Permafrost hydrogeology

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Increasing temperatures in the Arctic over the past decades has been accompanied by an increase in sub-permafrost and intra-permafrost groundwater discharge to rivers. Hydrometric data from permafrost drainage basins show strong interannual variability in baseflow discharge, although with a long term trend towards increased groundwater discharge. This increased flow can affect seasonal discharge in rivers, the timing and severity of the spring freshet and may also exacerbate the impact of seasonal icing (aufeis) formation on communities and infrastructure. This program will take full advantage of Canada’s only accelerator mass spectrometer facility that we recently established at the University of Ottawa, with capabilities for very low level and compound-specific radiocarbon plus associated facilities for noble gas isotopes analysis. The objective of this research program over the next five years is to determine the mechanisms of groundwater recharge and quantify circulation through permafrost watersheds, the impacts of climate variability, and how contaminants are transported through components of these flow systems.