Introduction Waterline provides complete soil monitoring consulting services to satisfy Alberta Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) approval requirements for industrial facilities. Soil monitoring is typically an approval requirement at facilities that have the potential to release substances that may impact soil quality. These substances may include spills or leaks of process chemicals (e.g., amines and glycols), products (e.g., petroleum hydrocarbons), or by-products (e.g., produced water and sulphur). The timely assessment, reporting, remediation and management of soil impacts, and the proactive management of sources are necessary steps to ensure the protection of human health and the environment. In Alberta, the Soil Monitoring Directive provides requirements and guidance for the monitoring and management of soil contamination. Waterline personnel are experienced in the development and implementation of Baseline and Operational Soil Monitoring Programs and Soil Mnaagement Programs that will satisfy our client's EPEA approval requirements. Baseline and Operational Soil Monitoring Programs are developed by identifying key potential sources of impact and the facility-specific soil quality parameters of concern. Once identified, this information is used to design a suitable soil sampling program that meets the requirements of the Soil Monitoring Directive. If required, Soil Management Programs are developed that identify source control measures to be implemented, establish appropriate remediation objectives, and establish a management plan for the contaminated areas, which may include remediation and/or risk management. Remediation objectives are developed, following guidance provided in either the Alberta Tier 1 or Tier 2 soil and groundwater remediation guidelines, with consideration of the baseline soil quality, current and end land uses, and receptor exposure pathways. Baseline Soil Monitoring Programs New facilities or existing facilities that are expanding over previously undeveloped land require the implementation of a Baseline Soil Monitoring Program. The purpose of the Baseline Soil Monitoring Program is to assess pre-development soil quality prior to the initiation of facility operations. The Baseline Soil Monitoring Program provides a benchmark of soil quality to which future soil assessment results can be compared to ensure facility operations have not adversely impacted the soil. If an impact has occurred, this benchmark soil quality data may be used to establish remediation objectives. Operational Soil Monitoring Programs Operational Soil Monitoring Programs are undertaken to assess soil quality at regular intervals (typically every 5 years) during the operational life-span of the facility. The purpose of the Operational Soil Monitoring Program is to ensure any soil impacts resulting from facility-related operations are identified in a timely manner, such that they can be appropriately managed to eliminate the risk to potential receptors. Soil Management Programs Soil management programs are developed, if a soil quality impact is identified during an Operational Soil Monitoring Program. The objectives of the Soil Management Program are to initiate source control measures to prevent further releases, delineate impacted areas, develop remediation objectives (if required), and commence appropriate remedial measures. The goal of the Soil Management Program is to eliminate the potential for an adverse effect to either human health or the environment. The EPEA requirements for Soil Management Programs typically include yearly reporting of the progress of the soil management activities until the remediation objectives have been achieved. #soilmonitoring #soilmanagement #soiltesting #soilremediation #boreholedrilling

Albertans are blessed with big skies and panoramic mountain views which are the envy of many around the world. However, being in the lee of the Rocky Mountains, we experience drought conditions, which vary by region, duration and severity. Southern Albertans typically rely of rivers to sustain our municipal, industrial, agricultural, recreational and residential water requirements. As such, southern Albertans are amongst those most impacted by droughts, and associated low river flow conditions. For example, in 2017 the Alberta government issued 40 water shortage advisories across Alberta, with some towns south of Calgary banning non-essential outdoor water use. For the Sheep and Highwood rivers and Fish Creek, the province suspended issuing temporary diversion licences. These measures are in addition to the broader 2006 moratorium that the province placed on issuing surface water diversion licences in the South Saskatchewan River Basin (SSRB). Although various restrictions apply to accessing surface water in southern Alberta, the restrictions do not apply to groundwater. Thus, to mitigate the risk associated with surface water availability during droughts, water managers and planners often turn to water wells (i.e., a groundwater supply) to augment, or replace their existing surface water supplies. Groundwater supplies can also provide a sustainable water resource to meet the future development needs of the community or industry. Unlike surface water, groundwater is typically not subject to seasonal supply variability. Moreover, groundwater quality is consistent and is not subject to seasonal and storm-related fluctuation (e.g., turbidity, bacteria, BOD, COD, etc.), or to erosion or deposition of sediments at river intake structures. Water wells are drilled and tested to determine their sustainable water yield. The water wells are then licensed by the province in a manner that protects the interests of current and future generations. Contact Waterline to learn more about groundwater, and to see whether a groundwater supply could be developed to augment, or replace your existing surface water supply to help you improve your drought resilience. #drought #groundwater #municipalwater #droughtresiliency #droughtproofing

