This dataset provides information submitted by well contractors as prescribed by Regulation 903, and is stored in the Water Well Information System (WWIS). Spatial information for all of the well records reported in Ontario are also provided. Well record map *[WWIS]: Water Well Information System This data is related to: * Well records * Map: Well records * Topic: Drinking water * Law: Reg. 903: Wells Related data: * Petroleum wells

The Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN) datasets report on ambient (baseline) groundwater level and chemistry conditions. Groundwater monitoring map

The map shows the location of the six hydrogeological regions in Canada and the location of observation wells. The terrain composition is also shown on the map, which includes crystalline rocks, mixed crystalline rocks, folded sedimentary rocks and flat lying sedimentary rocks. The southern limit of continuous permafrost zone and the limit of the discontinuous permafrost zone appear on the map. Canada has been divided into six hydrogeological regions on the basis of similarities of geology, climate, and topography. These six hydrogeological regions are (1) the Appalachians, covering the area of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and the Gaspé and Eastern Townships of Quebec; (2) the St. Lawrence Lowlands, covering Anticosti Island, the extreme southern area of Quebec, and the southern part of Ontario; (3) the Canadian Shield, lying north of the St. Lawrence Lowlands and extending northward to a line joining the north end of Lake Winnipeg to Anticosti Island; (4) the Interior Plains, lying approximately south of the southern limit of discontinuous permafrost and consisting largely of the southern prairie regions of the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta; (5) the Cordilleran Region, the mountainous part of western Canada within British Columbia; and (6) the Northern Region, approximately covering the area north of the southern limit of discontinuous permafrost. To monitor the groundwater flow systems and fluctuations in these hydrogeological regions a series of groundwater observation wells and piezometers have been established in various parts of Canada, as is shown on the map. The groundwater observation well map indicates the extent of provincial observation well and piezometer networks in Canada. Because of scale limitations, the symbols on the map may indicate more than one well. These wells and piezometers have been established in the southern part of Canada to monitor groundwater fluctuations and may also be used to monitor groundwater quality. Since this region of Canada has the largest population density, groundwater is of more immediate interest here. In the areas of discontinuous and continuous permafrost little has been done at present to monitor groundwater conditions, although this is changing as mineral exploration looks north for new reserves.

Data on physical conditions in Ontario’s lakes and streams:

• For lakes this includes measurements such as temperature, dissolved oxygen levels and water transparency, ice dates, as well as sampling location details.
• For streams this includes measurements such as stream flow discharge from monitoring stations in south-central Ontario.

Meteorological conditions for climate stations close to monitored lakes in south-central Ontario, includes measurements such as air temperature, humidity, precipitation and wind speed.

This data set includes information on sampling locations and physical conditions in lakes and streams across Ontario, as well as meteorological and lake ice-cover conditions from monitoring stations in south-central Ontario. Data were collected since 1976, as part of routine monitoring of water quality of inland waters and for scientific and research purposes.

Keywords: water quality, meteorology, hydrology, wind, dissolved oxygen, environmental monitoring

Shows the Vulnerability Scoring (VS) zones in accordance with the Technical Rules for the Clean Water Act (issued in December 2008) for all municipal well fields in York Region. VS values of 2-10 are provided within Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPA) A, B, C and D (which represent the 100 metre, 0-2 year, 2-5 year and 5-25 year zones respectively), as based on scoring rules provided by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) in the Clean Water Act. The figures and the final report present results of data compilation and computer simulations of a complex geologic setting. As outlined in the final report, data errors and data gaps are likely present in information provided to the consultant (EarthFX Inc.). In addition, computer models represent a simplification of the actual geologic and hydrogeologic conditions, and are subjected to simplifying assumptions. The data has been created by EarthFX Inc. The geologic and hydrogeologic data used as input into the numerical modelling procedure has been provided by various sources, including the MOE water-well records, previous consulting/research reports, and York Region.Please refer to the Clean Water Act approved symbology when using this data. (http://www.ontario.ca/environment-and-energy/mapping-symbology-clean-water-act)

The water level data comes from the Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN) of Ontario. Each well in the observation network is equipped with a hydrostatic pressure transducer and a temperature sensor connected to a data logger. A second pressure transducer located above the water surface allows for adjusting the water level according to atmospheric pressure variations. The time series refers to the level below which the soil is saturated with water at the site and at the time indicated. The water level is expressed in meters above sea level (MASL). Groundwater levels are recorded hourly. The dataset consists of a general description of the observation site including; the identifier, the name, the location, the elevation, and a series of numerical values designating the water levels at a defined date and time of measurement.

Volumes of water taken daily and annually under a Permit-to-Take-Water, as reported to the ministry under the Water Taking and Transfer Regulation 387/04.

