Borehole geophysical log signatures and stratigraphic assessment in a glacial basin, southern Ontario

Crow, Heather; Hunter, James A.; Olson, L; Pugin, A J M; Russell, H A J

doi:10.1139/cjes-2017-0016

Cited by 13 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 46 publications

(75 reference statements)

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“…Continuously cored boreholes at Green Lane, Mount Albert, McCowan Rd, Ballantrae, Vandorf Side Rd., King City, Nobleton, Kleinburg, and Vaughan with a cumulative length of 1500 m (Tables 1 and 2) provide important detailed sedimentology to support the key YSA data. Detailed methods for geophysical and borehole logging techniques are presented in Pugin et al (2011), Crow et al (2018), and Knight et al (2008).…”

Section: Geologic and Geophysics Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…stratigraphic framework (e.g., Sharpe et al 2004;Sharpe et al 2018), and with the stratigraphic nomenclature from the Scarborough Bluffs (e.g., Karrow 1967Karrow , 1974Eyles and Eyles 1983). Core samples provide physical property information that is linked to downhole geophysical interpretation (e.g., Pullan et al 2002;Crow et al 2018). The architecture and character of YSA strata are defined from two key sites, Aurora and Queensville, where seismic profiles and continuously cored borehole datasets support construction of a refined geological understanding.…”

Section: Geology and Hydrogeologymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Conceptual hydrogeological model of the Yonge Street Aquifer, south-central Ontario: a glaciofluvial channel–fan setting

Gerber¹,

Sharpe

Russell

et al. 2018

Can. J. Earth Sci.

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The Yonge Street Aquifer (YSA) in the Greater Toronto Area of south-central Ontario is a prolific municipal supply aquifer. It has been considered to be channelized sand and gravel linked to a bedrock valley. Despite considerable work, the fundamental conceptual model for the YSA is not well developed and documented. Based on high-quality data, a revised conceptual model of the aquifer is presented. Seismic profiles define the geometry of the regional stratigraphy with four distinct units: bedrock, Lower sediments, Newmarket Till, and Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) sediment. Seismic data reveal two generations of roughly north–south channels: older sub-Newmarket Till channels within Lower sediments (termed Thorncliffe channel) and ORM-related channels (termed ORM channel) that incise both Newmarket Till and Lower sediments. The YSA is interpreted to occur within a Thorncliffe channel, with possible vertical connection to younger ORM channels and lateral connection to inter-channel Lower sediments. Thorncliffe channel deposits consist of fining-upward transitions from coarse gravel, to sand, to rhythmically bedded mud interpreted to be deposited within a channel – esker – subaqueous fan complex. Upper Thorncliffe channel mud facies and overlying Newmarket Till provide a capping aquitard. The YSA conceptual model benefits from a strong understanding of facies changes in the Thorncliffe Formation. The deposits with highest permeability occur within up to 80 m thick gravel and sand sequences at the base of the Thorncliffe channel, with transmissivity ranging from 1500 to 4500 m2/day. Groundwater level response to municipal pumping confirms connection along the channel with muted hydraulic response laterally. Thorncliffe channels are interpreted to be up to 20 km long and approximately 2 km wide.

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Section: Geologic and Geophysics Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Geology and Hydrogeologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptual hydrogeological model of the Yonge Street Aquifer, south-central Ontario: a glaciofluvial channel–fan setting

Gerber¹,

Sharpe

Russell

et al. 2018

Can. J. Earth Sci.

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“…Eyles et al (2011) proposed the formation of Trafalgar and Waterdown end moraines from a Lake Ontario ice stream. Eyles (2012) also inferred ice stream activity across Manitoulin Island yet no diagnostic features were identified and tested against alternatives, such as spectacular meltwater erosion forms observed on scultped bedrock upflow at French River and downflow on the Bruce Peninsula (e.g., Kor et al 1991;Kor and Cowell 1998;Cowan and Sharpe 2007;Hallet 2011). Eyles and Doughty (2016) concluded that a Lake Ontario ice stream eroded carbonate terrain in eastern Ontario to produce glaciofluvial deposits of the ORM, without integrating detailed local mapping and sediment descriptions that support a glaciofluvial-glaciolacustine character of ORM (e.g., Barnett et al 1998;Russell and Arnott 2003;Russell et al 2004).…”

Section: Ice Streams In Southern Ontariomentioning

confidence: 99%

Converging ice streams: an unreasonable hypothesis for deposition of the Oak Ridges Moraine, southern Ontario

Sharpe

Russell

2020

Can. J. Earth Sci.