Waterline is excited to announce that we have opened a field office in Kelowna, BC so that we can better service our Okanagan clients. #kelowna #hydrogeologyokanagan #waterwell #geothermalenergy #environmentalconsulting

The Waterline Nanaimo office has moved! The new address is 2430 Jingle Pot Rd, Nanaimo, BC V9R 6W3

Did you know? Waterline and its associates can assess water from deep saline to groundwater to surface water. http://www.integratedwaterresources.ca/ #integratedwaterresources #surfacewater #hydrology #hydrogeology #salinewater #waterexploration

Waterline is looking to hire a full-time, junior environmental scientist. Be part of a great team and learn more here: http://www.waterlineresources.com/careers

To ensure that our client’s potable and non-potable water supplies are safe, Waterline actively manages well maintenance for hundreds of water supplies, including groundwater wells, cisterns, etc. Our streamlined, database-driven processes ensure that our client’s water supplies are properly maintained by offering the following services: Initial site visits by our water specialists to identify the water source type, use, and potential sources of contamination; Laboratory bottle order placement and scheduling reminders for sampling events; Notifications of exceedances and recommended corrective actions; and Auto-generated summary reports about all water wells and water supplies in your portfolio. All of these processes have been automated and carefully reviewed by our water experts to ensure accountability, efficiency and cost-effectiveness and can be scaled to suit our client’s unique needs. Contact Waterline today to learn more at 1-888-542-5611. #waterwell #shockchlorination #groundwater #waterwellmaintenance #cisternmaintenance #watersampling

To complement our growing downhole geophysical logging capabilities (gamma, SP, camera, etc.), Waterline now has the capability to log conductivity, temperature and flow for environmental, water exploration, and geothermal programs! #gammalogging #downholegeophysics #boreholelogging #findwater #hydrogeologist

Groundwater Supply Groundwater development and aquifer management studies are a major focus of the hydrogeological services that Waterline Resources Inc. provides to its clients. Waterline’s success in developing reliable and sustainable water supplies lies in our ability to effectively evaluate site specific geological and hydrogeological conditions, and to apply drilling and water well construction technologies suitable for those conditions. The assessment of drilling technologies and the use of experienced drilling contractors is essential for the completion of high quality water wells. Groundwater Licensing in Alberta and BC Groundwater supplies must be licensed under the Water Act in Alberta and the Water Sustainability Act in BC. Part of the conditions within the Water Act in Alberta for a groundwater licence is to have a qualified geologist or engineer analyze the regional and local conditions, aquifer performance, and water quality. Waterline has a dedicated team of experts in BC that support clients across BC with groundwater licencing, which was introduced in 2016. Waterline creates customized programs that are specific to your needs in order to ensure that the regulatory requirements are met. Understanding the Regulatory Environment The success of these projects also relies on Waterline’s knowledge of the regulatory framework. From a technical perspective, the geological and engineering skills required to develop groundwater supplies is similar for municipal, industrial, agricultural and residential projects. The regulatory framework, however, differs greatly and can be quite complex and laborious for the uninitiated. Waterline provides a comprehensive service commensurate with federal, provincial and municipal environmental regulations, as well as with sensitive issues related to landownership. Groundwater Resource and Development Waterline provides the following services for water supply projects: Water well permitting and licensing; Turnkey project management; Search of geological and hydrogeological databases; Site reconnaissance survey; Client/regulatory/landowner liaison and mediation; Water well contractor tendering and selection; Well-site supervision of drilling and well construction, development and aquifer testing; Groundwater modelling and watershed/aquifer management evaluations; Public consultation and expert witness; Borehole database search; water well and oil and gas wells; and Aerial Photograph Interpretation. #waterwell #wateract #groundwaterlicencing #watersustainabilityact #groundwater #hydrogeologist

