Nov. 7, 1949
Nov. 18, 1949
Oct. 29, 1949
Nov. 26, 1949
Oct. 28, 1949
Precipitation, on the other hand, tends to raise the ground-water levels
although recharge is not directly proportional to the amount of precipitation.
The intensity of rainfall, the condition and nature of the soil, the amount and
kind of vegetation, and the temperature are some of the factors that determine
how much precipitation will become ground water and how much will be diverted
through evaporation and transpiration to the atmosphere or will run off directly
to streams and lakes.
The ground-water balance is in favour of recharge during most of the fall,
winter, and spring months. The ground-water levels, therefore, normally rise
during these seasons. Occasionally, the recharge is halted temporarily in the
early winter by frozen ground, which, with temperature conditions above ground,
reduces infiltration considerably during the winter months. In the summer and
early fall, the amount of precipitation intercepted by the plants and soil is usually
so great that little, if any, is left to reach the saturated zones below the ground
surface, which supply the wells and springs. As a result, although the amount of
precipitation may be equal to, or greater than, that at other seasons of the year,
the ground-water levels usually drop during this period.
In Figure l, hydrographs of water levels in wells in the town of Elmira and
the city of Kitchener are shown. Both municipalities are dependent on wells for
water supply. Monthly pumpages are included for comparison with the amount
of annual precipitation at Kitchener above or below a 23-year average.
No correlation is observed between the total pumpage at Elmira and the
two observation wells, which are within the well field. Although the pumpage
has been increasing, the static levels have not been affected, and therefore, it
would appear that larger amounts of ground water are still available in the area.
The three Kitchener observation wells are rock wells that end in a dolomite
or limestone aquifer. Water levels in these wells are affected by pumping of
nearby industrial wells, and occasionally, a city well, which also ends in the
dolomite. The observation well at the Strange Street pumping station is most
affected. It is about a third to half a mile away from the two rock wells used by
the Dominion Rubber Company, Limited. J. S. Leslie, operator of the Shoe
maker Street pumping station believes that observation wells Nos. 34 and 35 may
also be slightly affected by these two industrial wells and also the rock well at the
Strange Street plant, which is used occasionally. He believes also that the
J Data supplied by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario.
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