Research summary
A third of Canadians rely on groundwater for drinking. But this resource also provides invaluable ecosystem services, interacts closely with surface waters, and is needed for agriculture and industrial activities. Often misunderstood, it is experiencing pressures that jeopardize its availability and quality.
As Canada Research Chair in Groundwater Protection in a Changing World, Dr. Geneviève Bordeleau aims to better understand the impacts of the pressures experienced by groundwater in the context of climate change. Using hydro-geochemistry tools (such as modelling, isotopes and dissolved gas), field studies, and laboratory research, Bordeleau and her research team are studying three main factors: climate change and the resulting floods and droughts; the energy transition and the development of subsurface energy; and the cumulative impacts (in time and space) of industrial activities. Their work could lead to solutions to protect the valuable resource that is groundwater.