The deadline to submit a Water Sustainability Act application for your water well without paying the application fee has been extended to December 2017. Go here to learn more about groundwater licencing in BC: Water Sustainability Act Update #waterwell #watersustainabilityact #groundwaterlicencing

Waterline is excited to announce that Andrzej Slawinski has been awarded the Outstanding Mentor Award during the 2017 APEGA Summit Awards. Thank you Andrzej for being such a wonderful mentor to us all! From the 2017 APEGA Summit Awards program: "Although many accomplished leaders volunteer in formal mentoring programs, for a select few, inspiring and guiding other is innate. Dr. Andrzej Slawinski, P.Geol., is one of those natural-born mentors who selflessly shares knowledge and time to help others succeed. Chief Technical Officer at Waterline Resources Inc., Dr. Slawinski has more than five decades of experience in geology. Born in Poland, he completed his PhD in hydrogeology in 1977 at Warsaw's Polish Academy of Sciences. In 1982, Dr. Slawinksi and his family immigrated to Canada. He is fluent in three languages and has a working knowledge of four more - evidence of his international experience gained from working in Europe, Africa, southeast Asia, eastern Siberia, and co-author of numerous publications and hundreds of consulting reports. Always available and generous with his time, Dr. Slawinski has attracted and mentored many young talents. Some have changed companies or even provinces to work with him. Waterline Resources Inc. was formed by three of his mentees, who convinced him to delay retirement to join the company. He acts as a technical adviser for senior and junior professionals alike, encouraging critical thinking and respectful practice. Dr. Slawinski leads by example with an endearing, humble personality and a strong passion for life's adventures. An avid skier and mountaineer, he has attempted to climb the highest peak in North America twice, at ages of 73 and 74. Although he had to surrender to the 6,194-metre summit of Denali in Alaska, he conquered the hearts of his colleagues, who tracked his progress from Calgary using a satellite messenger unit."

Introduction Groundwater resource management is critical to protecting drinking water resources. Through understanding groundwater on a regional scale (e.g., watershed or sub-watershed scale), informed decisions can be made about the management of groundwater resources and facilitate answering questions such as: Where are the major aquifers in the region? Where are the aquifer boundaries and what are its hydrogeologic properties? How do we make sure that groundwater use is sustainable and what is the long-term sustainable yield of aquifers? Where does groundwater come from and where does it go? How do groundwater and surface water interact? How vulnerable to contamination are aquifers in the region and how do we protect groundwater from potential contamination? How do we ensure that groundwater resources are protected for future generations? Our Approach Waterline approaches these questions by gaining an understanding of the hydrogeological system through extensive background data review, field verification, and data evaluation using state-of-the-art data processing and management tools. As a first step, a comprehensive background review is conducted to develop a conceptual hydrogeologic model and to identify data gaps. To supplement available regional interpretations and address data gaps, Waterline designs customized field programs to acquire the requisite information in a cost-sensitive manner. Field investigations often include but are not limited to: Field verification survey of selected existing wells; Preparing and inventory of springs; Aquifer testing and water sampling of existing wells; Conducting geophysical (electromagnetic and seismic) surveys; and Drilling and installing new observation wells. Waterline uses an in-house database and mapping applications to compile and organize complex regional data sets from a variety of sources. This database application is integrated with GIS (e.g., ArcHydro Groundwater and Leapfrog Hydro) and other hydrogeological software to prepare and present findings in a clear manner to both clients and the public. Groundwater Vulnerability Groundwater vulnerability mapping helps decision makers in planning and policy development. Vulnerability of groundwater to extraction and contamination can be accomplished by identifying the key recharge areas across the watershed. On a local scale, water wells can be protected by establishing wellhead protection zones. Groundwater Management Plans and Public Awareness Waterline creates groundwater management plans in a way that not only protects these resources in the short term but also helps to devise strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of groundwater resources. Public awareness is essential for effectively managing groundwater resources. Waterline assists clients during public meetings and information sessions to educate the public on key groundwater management issues.