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Groundwater Classification OverviewWATERTECH 2009

Robert George, P.Geol, Water Policy Branch, Alberta Environment

April, 2009

OUTLINE

• Aquifer Characterization and Classification

• Groundwater System• Policy and Management• Chemistry • Sustainability• Vulnerability• Policy Development process

Characterization-Classification-Management

Water for life Strategy

POLICY, PLANNING SPECIALISTS, (provincial

policy, basin water management plans)

PROFESSIONAL HYDROGEOLOGISTS

(mapping, modelling,resourceinventory)

GW MANAGEMENT

HYDROGEOLOGY-CHARACTERIZATION

AQUIFER CLASSIFICATION

WFL OUTCOMES

GOA AGENCIES (AENV, ERCB, ARD, ETC.), WPACS, MUNICIPALITIES (policy, directives, GMUs, licences,

approvals, zoning)

Characterization-Classification-Management

SCIENCE

CLASSIFICATION

MANAGEMENT ACTION

POLICY

GUIDELINES

WATER MANAGEMENT PLANS

GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT UNITS

DIRECTIVES

CODES OF PRACTICE

LICENCE AND APPROVAL CONDITIONS

Groundwater System

CLIMATE

GRAVITY(TOPO)

GEOLOGY FLO W

Quantity(storage)

Hum anQuality(chem)

Gw-Swinteraction

Groundwater Physical System 1.0

Users

Impac-ters

EffectsIndustry WMPs/WPACs Aprovals

C L IM A T E

G R A V IT Y(T O P O )

G E O LO G Y F L O W

Q u an tity(s to rag e )

H u m a nQ u a lity(ch e m )

G w -S win te ra c tio n

G rou n d w a te r P h ys ica l S y s tem 1 .0

U se rs

Im p ac-te rs


Groundwater System

HYDROGEOLOGY-CHARACTERIZATION

C L IM A T E







U se rs

Im p ac-te rs


Groundwater System

CLASSIFICATION

SUSTAINABILITY

QUALITY/BACKISH

VULNERABILITY

C L IM A T E







U se rs

Im p ac-te rs


Groundwater System

GW MANAGEMENT

WMP GMU LICENCE

Groundwater Policy and Management

Groundwater Management Units•Alberta Environment views GMUs as hydraulically-connected groundwater systems in which water management objectives and outcomes are stakeholder-based.

•GMUs include water users in water management initiatives. Involvement of the water user in the decision-making process will improve stakeholder commitments to the decisions that are collectively taken.

•WPACs play a critical role in water management within its watershed boundaries; this will be also true for groundwater management.

Policy and Pressures

• Resource Competition, Growth, Conflicting Use, Climate Change, Water Resource Limits

Policy Drivers• Water for Life, Alberta’s Strategy For

Sustainability• The Groundwater Risk Assessment• Multi-Stakeholder Advisory

Committee on Coalbed Methane• Rosenberg Regional Workshop

PolicyChanges in the way we and the world

views water…• Water for Life - “do not waste

useable groundwater” led to Oilfield Injection Policy

• MAC – “Develop policy for Beneficial use of produced water associated with CBM”

• Rosenberg – Re-evaluate the Base of Groundwater Protection

Increasing Saline Groundwater Treatment options

2007, PTAC Beneficial Uses Study2008, U.S. National Academy of Science

Aquifer Classification

Chemistryand

Groundwater Quality

Alberta’s TDS Aquifer Classification

• Salinity (TDS) is the only aquifer classification currently in the Water Act (over / under 4,000 mg/L)

• Multiple chemical parameters (e.g. hydrocarbons) could better reflect usability and management options

• More comprehensive classification may improve groundwater understanding, protection and management

• BGWP (saline versus non-saline) is a classification-based management system

Alberta Geological Survey TDS versus well depth

<1,000 mg/L<1,000 mg/L


Texas – TDS based classification

“Brackish” water


Utah• Class I Ground Water: CLASS IA, CLASS IB, and CLASS IC

– CLASS IA - PRISTINE GROUND WATER : – CLASS IB - IRREPLACEABLE GROUND WATER – CLASS IC - ECOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT GROUND

WATER • Class II Ground Water - DRINKING WATER QUALITY

GROUND WATER


Utah• Class III - LIMITED USE GROUND WATER

– Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) greater than 3000 mg/l and less than 10,000 mg/l, or; One or more contaminants that exceed the ground water quality standards

• Class IV - SALINE GROUND WATER– greater than 10,000 mg/l of Total Dissolved Solids

(TDS).


http://www.waterquality.utah.gov/GroundWater/gwstandards.htm




Wyoming• Class I - Domestic use• Class II - Agriculture (irrigation)• Class III – Livestock

– Class IIIA – Fish Aquatic Life• Class IV - Industry

– Class IVA –TDS <10,000 mg/L– Class IVB – TDS >10,000 mg/L

• Class V –Associated with hydrocarbons, minerals or geothermal resources

• Class VI – Unsuitable for any use


Brackish Water Outcomes and Objectives

1. Increase brackish water use2. Increase brackish water treatment3. Increase conservation and

stewardship options (conjunctive use)

4. Improve science (brackish aquifer characterization, chemistry, flow, sustainability)

5. Improve stakeholder knowledgeand decisions

An Improved Brackish classification will yield better policy and management decisions

Future Policy Direction – Brackish Water Management

• Water Management Plans – will include brackish groundwater water resources

• Groundwater Management Units –policy consideration/development 2008-2012 (regional to local scale)

• Brackish water licensing? – A future policy decision depending on need for regulation

Future Brackish Classification (in progress)CLASS SUBCLASS OBJECTIVES

FRESH<4,000 mg/L

Minimal Treatment (CDWQ Guidelines)

Treatable for Human use

•Human and livestock consumption, other uses requiring high quality. •Aquifer protection and resource conservation for sustainable use.

