Groundwater resources evolution in degrading permafrost environments: Sustainable water availability and management in the northern community of Umiujaq, Nunavik, Canada

加拿大的气候正在发生变化，由此对水循环和水资源的影响对于人类和生态系统健康以及经济发展至关重要，特别是在北部地区。北部社区已经感受到许多影响，包括永久冻土融化以及地表水质量和可用性下降。对地下水的影响在很大程度上尚不清楚，但随着永久冻土融化和水的释放，地下水可能成为一种重要的新资源，因为它通常比地表水更安全、更可靠且更便宜。这项研究将通过调查魁北克省努纳维克地区 Umiujaq 北部社区附近一个 2 平方公里的小型流域盆地，确定北部地区利用地下水作为可持续资源的潜力。 流域内不断变化的水文地质系统将通过首先表征地下地质结构和永久冻土的分布，并随着时间的推移监测地下水和地表水状况来定义。还将监测当地的天气状况。这些数据将被整合到流域的三维水文地质概念和数值模型中，从而确定气候变化当前和未来对地下水系统及其作为资源的可行性的影响。当地社区将利用这些成果来确定使用地下水作为可靠的新饮用水源的潜力，并由我们的合作伙伴魁北克可持续发展、环境、野生动物和公园部 (MDDEFP) 用来为不断发展的北部社区制定长期供水政策，并维持区域经济发展。随着新的地下水资源可用于魁北克省和整个加拿大北部的采矿业、林业和旅游业，也可以实现显着的优势。

Canada's climate is changing and the resulting impact on the water cycle and on water resources is of critical importance to human and ecosystem health and for economic development, especially in the north. Many effects are already being felt in northern communities, including thawing of permafrost and degradation of surface water quality and availability. Impacts on groundwater are largely unknown, however as the permafrost thaws and water is released, groundwater may become a significant new resource as it is generally safer, more reliable and less expensive than surface water. This research will determine the potential of using groundwater as a sustainable resource in northern regions by investigating a small 2 km2 watershed basin near the northern community of Umiujaq, in the region of Nunavik, Quebec. The evolving hydrogeological system within the watershed will be defined by first characterizing the subsurface geologic structure and the distribution of permafrost, and by monitoring groundwater and surface water conditions over time. Local weather conditions will also be monitored. The data will be integrated into a three-dimensional hydrogeological conceptual and numerical model of the basin, which will allow determining the present and future impacts of climate change on the groundwater system and its viability as a resource. The outcomes will be used by the local community to identify the potential of using groundwater as a reliable new source of drinking water, and by our partner the Quebec Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment, Wildlife and Parks (MDDEFP) to develop long-term water supply policy for growing northern communities, and for sustaining regional economic development. Significant advantages could also be realized as new groundwater resources become available for the mining, forestry and tourism industries in Quebec and throughout Canada's north.