Bedrock Topography and Surficial Aquifers, Edson Area, Alberta

The surficial deposits in the Edson area have a complex origin. Potential surficial aquifers are found in buried-valley deposits, glacial meltwater channel deposits, glacial outwash sands, aeolian deposits, and alluvial deposits. The most significant surficial aquifer - a buried valley aquifer consisting mainly of gravel - has been extensively investigated. The estimated 20-year safe yield of a single well located in the southeast section of Edson and completed in this gravel is 225 imperial gallons per minute; average safe yields for individual wells in a well-field development would be reduced from this figure, pertly because of interference among wells and partly because the aquifer appears to have a lesser potential at other locations. The Edson buried-valley aquifer is, nevertheless, potentially a major source of water for the area.