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The hypothesis that Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) formed between converging ice streams requires critical testing. Available data (e.g., digital elevation models, maps, seismic profiles, continuous cores, and pit exposures) are inconsistent with the converging ice stream hypothesis. Combined analysis of landform and subsurface data permits testing the ORM area stratigraphic sequence and sedimentary origin. Stratigraphic data indicate that drumlinized Newmarket Till, incised by north–south-oriented (tunnel) valleys, extends beneath ORM. Thus, streamlining on Newmarket Till is older than ORM and has no direct bearing on its formation. The north–south-trending valleys truncate streamlined Newmarket Till, extend to bedrock, have inset eskers, and occur beneath ORM. Hence, these valleys are older than ORM and have a subglacial rather than a proglacial origin. Overlying the mega-scale lineations and incised channels are topographically elevated (>300 m a.s.l.), ORM glaciofluvial–glaciolacustrine sequences. Its east to west paleoflow trend indicates an east–west-oriented hydraulic gradient, orthogonal to expected gradients of proposed north-south converging ice streams. The exclusive presence of ORM meltwater sediments, with rare deformation, is incompatible with a converging ice stream, deforming-bed hypothesis. Halton sediment grades upward from stratified sand (ORM) to interbedded diamicton and glaciolacustrine sediment, rather than deformation till. Halton sediment overlies ORM and consequently the proposed Halton ice streaming is younger than the moraine. Halton Till is present in few of the predicted ice stream areas, and where Halton Till is present, it has no mega-scale lineations. In sum, the weight of evidence unequivocally argues against a converging ice-stream process model for the ORM.

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“…Stratified moraines (e.g., Oak Ridges, Oro, Orangeville, Waterloo, and Dorchester) have a cumulative areal extent of ϳ2500 km 2 and have received the greatest geological attention, as they have been exploited extensively for groundwater and aggregate resources (e.g., Sharpe et al 2002;Bajc et al 2014;Burt and Dodge 2011). In this issue, papers are presented on the Paris-Galt MacCormack et al 2018) and Orangeville moraines (Burt 2018) along with geophysical data from three stratified moraines (Crow et al 2018).…”

Section: Morainesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Using a downhole geophysical dataset from continuous-cored boreholes in the Oak Ridges, Oro, and Waterloo stratified moraines, Crow et al (2018) examine the relationship between sediment properties (geochemistry, mineralogy, and grain size) and downhole geophysical signal. They highlight the need for multiple geophysical tools to characterize sedimentary units within a carbonate-dominated glacial basin.…”

Section: Morainesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quaternary geology of southern Ontario and applications to hydrogeology

et al. 2018

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Quaternary geology of southern Ontario and applications to hydrogeology IntroductionThe southern Ontario (lowland) region is a sedimentary basin covering ϳ72 000 km 2 located within the Great Lakes watershed (e.g., Sharpe et al. 2014a). It is bounded by Canadian Shield to the north and east, and three Great Lakes to the south and west (Ontario, Erie, and Huron). The region is the economic heartland of Canada accounting for over 40% of the Canadian Gross Domestic Product. It contains one-third of the Canadian population and has the highest population density in the country. The Great Lakes cumulatively account for approximately 84% of North Americas available freshwater and form the largest potential transboundary groundwater -surface-water resource between the USA and Canada (Environment Canada and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2014). Ironically, there is significant reliance on groundwater for potable, commercial, and agricultural water uses. Approximately 3 million people use groundwater in Ontario, with the majority of these located in southern Ontario. Extraction by domestic systems support ϳ1.3 million people and ϳ1.9 million people use municipal supplies (e.g., Waterloo, Guelph; Sharpe et al. 2014b).For a decade, from 2004 to 2015, groundwater studies in Ontario were dominated by the Source Protection Program that the provincial ministries of Environment and Climate Change, and Natural Resources and Forestry funded via Conservations Authorities in 22 Source Protection areas. The focus of this work was largely water budget modeling, the identification of threats to drinking water supplies, and the establishment of wellhead protection areas around municipal wells. This program was complemented by the Ontario Geological Survey's groundwater initiative, which focused on the collection and interpretation of new, high quality subsurface geoscience information to support regional groundwater understanding (Bajc et al. 2016). This research was a direct outcome of the recommendations of the Walkerton Inquiry (O'Connor 2002) that followed on the tragic events in a southwestern Ontario community where the water supply was compromised by poor wellhead design and lax water treatment checks and protocols, following a heavy rain event in the spring of 2000. Over 2000 people became ill, 7 people died, and the conservative, tangible cost to the provincial economy, up to 2002, was over $60 million (Livernois 2002).The O'Connor Report (2002) recognized the early leadership in Ontario of the Ontario Geological Survey and Geological Survey of Canada in providing the understanding on geologic controls to support knowledge of groundwater and surface-water relationships. Importantly, geological conceptualization is often the first step of any hydrogeological study as it provides important information about geometry and connectivity of units that may support withdrawal of large amounts of water, and the distribution and integrity of units that may act as a barrier to flow and contaminants. A robust geological framework ...

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Borehole geophysical log signatures and stratigraphic assessment in a glacial basin, southern Ontario

Cited by 13 publications

References 46 publications

Conceptual hydrogeological model of the Yonge Street Aquifer, south-central Ontario: a glaciofluvial channel–fan setting

Conceptual hydrogeological model of the Yonge Street Aquifer, south-central Ontario: a glaciofluvial channel–fan setting

Converging ice streams: an unreasonable hypothesis for deposition of the Oak Ridges Moraine, southern Ontario

Quaternary geology of southern Ontario and applications to hydrogeology

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