296-2 A 3D Flow Simulator Approach for Characterizing the Urban Hydro(geo)logy of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Session: Innovations in Research of Groundwater-Surface Water Interactions over Multiple Spatio-Temporal Scales (Posters)

Presenting Author:

Authors:

Abstract:

Characterizing the interaction of groundwater and surface water in urban environments is imperative for maintaining sustainable freshwater resource management and developing climate resilience. Urban infrastructure and associated land cover changes perturb the natural surface and subsurface hydrodynamics by altering topography and streamflow, and by impacting the spatio-temporal patterns of groundwater recharge and discharge. Impervious surfaces such as pavement and rooftops increase runoff, decrease infiltration, alter evapotranspiration, and modify shallow groundwater flow paths. The freshwater system for the City of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada has not yet been represented at a scale that accounts for the dynamic hydrogeological processes of urban environments in a semi-arid watershed. Currently, little is known about the contribution of groundwater and the connectivity of buried valley aquifers to Edmonton’s drinking water source, the North Saskatchewan River, and the recharge rates of these buried valley aquifers.  

In this study, we aim to characterize Edmonton’s water cycle through developing and calibrating a 3D hydrogeological model to understand the spatio-temporal patterns of groundwater recharge and discharge, and the impacts of urban development on groundwater dynamics. We use 3D modelling, geochemical data, and flow measurements to characterize the connection of urban creeks with groundwater. Using available streamflow and groundwater level data, the model is calibrated using a step-wise approach: first to a pseudo-steady-state with long-term averaged climate conditions, then under intermediate conditions with monthly averaged forcing data, and finally under fully transient conditions. The model simulations delineate the water table and recharge and discharge areas, and can be used to assess the impact of increased imperviousness on different hydrogeological processes in Edmonton’s urban context. Geochemical sampling and differential gauging measurements collected during low-flow conditions on five urban creeks help constrain losing and gaining stretches along creeks in Edmonton. The model provides a useful tool for understanding Edmonton’s urban freshwater system and valuable insights for planning future infrastructure and development.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-9238

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