Abbotsford-Sumas Aquifer

Aquifer

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Project
Fraser Lowlands

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Abbotsford-Sumas Aquifer unit description

Update:2014-03-03
The bedrock is covered by marine sediments underlying discontinuous till unit, followed by fine sediments formations. These are covered by the Abbotsford-Sumas aquifer which is composed of glaciofluvial sand and gravel. The glaciofluvial sediments thickness is not well known, but is at least 70 m. The aquifer is exposed and consequently is under unconfined conditions and has moderate to high vulnerability to surface contamination. Groundwater recharges in the glaciofluvial sediments. The total aquifer recharge is about 26.8M m3/yr. In the aquifer, groundwater flows in all directions with significant discharge to the west and east. Prior to development of high yield wells in this aquifer, the total spring discharge was estimated at 8.3M m3/yr. The aquifer is the most utilised unconfined aquifers in the Fraser Lowlands. The main uses of groundwater are: industrial, municipal, irrigation and domestic. In general, records of ground water quality analyses reviewed for the Fraser Basin show the ground water is usually high in dissolved mineralization and also hard.
Physiography
Hydrogeological regionCordillera
Hydrogeological context
ReliefNorth and south of the Fraser River, the Fraser Lowland consists mainly of gently rolling and flat-topped uplands, with elevation less than 175 m and separated by wide flat-bottomed valleys.
Area95.00 km2
Lithology
DescriptionThe Abbotsford-Sumas (unit C) aquifer is composed of glaciofluvial sand and gravel. This sediments unit is exposed and overlies fine sediments (clay and silt) of Fort Langley and Capilano Formations (units A and B) which overlie till discontinuous unit (unit D). Marine sediments, overlying the bedrock is found under the till unit. The bedrock of Fraser Lowland and Fraser River delta consists of three, fundamentally different tectono-stratigraphic units: 1) plutonic rocks and subordinate metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks; 2) formations of sandstone, conglomerate and mudstone and 3) contact between the Paleogene-Neogene succession and Quaternary deposits. Unit C: glaciofluvial sand and gravel aquifers; unconfined Sumas Drift aquifers Unit A: fine sediments overlying thin sand/till; Fort Langley and Capilano Formations Unit B: glaciomarine clay (more clay content than unit A): Fort Langley and Capilano Formations Unit D: till discontinuous Unit E: mostly marine sediments
Source
Aquifer
AquifersList of aquifers Abbotsford-Sumas granular aquifer

Unit properties

Surficial aquifer media
Typical value:porous
Description Glaciofluvial sand and gravel.
Source Chapter 9 -- Ground Water Resources of the Basins, Lowlands and Plains 9.1 COASTAL BASINS, LOWLANDS AND PLAINS. 9.1.1 FRASER LOWLAND.
Confinement
Typical value:semi confined - unconfined
Description Mostly unconfined, but some parts are semi-confined
Source Chapter 9 -- Ground Water Resources of the Basins, Lowlands and Plains 9.1 COASTAL BASINS, LOWLANDS AND PLAINS. 9.1.1 FRASER LOWLAND.
Surficial sediment thickness
Range: [70 to ] m
Description at least 70 m thick
Source Chapter 9 -- Ground Water Resources of the Basins, Lowlands and Plains 9.1 COASTAL BASINS, LOWLANDS AND PLAINS. 9.1.1 FRASER LOWLAND.
Hydrogeological unit thickness
Range: [70 to ] m
Description at least 70 m thick
Source Chapter 9 -- Ground Water Resources of the Basins, Lowlands and Plains 9.1 COASTAL BASINS, LOWLANDS AND PLAINS. 9.1.1 FRASER LOWLAND.
Regional precipitation
1200 mm/y
Description The precipitation value is regional since annual precipitation over most of the aquifer averages 1200 mm/yr.
Source Chapter 9 -- Ground Water Resources of the Basins, Lowlands and Plains 9.1 COASTAL BASINS, LOWLANDS AND PLAINS. 9.1.1 FRASER LOWLAND.
Regional recharge
Description The recharge is about 26.8M m3
Source Chapter 9 -- Ground Water Resources of the Basins, Lowlands and Plains 9.1 COASTAL BASINS, LOWLANDS AND PLAINS. 9.1.1 FRASER LOWLAND.
Regional discharge
Description Ground water flows in all directions with significant discharge to the west and east. Prior to development of high yield wells in this aquifer, the total spring discharge was estimated at 263 L/s or 8.3M m3/yr
Source Chapter 9 -- Ground Water Resources of the Basins, Lowlands and Plains 9.1 COASTAL BASINS, LOWLANDS AND PLAINS. 9.1.1 FRASER LOWLAND.
Hydrogeological unit potential
Typical value:high
Source Chapter 9 -- Ground Water Resources of the Basins, Lowlands and Plains 9.1 COASTAL BASINS, LOWLANDS AND PLAINS. 9.1.1 FRASER LOWLAND.
Groundwater usage
Typical value:agricultural - domestic - industrial
Description industrial (41%), municipal (34%), irrigation (21%) and domestic (4%). It is the most utilised unconfined aquifers in the Fraser Lowlands.
Source Chapter 9 -- Ground Water Resources of the Basins, Lowlands and Plains 9.1 COASTAL BASINS, LOWLANDS AND PLAINS. 9.1.1 FRASER LOWLAND.
Aquifer vulnerability
Typical value:medium
Source Chapter 9 -- Ground Water Resources of the Basins, Lowlands and Plains 9.1 COASTAL BASINS, LOWLANDS AND PLAINS. 9.1.1 FRASER LOWLAND.
Groundwater Quality
Description In general, records of ground water quality analyses reviewed for the Fraser Basin, show the ground water is usually high in dissolved mineralization and also hard.
Source Chapter 9 -- Ground Water Resources of the Basins, Lowlands and Plains 9.1 COASTAL BASINS, LOWLANDS AND PLAINS. 9.1.1 FRASER LOWLAND.