r S562.8 79/05 I. TECHNICAL REPORT #26 GROUNDWATER RESOURCES SHUBENACADIE-STEWIACKE RIVER BASIN by T. Lay and Nolan, White &Associates SHUBENA(ADIE- STE WIACKE RIVER BASIN BOARD joint federal provincial project a *01!A ' trViRQNMENr LIBRARY Nova Scotia of Department the Envfronmt LIbra,, P. 0. Bo 2107 Halifax, Nova Scotia 387 TECHNICAL REPORT #26 GROUNDWATER RESOURCES SHtJBENACADIE-STEWIACKE RIVER BASIN by T. Lay and Nolan, White &Associates Prepared for THE SHUBENACADIE-STEWIACKE RIVER BASIN BOARD May, 1979 NOTICE This is one of a series of technical documents based on studies undertaken by Consultants at the request of the Shubenacadie-Stewiacke River Basin Board. The Board is pub- lishing this series of repoEts in order to make its findings available to government agencies and interested members of the public at the earliest possible date. The Board does not, however, assume any responsibility for the content of these reports nor is it bound by any recommendations or conclusions contained therein. The Board will consider the findings of these reports within the context of multiple purpose water management objectives. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION PAGE 1 1.1 GENERAL. PAGE 1,2 1.2 PREPARATtON PROCEDURE PAGE 3 1.3 DESCRIPTION OF AREA PAGE 4 1.3.1 Shubenacadie Headwaters 1.3.1.1 General ?AG 4, 1.3.1.2 Climate PAGE 5 1.3.1.3 Physiography and Drainage PAGES 5-7 1.3.2 Corridor Region 1.3.2.1 General PAGE 7 1.3.2.2 Climate PAGE 7,8 1.3.2.3 Physiography and Drainage PAGE 8,9. 1.4 PREVIOUS WORK PAGES 9-13 . . 2. GEOLOGY 2.1 BEDROCK PAGE 13,14 2.1.1 Devonian Granite PAGE 14,15 2.1.2 Horton Group PAGE 15 2.1.3 Windsor Group PAGE 15,16 2.1.4 Riversdale Group PAGE 16,17 2.2 SURFICIAL GEOLOGY PAGES 17-20 3. HYDROGEOLOGY 3.1 INTRODUCTION 3.1.1 General PAGE 21 3.1.2 Hydrogeologic Units PAGES 21-24 3.2 MEGUMA GROUP AQUIFERS AND OVERLYING PAGES 24-26 SURFICIAL AQUIFERS 3.3 DEVONIAN GRANITE AQUIFERS AND PAGE 26,27 OVERLYING SURFICIAL AQUIFERS 3.4 HORTON GROUP AQUIFERS AND OVERLYING PAGE 27,28 SURFICIAL AQUIFERS 3.5 WINDSOR GROUP AQUIFERS AND OVERLYING PAGES 28-31 SURFICIAL AQUIFERS 3.6 UPPER MISSISSIPPIAN AND PENNSYLVANIAN PAGE 31 AQUtFERS AND OVERLYING SURFICIAL AQUIFERS 4. GROUNDWATER QUALITY WIThIN ThE BASIN 4.1 GROUNDWATER QUALITY IN VARIOUS PAGES 31-38 COMMUNITIES 4.2 RESULTS FROM ARSENIC SURVEY PAGES 38-42 CONCENSUS OF PUBLIC OPINION REGARDING PAGE 42 WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY SPECIAL STUDY AREAS WIThIN SHUBENACADIE/ PAGE 42 STEWIACKE RIVER BASIN 6.1 HARDWOOD LANDS DEPOSIT PAGE 43 6.1.1 General PAGE 43 6.1.2 Geology PAGE 43,44 6.1.3 Hydrogeology PAGES 44-49 6.2 WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY STUDY WITTENBURG, COLCHESTER COUNTY 6.2.l General PAGE 49 6.2.2 Geology and Hydrogeology PAGES 49-51 6.2.3 Conclusions PAGE 51,52 CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL ENCROACHMENT PAGES 53-55 ON GROUNDWATER SUPPLIES PROPOSED REQUIREMENTS FOR FUTURE DATA PAGES 55-57 COLLECTION GENERAL CONCLUSIONS AND RECONDATIONSREGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT (iF FUTURE GROUNDWATER SUPPLIES WIThIN THE SHUBENACADIE-STEWIACKE RIVER BASIN PAGES 57-63 10. REFERENCES PAGE 65,66 TABLE OF APPENDI(ES APPENDIX "A" METEORQLOGIC DATA, PG. 68-.8]. APPENDIX "B" POPULATIONS OF UNINCOROpA PLACES IN SHUBENACADIE-SThWIACYE RIVER BASIN, PG. 83-85 APPENDIX "C" HYDROLOGY, PG 87-94 APPENDIX "ID" PUMP TEST DATA, PG. 96-98 APPENDIX "E" WAThR QUALITY DATA, PG. 100-110 APPENDIX "F" MAPS, PG.. 112-114 GROUNDWATER RESOURCES SHUBENAADIE - STEWIACKE RIVER BASIN INTRODUCTION 1.1 GENERAL The purpose of this study has been to obtain facts pertaining to the groundwater resources within the Shubenacadie-Stewiacke River Basin System. The following report encompasses previously researched and compiled information along with data from recent studies. The terms of reference of the study were as follows: to identify the major aquifers in the basin and to summarize their present water quality and quantity; to identify existing pollution sources and identify potential encroachments on existing water supplies; to review available data pertaining to the Windsor aquifer in particular, and to identify areas worthy of consideration for development; to identify additional groundwater information which would assist water resource planners in managing and allocating groundwater resources in the basin; to prepare a report, including