Alberta water wells web application

Overview

The Alberta Water Wells Web Application provides information from two databases:

• Alberta Water Well Information Database: Shows information about
  • chemical analysis reports
  • flowing shot holes
  • individual water well drilling reports
  • pump tests conducted on water wells throughout Alberta
  • springs
  • test holes

  Symbols for these tests are goldenrod circles.

• Baseline Water Well Tests: Shows information about individual water well tests which include
  • bacteriological analysis
  • gas composition and gas isotope
  • water quality
  • yield test

  These tests are primarily in areas of Coalbed Methane (CBM) exploration and development (AER Directive 35 Regulation), but it includes some tests done for non-CBM purposes. Symbols for these tests are magenta diamonds.

A few notes about the Baseline Water Well Testing Program

• Not all well tests could accurately be linked to the Well ID by the testers for various reasons.
• Names of individuals are not presented on the well test reports.
• Landowners/tenants are notified by the company if there were exceedances to the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality.
• For CBM drilling operations, water wells are required to be tested under AER Directive 35 if they are within 600m to 800m. Testing of water wells around other Oil and Gas related operations are voluntarily submitted.

For additional info, see:

• Baseline Water Well Testing for Coalbed Methane Development

How to use the application

Access the Application

• Water Wells Web Application - This application is not supported by IE9 or lower.

To Use the Map

1. For optimal viewing of the map, set screen resolution to a minimum of 1024 X 768.
2. You must be at a map scale of 1:144,448 or larger before the dots representing well locations appear. Symbols on the map represent well locations or well tests, but not the number of wells/tests.
3. Clicking on a symbol will reveal the seven digit identification number and location information for that well/test. If there is more than one well/test at that location, the dialogue box will allow you to navigate between them.

To See All Wells/Tests at a Specific Location

1. Choose a method by first clicking on the Find Water Wells tab located near the top right hand corner of the screen.
2. Most users will use the By Land Description tab option. Type the required information and click on Search. A list of search results will show in the right hand side of the map.
3. Click on Generate Report. If there is only one record, the appropriate well or test report will load. If there is more than one record then a Reconnaissance Report will load. You can review the reconnaissance report to narrow down your search for a particular record.
4. Clicking on the underlined identification number will load the individual report. Chemistry reports are also available. If the number in the CHM column is underlined then you can go directly to the well water chemistry report.

Multiple Records at the Same Well ID

Sometimes there are several pieces of information for the same water well such as

• New Well
• Deepened
• Chemistry
• Old Well-Abandoned
• Old Well-Test

Take note of the date the work was completed and who the owner/driller was when checking on work progress of that particular well.

Why are Some Wells Not Where they Should Be?

Most wells are not precisely located within their quarter section. If no GPS has been provided but just an LSD number or quarter-section, then the symbol will appear in the centre of the quarter or LSD.

This is why there may be multiple records under a single symbol, or why symbols can sometimes appear to be in the middle of a lake!

Several Reports for One Well

Several records, such as well tests, pump tests or chemistry reports may be listed for a single well, each with a different well ID.

When well work (such as deepening, reconditioning or decommissioning) is done, recorded and filed, Groundwater Information Centre staff may have entered it under a new Well ID instead of adding to an existing well ID for that well.

Every test conducted on a well under the Baseline Water Well Testing program is given a new test ID number regardless of how many times the well has been tested previously.

A Well Record is Not on the Website

Compulsory water well reporting was only required in Alberta after the mid-1970s. Well locations are not always correctly reported.

If the well was drilled in the past five years and the driller's name is known, you can contact the Groundwater Information Centre and ask that the driller submit or resubmit the report.

• Groundwater Information Centre
  Tel: 780 427-2770

Compulsory Baseline Water Well Testing was required starting in April 2006. Any tests conducted on wells prior to this date may not be in the database.

If there was testing done on a well that is not in the database, forward the details to have the information submitted to:

• Email: cbmbaseline.testing@gov.ab.ca

Determining Well Ownership

In densely populated areas such as lake communities there may be several wells in the same area, without a defining lot/block/plan.

Examine the well's details, trying to match them to a report on the list (details such as well depth, casing size/material, age).

A frequent means of determining well ownership is by the original owner's name, available through the local land titles office or the municipality concerned.

Current Water Chemistry Information

There are two ways to get information regarding water quality. Well tests reported under the Baseline Water Well Testing program and samples submitted to AWWID.

Prior to 1992, well water samples were submitted to various provincial government labs for analysis and are available for viewing on AWWID.

After 1991, landowners could submit their well water samples to Alberta Health and Wellness' (AHW) lab for analysis. That data is considered confidential between the landowner and Alberta Health and Wellness.

Map Scale

To locate water wells or well tests on the map:

1. Zoom in by clicking the +/- buttons in the top left or by scrolling your mouse wheel until symbols appear on the screen.
2. Symbols will appear when the map scale indicator (bottom left of the map) shows 2km/2mi, or when the 'Current Scale' (bottom of right menu pane) shows 1:144,448.

To Print a Map

Click on the Print tab in the upper right hand menu pane and follow the directions.

Printing a Reconnaissance Report

After generating a reconnaissance report, option to save and print will be available in the pdf reader document.

Well Report does not Fit on One Printed Page

Change the page set up default so that margins are at the lowest (or zero) margins setting. Most reports will need more than one page to print all of the information.

Updating/Correcting/Adding Information

Alberta Environment and Parks will make corrections to reports if the person submitting the new or changed information is:

• For AWWID well records: either the original driller, another driller working on the well, or the current owner of the property.
  • Changes/additions can be e-mailed to gwinfo@gov.ab.ca or faxed to 780 427-1214.
  • Be precise in describing the corrections/additions and the well's ID number and include a contact phone number.
• For BWWT test records: either the APEGA member overseeing the original well test or the current owner of the property.
  • Changes/additions can be e-mailed to cbmbaseline.testing@gov.ab.ca
  • Be precise in describing the corrections/additions, including new supporting documentation, the well test ID number and a contact name/phone number.

If you are experiencing problems, please contact your internet service provider, your corporate internet support staff or gwinfo@gov.ab.ca.

Reconnaissance (Summary) Sheet

This list summarizes the groundwater data held by Alberta Environment and Parks for specified areas. The list does not reflect the exact number or location of water wells for that area. Some data will appear multiple times on the summary sheet, reflecting that separate well tests have been done, over time.

• Depth is reported in feet (or metres) from the surface
• CHM = number of chemical analyses held on file
• LT = number of lines of lithology
• PT = number of lines of pump test data (drawdown and/or recovery)
• Static level is reported in feet (or metres) from the surface (unless otherwise reported in the Additional Comments on Well section on the drilling report)