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[ARCHIVED] Recommendation is to discontinue the “Nova Scotia Groundwater Observation Well Temperature Data”. This is for scientific / technical reasons. The data was never designed to be collected as a dataset on its own, but is used by sensors to create a correction facter for other data (groundwater levels). Developments in academic research show that the type of water wells we monitor for groundwater levels do not have the correct design for measuring temperature, with issues that include the potential within wells for thermal convection cells that cause groundwater temperature readings to fluctuate inconsistently.

Groundwater flow is the movement of water in an aquifer or hydrogeological unit. The dataset shows groundwater flow rate and direction in the hydrogeological unit. Groundwater flow is establish from piezometric surface map. The method used to create the dataset is described in the metadata associated with the dataset.

Water well records contain details of the location, construction, and groundwater level of wells drilled on Prince Edward Island.

Groundwater level search results include data from 14 groundwater level observation wells across PEI; mapped locations of observation wells; graphs; and downloadable raw data. The groundwater level data provides long-term trend information, both historical and real-time, on groundwater levels.

A hydrogeological unit is defined as any soil or rock unit or zone that by virtue of its hydraulic properties has a distinct influence on the storage or movement of groundwater. It is considered the main dataset from the GGP point of view. Hydrogeological units are ranked into five levels (from largest to smallest): 1) hydrogeological region, 2) hydrogeological context, 3) aquifer system, 4) hydrostratigraphic unit, and 5) aquifer. Here are formal definitions for these different types of hydrogeologic units.

Level below which soil or rock is saturated with water, in the well and at the time the level has been measured, expressed in m above the sea level. Groundwater levels measured are interpolated / extrapolated to obtain groundwater level on every cell of the hydrogeological unit raster. Surfer and ArcGis are the software usually used to create groundwater level raster. The dataset designates a raster with a groundwater level, for each cell of the hydrogeological unit.

Level below which soil or rock is saturated with water, in the well and at the time the level has been measured, expressed in m above the sea level. Groundwater depth is measured on the field, using a water level meters. The depth is then subtracted from the elevation of the measurement site to obtain the water level elevation. The dataset is a general description of the measurement site including location and well elevation.

The amount of groundwater exploited is estimated in m³/year. Groundwater usages are classified in four categories: agricultural, industrial, domestic and energy. Typically, groundwater usage should be represented as a series of sub-polygons or points fitting inside the boundary of the hydrogeological unit. The scope and method used to estimate the amount of water are described in the metadata associated with the dataset.

In the hydrogeological unit, quantity of water that replenishes groundwater beneath the water table, expressed in mm/yr. Recharge is usually calculated using hydrology balance, integrating information from precipitation, hydrology data, drainage, soil properties, evapotranspiration, etc. The result is a raster dataset in which each cell has a given value for the recharge of the aquifer. It can be calculate using HELP software, developed by the US EPA.

A measure of the intrinsic susceptibility of an aquifer representing the tendency or likelihood for contaminants to reach a specified position in the groundwater system after introduction at some location above the uppermost aquifer. The method used to create the dataset is described in the metadata associated with the dataset. The dataset is a general assessment of the vulnerability of the hydrogeological unit considered as a whole. It features the local and regional qualifiers in a controlled vocabulary list referring to the extent where the vulnerability value is valid.