The Ontario Water Resources Act (Act) requires anyone who takes more than 50,000 litres of water in a day to obtain a Permit to take Water (PTTW) with some exceptions. Under the Act, the Water Taking and Transfer Regulation requires all holders of a PTTW to report the volume of water taken at each permitted source for each day of water taking. The data includes information from the permit on the purpose of the water taking, water source types and locations, as well as the daily and annual volume of water taken from each source.

These maps contain data of 11 major Land Use - Land Cover (LULC) categories and their E. coli contamination potential for groundwater wells. The LULC categories included in this dataset include agricultural/pastural land, urban, open/barelands, aggregate mines, scrubland, disturbance, bedrock, forest, grasslands, wetlands, and water. The LULC impact on E. coli contamination potential for wells is classified as very high, high, moderate, and low.

This layer comprises all the available water wells in GIN (Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador) and published through the open data platforms. This layer is a combination of all individual provincial and territorial layers. The original databases are dynamically converted by an automatic process managed by Natural Resources Canada (Groundwater Information Network).

The water level data comes from the Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN) of Ontario. Each well in the observation network is equipped with a hydrostatic pressure transducer and a temperature sensor connected to a data logger. A second pressure transducer located above the water surface allows for adjusting the water level according to atmospheric pressure variations. The time series refers to the level below which the soil is saturated with water at the site and at the time indicated. The water level is expressed in meters above sea level (MASL). Groundwater levels are recorded hourly. The dataset consists of a general description of the observation site including; the identifier, the name, the location, the elevation, and a series of numerical values designating the water levels at a defined date and time of measurement.

Get data about the water quality for Ontario's inland lakes. The data is collected through volunteer monitoring efforts – citizen science. The Lake Partner environment map The Lake Partner Program (LPP) measures water quality in inland lakes across Ontario. This dataset provides water quality and water clarity data, as well as data on the concentrations of: * total phosphorus * calcium * chloride Spatial information for lake monitoring locations across Ontario are also available. Keywords: Lake, Water, Citizen Science, Community Science, Volunteer, Phosphorus, Calcium, Chloride, Water Clarity

Click here for metadata. The PGMN is a network of almost 400 wells across 38 watersheds in Ontario that record data on groundwater quality and quantity. The data collected assists in determining groundwater quality and aquifer extents across the province with the goal of assuring safe drinking water supplies and will complement knowledge gained through the regional groundwater studies. The network also provides an early warning system for changes in water levels caused by climate conditions or human activities and information on regional trends in groundwater quality. The groundwater level readings are taken hourly and are stored in a datalogger for either manual or remote automated download. The downloaded data is maintained by the MOE and is made available for use by the partner Conservation Authorities. Quinte Conservation samples from over 30 wells. The samples are tested for pesticides, metals, volatile organics, and general chemistry. The water quality samples collected are used to determine ambient groundwater conditions in Ontario. This dataset only includes active PGMN wells within the Quinte watershed that are located on Quinte Conservation or publicly owned land.

To support improved groundwater geoscience knowledge for southern Ontario, a regional 3-D model of the surficial geology of southern Ontario has been developed as a part of a collaboration between the Ontario Geological Survey and the Geological Survey of Canada. Covering approximately 66,870 km2 in area, the model is a synthesis of existing geological models, surficial geology mapping, and subsurface data. The model is a simplified 9-layer reclassification of numerous mapped local surficial sediment formations in places over 200 m thick with a total volume of approximately 2,455 km3. The model integrates 1:50,000 scale surficial geology mapping with 90 m bathymetrically corrected topographic digital elevation model (DEM) and 8 existing local 3-D models. Archival subsurface data include 10,237 geotechnical and stratigraphic boreholes, 3,312 picks from geophysical surveys, 15,902 field mapping sites and sections, 537 monitoring and water supply wells and 282,995 water well records. Roughly corresponding to regional aquifer and aquitard layers, primary model layers are (from oldest to youngest): Bedrock, Basal Aquifer, Lower Sediment, Regional Till, Post Regional Till Channel Fill, Glaciofluvial Sediment, Post Regional Till Mud, Glaciolacustrine Sand and Recent Sediment / Organics. Modelling was completed using an implicit modelling application (LeapFrog®) complemented by an expert knowledge approach to data classification and rules-based Expert System procedure for data interpretation and validation. An iterative cycle of automated data coding, intermediate model construction and manual data corrections, expert evaluations, and revisions lead to the final 3-D model. A semi-quantitative confidence assessment has been made for each model layer surface based on data quality, distribution and density. This surficial geology model completes the development of a series of regional 3-D geological and hydrogeological models for southern Ontario.

From July through November 2018, 48 environmental samples and four quality-control samples were collected throughout the Lower Hudson, Chemung, and Eastern Lake Ontario River Basins. Samples were collected from seven production wells and eight domestic wells in the Eastern Lake Ontario Basin, 13 production wells and 12 domestic wells in the Lower Hudson River Basin, and four production wells and four domestic wells in the Chemung River Basin. Of the wells sampled, 27 were completed in bedrock and 21 were completed in sand and gravel. Approximately 20 percent of samples were collected from wells that were previously sampled in 2003, 2008, and 2013. Groundwater samples were collected prior to any treatment or filtration systems, from existing domestic and production wells equipped with permanently installed pumps.
Samples were collected and processed using standard USGS methods and were analyzed for 372 constituents including physicochemical properties, dissolved gases, major ions ...

