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Application of 2D resistivity profiling for mapping and interpretation of geology in a till aquitard near Luck Lake, Southern Saskatchewan, Canada

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Abstract

In Southern Saskatchewan, Canada, the clay-rich till deposits are important as sites for waste disposal and as protective covers on regional aquifers due to their low hydraulic conductivity and great thickness. In such case, it is very important to fully understand the detailed distribution and the variation of the gravel areas in the glacial cap to study the infiltration speed in the subsoil. Resistivity measurements in the form of 1D Schlumberger sounding and 2D Wenner resistivity profiling were carried out in the area north of Luck Lake, Southern Saskatchewan, to map the extent of gravel substratums in the till cap and to investigate the impact of a known fault on the gravel and till in the area. These measurements were controlled with depth and single point resistivity information from two boreholes drilled previously. The analysis of the 2D inverted sections shows the importance of electrical resistivity techniques for mapping the lateral and vertical heterogeneities in the till deposits, which are related to the hydraulic processes controlling groundwater recharge. The 2D resistivity imaging sections show the major till units on both sides of the east–west fault system. The strong resistivity contrast between the upper part of the till (10–23 Ωm) and the basal part (>150 Ωm) allows the mapping of a gravel layer in the lower parts. This gravel substratum is better defined and more significant towards the ridge in the northern area due to its greater thickness and higher resistivity. The lowland area is characterized by clay-rich of glaciolacustrine deposits identified in a borehole and by low resistivities (<20 Ωm). The resistivity of the Cretaceous mudstone bedrock is low, typically <10 Ωm. No gravel deposits are interpreted to the downside of the fault.

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Acknowledgments

I wish to thank M. J. Hendry, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, for his financial support of the field work through his NSERC Industrial Research Chair. Also, I would like to thank Jim Merriam, professor of Geophysics at University of Saskatchewan, Canada for his careful review of the manuscript as well as his kind supporting during the field works. This paper benefited from comments provided by all selected reviewers.

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  1. Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt

    Khaled S. Gemail

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  1. Khaled S. Gemail
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Gemail, K.S. Application of 2D resistivity profiling for mapping and interpretation of geology in a till aquitard near Luck Lake, Southern Saskatchewan, Canada. Environ Earth Sci 73, 923–935 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3441-0

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