Aquifer Capability and Groundwater Vulnerability Delineation and Mapping, Rural Municipality of Springfield

In 2018, the Rural Municipality of Springfield identified areas of its groundwater that are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and then used the results to create a 10-year plan for its groundwater management (2018-2028) that would enhance the systems resilience to climate change. Springfield, Manitoba, has long been concerned with the security and availability of its groundwater, which it relies on to meet all of its domestic, commercial and industrial water needs. Although Springfield has multiple natural springs, the climate is changing in southern Manitoba. Wetter winters and dryer summers have the potential to decrease the quantity and quality of locally available groundwater. In response, Springfield collected data to create aquifer maps, groundwater vulnerability maps and water quality maps, and used these to create a 10-year plan for its groundwater management (2018-2028) to protect its groundwater quality and availability from climate change in the coming decade.

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Understanding and Assessing Impacts

The Rural Municipality of Springfield, Manitoba, has long been concerned with the security and availability of its groundwater, which it relies on to meet all of its domestic, commercial and industrial water needs. Although Springfield has multiple natural springs and its groundwater is relatively abundant, the climate is changing in southern Manitoba. Wetter winters and dryer summers have the potential to decrease the quantity and quality of locally available groundwater. Land use practices also change groundwater drainage and recharge patterns, which can add contaminants to the groundwater.

Identifying Actions

In 2018, Springfield completed a planning exercise — funded in part by Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program (MCIP) — to help keep its water system sustainable, clean and safe for consumption. It collected data to create aquifer maps, groundwater vulnerability maps and water quality maps, and used these to create a 10-year plan for its groundwater management (2018-2028). The mapping work conducted as part of the planning exercise highlighted numerous areas where aquifers are especially vulnerable to the negative effects of surface activities (septic tank discharges, aggregate operations, landfills, livestock operations, the use of pesticides and fertilizers, etc.) and poor quality groundwater deeper in the subsurface. The 10-year planning report contains numerous recommendations that will help the municipality revise its by-laws and policies in order to protect its groundwater quality and availability in the coming decade.

Implementation

The following activities were undertaken as part of the planning exercise:

  • Aquifer and vulnerability mapping and gathering of recharging and capability data;
  • A study of how climate change may affect groundwater resources using available low- and high-carbon climate models;
  • Development of a framework to assess groundwater vulnerability and score Springfield accordingly;
  • Determination of land use activities that have the potential to contaminate groundwater;
  • Identification of hydrogeological factors that pose significant risks to aquifers;
  • Identification of areas with naturally occurring contaminants;
  • Location of recharge areas and the annual recharge for various aquifers;
  • Selection of preferred methods for wellhead protection for existing public supply wells;
  • Summarization of existing private, commercial, municipal and industrial water right licenses; and
  • Establishment of areas best suited to future groundwater development.

This planning project cost $85,500 in total, and FCM’s Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program (MCIP) covered 54% of the total costs.

Outcomes and Monitoring Progress

The climate change adaptation planning process helped the municipality of Springfield recognize the role public education should play in protecting groundwater, and the need for more regular aquifer monitoring. It also established a sense of urgency around expanded monitoring, wellhead protection measures, and groundwater protection measures across the province.

Resources

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