Name
Developing a Saltwater Intrusion Risk Map for Newfoundland and Labrador
Date & Time
Monday, May 25, 2026, 2:00 PM - 2:15 PM
Description
Many communities and homes in Newfoundland and Labrador are situated within 1 km of the coastline. Communities that rely on wells to pump groundwater can be at risk of Saltwater Intrusion, and in select cases fresh potable water supplies have been affected by seawater. Understanding the risk of seawater Intrusion in coastal communities is critical for groundwater supply and development efforts across Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador Water Resources Division commissioned a study to develop a province-wide map of the risk of saltwater intrusion in coastal communities. The map incorporates data from various desktop sources such as a digital elevation model, geology mapping, water well records, and water quality sampling data. Data sources were evaluated, cleaned, and refined for mapping of the entire coastline at the provincial scale. A risk mapping methodology was developed based on an extensive review of hydrogeological principals, research studies, and approaches of government in other jurisdictions. The selected methodology was tested and refined by comparing multiple iterations, using geostatistical techniques, a numerical testbed of groundwater flow, and regression against water quality data. Climate change factors were combined with the final risk map to evaluate the impacts of sea-level rise, changing temperature, and changing precipitation patterns on relative vulnerability across the province.
Location Name
DSU 307
Full Address
Dalhousie University
Halifax NS
Canada
Session Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract ID
42
Speaker Organization
CBCL Ltd.
Session Name
IAH-2 (2 of 2)
Co-authors
Colin Walker - CBCL Ltd. Candace MacDonald - CBCL Ltd. Angela Buchanan - Newfoundland and Labrador Water Resources Division
Presenting Author
Ryan Threndyle - CBCL Ltd.