Simulating the impact of climate change on the groundwater resources of the Magdalen Islands, Québec, Canada

• Main Authors: Jean-Michel Lemieux, Jalil Hassaoui, John Molson, René Therrien, Pierre Therrien, Michel Chouteau, Michel Ouellet
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2015-03-01
• Series: Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581815000154

Study region: This study is conducted in the Magdalen Islands (Québec, Canada), a small archipelago located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Study focus: This work was undertaken to support the design of a long-term groundwater monitoring network and for the sustainable management of groundwater resources. This study relies mostly on the compilation of existing data, but additional field work has also been carried out, allowing for the first time in the Magdalen Islands, direct observation of the depth and shape of the transition zone between freshwater and seawater under natural conditions. Simulations were conducted along a 2D cross-section on Grande Entrée Island in order to assess the individual and combined impacts of sea-level rise, coastal erosion and decreased groundwater recharge on the position of the saltwater–freshwater interface. The simulations were performed considering variable-density flow and solute transport under saturated-unsaturated conditions. The model was driven by observed and projected climate change scenarios to 2040 for the Magdalen Islands. New hydrological insights for the region: The simulation results show that among the three impacts considered, the most important is sea-level rise, followed by decreasing groundwater recharge and coastal erosion. When combined, these impacts cause the saltwater–freshwater interface to migrate inland over a distance of 37 m and to rise by 6.5 m near the coast to 3.1 m further inland, over a 28-year period. Keywords: Coastal aquifers, Seawater intrusion, Climate change, Magdalen Islands