This layer comprises all the available water wells in GIN (Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador) and published through the open data platforms. This layer is a combination of all individual provincial and territorial layers. The original databases are dynamically converted by an automatic process managed by Natural Resources Canada (Groundwater Information Network).

The Source Water Protection Information Atlas is compiled by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment,Conservation and Parks (MECP) to display data on source water protection and vulnerability from Ontario's Conservation Authorities, including the Severn Sound Environmental Association and Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula, as well as Ontario parcel data from the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry.Search a location to see if it is in a vulnerable area – that is, close to a municipal drinking water well or other drinking water intake. In these areas certain land or water activities, if left unchecked, could pollute the water supply. If your location is in a vulnerable area, follow the link to the Help section, identify the threats for the zone, check the policy tab and if needed go to the source protection plan to find out what activities are prohibited or need to be managed.You may also follow the link to the Threats Tool, in the Help section to identify what activities pose a threat to drinking water sources in the zone.

Click to view Metadata A Highly Vulnerable Aquifer (HVA) is an aquifer that can be easily changed or affected by contamination from both human activities and natural processes. When a municipality draws drinking water from a well, it gets that water from underground. This groundwater is found in aquifers which collect water much like a sponge does. When water can pass through soil, such as sand or gravel, we call that surface permeable. An aquifer is more vulnerable to contamination if the soil layer is thin. Aquifers are areas of soil or rock under the ground where cracks and spaces allow water to pool. They are considered highly vulnerable based on factors such as how deep it is underground, what sort of soil or rock is covering it, and the characteristics of the soil or rock surrounding it.

Data set includes the smaller areas of sensitivity (a standard radius around water intake points) and the larger areas of concern (determined by land, soil and water characteristics of the surrounding area).

Additional Documentation

Fish Culture Operation Areas of Impact - Data Description (PDF)

Fish Culture Operation Areas of Impact - Documentation (Word)

Status

On going: Data is continually being updated

Maintenance and Update Frequency

Irregular: Data is updated in intervals that are uneven in duration

Contact

Kevin Collins, Fish and Wildlife Services Branch, Kevin.Collins@ontario.ca

Project Summary: On many First Nations’ reserves across Canada, lack of safe drinking water is a chronic problem. Many First Nations and municipalities across Ontario have formed collaborative relationships to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes, such as improved service provision, or economic development. The aim of this research project was the study of collaborative water sharing arrangements between First Nations and municipalities in Ontario. This $371,300 project took place between 2018-2025. It was an interdisciplinary effort, involving a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods including statistical analysis, and in-depth case studies. It involved the efforts of several Undergraduate and Graduate Research Assistants, in addition to the research team identified below. The central aim was to identify the potential scope for water sharing in the Province, and factors influencing communities to engage, or not engage, in these exchanges. The empirical portion of the research that produced this data was led by Brady Deaton, with data organization and archiving efforts led by Bethany Lipka. The Canadian Tri-Agency Statement of Principles on Digital Data Management states that “research data collected with the use of public funds belong, to the fullest extent possible, in the public domain and available for reuse by others”. The research team has striven to meet this open data standard, by making all empirical project data available to future users in a well-documented and accessible manner. This repository is part of a broader collection that includes additional archived resources from the above described project, including publication repositories with replication files. The complete collection can be accessed within the Collaborative Relationships Between First Nations and Municipalities project collection in the Agri-environmental Research Data Repository. Any questions regarding this data archive can be directed to the data contacts. Research Team: Dr. Brady Deaton, Primary Investigator, Department of FARE, University of Guelph Dr. Sheri Longboat, Co-Investigator, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph Dr. Christopher Alcantara, Co-Investigator, Political Science, Western University Bethany Lipka, Project Coordinator, Department of FARE, University of Guelph

Directory of Licensed Well Contractors This directory lists all well contractors licensed in Ontario. Listings in the directory should not be taken as advice or a recommendation of any individual contractor. The directory is updated periodically. We strongly recommend that you ask well contractors and technicians to provide proof of a valid ministry-issued licence before you retain their services. Licences expire on March 31 following the year of issue. You can also confirm license status by contacting the Wells Help Desk at: * wellshelpdesk@ontario.ca * toll-free: 1-888-396-9355 (Ontario residents only) About well contractors A well contractor is a person, partnership or company in the business of well construction. They must be licensed under the Ontario Water Resources Act. Specific licensing requirements are in the Wells Regulation. The work a contractor is allowed to do depends on the type of license held by its well technician employees. Keywords: well contractor, well technician, abandonment