How important is groundwater to Albertans?

Groundwater is an important resource to many residents of Canada. In at least one province, Prince Edward Island, groundwater provides 100% of the water supply to its residents. According to Statistics Canada, about 30% of the Canadian population (or roughly 10.4 million people) rely on groundwater as a source of water supply.

In Alberta, the percentage of the population reliant on groundwater as a supply source is about 23%. Based on 2010 population estimates, this equates to roughly 840,000 residents.

Although this percentage may seem small, the reliance on groundwater in certain locations – for example areas where restrictions on new licences have been applied for surface water or groundwater under the direct influence of surface water (South Saskatchewan River Basin) - is increasing. As a result, the importance of groundwater in sustaining local populations and businesses is becoming apparent.

In water-short areas of the province (southern Alberta) water supplies are currently managed through a series of storage reservoirs and management structures. The storage shortfall of 2001 and the need to re-allocate licensed volumes of water provides an example of how precarious the situation can become in the face of extended drought or water deficit conditions.

As such, groundwater exists as a potentially important source of water supplies in time of need, and can be used to offset diminished supplies of surface water. The concept of “drought-proofing” communities in advance of potential future mega-droughts (as indicated by palaeoclimate reconstructions using proxies such as tree-rings and lake sediments) is gaining in popularity with water managers responsible for serving water-shorts areas of the province.

Read more about the role and use of groundwater (Environment Canada)

Read  Groundwater in Alberta - An Assessment of Source, Use and Change (72.68 MB)