Nested groundwater flow systems in Wood Buffalo National Park, Alberta-Northwest Territories, Canada

Wood Buffalo National Park (WBNP) features hierarchically nested groundwater flow systems—regional, intermediate, and local—that are isolated by the Caribou Mountains, preventing basin-scale fluid intrusion. This study integrated water chemistry, numerical simulation, and surface phenomena to reveal distinct hydrochemical facies with Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) concentrations ranging from <1,000 mg/L to >300,000 mg/L, originating primarily from meteoric water rather than formation fluids. Key interactions—halite dissolution, sulphate mineral dissolution, and carbonate dissolution—shape these waters, reflecting varied flow system scales. Wetlands, springs, saline soils, and geothermal anomalies serve as indicators of discharge from different flow systems, with the Salt Plains exhibiting regional-scale ascent. These findings advance understanding of hydrogeological processes in WBNP, offering critical insights for protecting its unique ecological values.

Deri-Takacs, J. (2019). Nested groundwater flow systems in Wood Buffalo National Park, Alberta-Northwest Territories, Canada [University of Alberta Library]. https://doi.org/10.7939/R3-HQ5X-8T41