BRACKISH4,000 -10,000 mg/L

Readily Treatable for human and industrial use

Complex treatment and/or multiple contamination issues

•Protect and enhance industrial uses (displace fresh water use)•Protect brackish resources for future treatment and use (water short areas)•Resolve multiple use conflicts (competition for supply, disposal vs. extraction)

SALINE>10,000

mg/L

Multiple Industrial uses (EOR etc.) Untreatable

Dedicated or preferred disposal zones ? (Oilfield waste, CO2 storage)

•Define BGWP formations and management requirements (ERCB Directives)•Enable CO2 storage in secure formations.•Encourage saline water use•Resolve multiple use conflicts (storage vs. EOR, competition)

Brackish Water Classification (4,000 – 10,000 mg/L) Potential Management Changes

Potential Oil Industry Impacts– Deeper “Deep Well” disposal– Frac Fluid chemistry options diminish– Commingling Issues– Remedial cementing in older wells?– Increased abandonment costs?– Increased regulatory costs?– Brackish water availability generally

unchanged (abundant supply)

Present Brackish Water Use –Thermal In Situ Oilsands


Sustainability

• Approx. 500,000 groundwater wells developed in Alberta

• Usage is greatest in the central Alberta

Aquifer Classification –Sustainability, Geology

Ireland» Regionally Important (R) Aquifers

• • Karstified bedrock (Rk) – • Fissured bedrock (Rf) – • Extensive sand & gravel (Rg)

» Locally Important (L) Aquifers – • Sand & gravel (Lg) – • Bedrock which is Generally Moderately Productive (Lm) – • Bedrock which is Moderately Productive only in Local Zones (Ll)

» Poor (P) Aquifers– • Bedrock which is Generally Unproductive except for Local Zones (Pl)

– • Bedrock which is Generally Unproductive (Pu)

Aquifer Classification –Sustainability

South Africa

Future Sustainability Classification (in progress)

CLASS SUBCLASS OBJECTIVES

ISole Source

IA –local and low yieldaquifers (highest risk)

IB – large, high yieldaquifers (essential water sources)

•Human and livestock consumption, other uses if sustainable. Water Conservation objectives, conjunctive use.

•Drinking water, Municipal and Industrial sources. Water Conservation objectives.

IIMultiple Aquifer / Surface Sources

IIA – Abundant groundwater supplies and multiple aquifer sources

IIB – Complex flow systems, groundwater or GW-SW interactions

•Monitor aquifer use – optimize utilization of sources – Water Conservation and Groundwater Management Units (long-term goal).

•Monitor water use and model flow systems. Conjunctive use and source optimization planning.•Resolve multiple use conflicts and source issues in holistic Water Management Plans

IIIFuture

Supplies

IIIA – readily treatable and useable (COSTS)

IIIB –useable yield, no feasible treatment for consumption.

•Evaluate supplies and treatment costs –Groundwater Inventory. Protect from contamination.•Not protected or evaluated. Non-regulated use (SALINE AQUIFERS, PRODUCED WATER, DISPOSAL ZONES)


Vulnerabilityand

GW – SW Interaction

Aquifer Classification –Vulnerability and Surface Interaction

British Columbia - Aquifer Classification categorizes an aquifer based on its current level of groundwater development (use) and vulnerability to contamination.

• Vulnerability of an aquifer to contamination, (based on: type, thickness, and extent of geologic materials above the aquifer, depth to water table (or to top of confined aquifer), and type of aquifer materials. Vulnerability may be high, moderate or low.)

• Demand is the level of groundwater use (the level of reliance on the resource for supply. Demand may be low, moderate or high.)

• Aquifer Ranking Value (the sum of the point values for each of the following physical criteria: productivity, size, vulnerability, demand, type of use, and

documented quality concerns and quantity concerns.)


British Columbia –Vulnerability and Development Pressure

Aquifer Classification –British Columbia

Aquifer Classification –U.S. EPA

QUALITY, USE AND VULNERABILITY

“Through the process of classification, ground-

water resources are separated into

hierarchial categories on the basis of their

value to society, use, and vulnerability to

contamination.

Ground-water classes will be a factor in

deciding the level of protection or

remediation the resource will be

provided.”

Aquifer Classification –U.S. EPA

Aquifer ClassificationVulnerability Using DRASTIC - Ohio

The DRASTIC mapping system allows the pollution potential

of any area to be evaluated systematically :D = Depth to WaterR = Net RechargeA = Aquifer MediaS = Soil MediaT = TopographyI = Impact of the Vadose Zone MediaC = Hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer

Aquifer Classification Policy Development Process

Policy Development Process1. Information gathering and assessment2. Input from hydrogeological expertise (AENV,

ERCB, AGS etc.) 3. Identify classification options and consequences4. Identify Classification and Management options5. Stakeholder Input (Industry sectors, public)6. Recommendations for groundwater

management change7. Recommendations to GOA – Spring 2010?

Thank You

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