a map at scale 1:50,000, which visually sunmiarized the aforementioned information. The following is comprised partially of an updated version -2- of the Nova Scotia Water Resources Study from April 1967. This was prepared by the Groundwater Section, Nova Scotia Department of Mines. Other relevant information pertaining to the study area has been added to reinforce and supplement the basic facts. Ideas and suppositions put forth in the original relevant data obtained from groundwater observation wells within, or at a close proximity to the study area may be employed in future hydrological evaluations. These data were derived from an ongoing program of water well level observations conducted by the Water Planning and Management Division, Nova Scotia Department of Environment. Other relevant well data, and specific studies relating to water quantity and quality was drawn from divisional files and projects done under the auspices of Nova Scotia Water Planning and Management. A separate evaluation of groundwater reserves and description of existing types of Supply systems was provided for individual communities and areas. This individual watershed delineation was a product of the Shubenacadie-Stewiacke Environmental Study completed in 1974 by Inland Waters Directorate and N.S. Dept. of Fnviroriment. Summaries of pertinent meteorological data, based on records produced by the former Meteorological Branch of the Department of Transport and the present Atmospheric Environment Service of the federal Department of Fisheries arid Environment, were employed as background information and are appended to this report. -3- 1.2 PREPARATION PROCEDURE The data employed for this report were drawn from the original Nova Scotia Water Resources Study, N.S. Department of Mines files,from files of the Water Planning and Management Division and from several special projects carried out by this division in conjunction with the Shubenacadie-Stewiacke River Basin Board. An extensive mapping programme provided surf icial data, and a field programme during August 1976 has made available water quality and quantity information, all in addition to previously existing data. Data from the special task force on arsenic conducted by the provincial departments of Health and Environment,was also incorporated in this report. The coxmnunities chosen for extensive arsenic evaluation were those which lie in close proximity to previously-worked gold mines. Other special studies were conceived to gain knowledge about potential groundwater reservoirs. The water resources data which was employed as a basis for this reportwas mainly available for the more densely populated areas, since domestic and commercial wells provide much required information. Thus, the major focus was along the two main growth corridors from Sackville to Windsor and from Dartmouth to Shubenacadie, following the major highway routes. A composite map has been prepared for the entire Shubenacadie- Stewiacke River Basin System, although data was available for only the major population areas and development zones. The basic -4- map was produced from Mines and Technical Surveys topographic maps at a scale of 1:50,000. It depicts topographic features, transportation and water systems. Two plastic overlay maps for the Satkville area are provided with the composite map. One gives the elevation of the bedrock surface as computed from 1:50,000 scale topographic values less the determined depth to bedrock in located drilled wells. The other overlay shows the elevation of the bedrock water table as deduced by subtracting the depth to water in drilled wells from the topographic values.. Throughout this study, and in the preparation of this report, it has been clearly evident that the basin really consists of two distinct areas, particularly in relation to the geology and hydrogeoloqy. Consequently, the two are separated in this report as follows: a) The Headwaters, and b) The Corridor Region. 1.3 DESCRIPTION OF AREA 1.3.1. Shubenacadie Headwaters 1.3.1.1 General The Headwaters includes all that area upstream from the outlet of Shubenacadie Lake and consists of 145 sq. miles of terrain which drains directly or indirectly into that lake. Unlike the Corridor region, the Headwaters contains a multitude of lakes and ponds which, by their very presence, have contributed to the rapid development which has taken place in recent years in this region.