Photo-interpretation studies in the location of prairie groundwater supplies
This paper discusses the methodology and performance records of photo-interpretation studies applied to hydrogeological investigations carried out mainly in the Prairie provinces of Western Canada. Most of these studies involved the search for previously unknown commercial sources of groundwater in southern Saskatchewan and Alberta.Performance records reported cover the 13-year period from 1956 to 1969. During this period, 203 requests were made for consulting assistance. Approximately 90% of these requests resulted in the interpretation of hydrogeological environments displayed on conventional black-and-white aerial photography. Follow-up field data are available on 127 projects, which include 84 groundwater development investigations that we supervised fully from initial photo-interpretation studies to production-well installation, pump testing, data analysis, and evaluation of safe yield.Airphoto interpretation techniques proved helpful in correctly identifying commercial sources of groundwater in approximately 7 out of 10 projects. About half of the water sources were required for urban use and about one-quarter were required for a variety of industrial uses. Also, roughly half of the studies involved finding 10 to 60 Imperial gallons a minute (45.5 to 272.8 l/min) and roughly half involved finding 60 to 2000 Imperial gallons a minute (272.8 to 9092 l/min). Less frequently, the groundwater studies dealt with regional mapping of the surficial and bedrock hydrogeology, with setting up monitoring systems for the detection and surveillance of groundwater contamination, and with locating small groundwater supplies.