The geology and hydrogeology of buried bedrock valley aquifers on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia: an overview

Buried bedrock valley aquifers are common across Canada, where multiple glaciations have buried both pre-glacial and Pleistocene valleys. These aquifers are becoming increasingly important as a supply of potable groundwater, for supporting aquatic habitat, and as part of strategies in adapting to a changing climate. However, in Canada, there are considerable knowledge gaps at national, regional, and local scales, such that many buried bedrock valleys remain unidentified or underexplored. Cape Breton Island provides a hydrogeological view into the roots of an ancient mountain range, now exhumed, glaciated, deglaciated, and tectonically inactive. Since the Cretaceous, a variety of geological processes have formed several buried bedrock valley aquifers over the island. These aquifers are important in providing municipal and commercial groundwater supplies, controlling mine dewatering, protection of salmonids, design and monitoring of waste disposal sites, and geotechnical investigations for infrastructure design. Of 150 sites assessed, 61% provided evidence of buried aquifers comprising unconsolidated sand and gravel of Cretaceous, Pleistocene, and Holocene ages. These sites provided the basis for five conceptual, 3-D hydrogeological block models. Three hydrogeological case studies provided further insight into the functioning of two of these models. Future studies should identify and characterize aquifers in high demand areas and/or those that support important riverine ecosystems. Research should focus on aquifer properties, groundwater-stream interaction, and the impact of changing climate with sea-level rise.

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Geology and Hydrogeology of Faults on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada: an overview

Atlantic Geology ◽

10.4138/atlgeol.2015.010 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 51 (1) ◽

pp. 242

Author(s):

Fred Baechler

Keyword(s):

Groundwater Flow ◽

Hydrocarbon Exploration ◽

Future Research ◽

Mountain Range ◽

Near Surface ◽

Cape Breton Island ◽

Cape Breton ◽

Geotechnical Investigations ◽

Mountain Front ◽

Maritimes Basin

Cape Breton Island provides a hydrogeological view into the roots of an ancient mountain range, now exhumed, glaciated, and tectonically inactive. It exhibits deep crustal faults and magma chambers associated with formation of the Appalachian mountain belt and the Maritimes Basin during the Paleozoic, as well as Mesozoic rifting relating to the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. Cenozoic exhumation brought these features near surface and into the active groundwater flow field where they were impacted by glaciation and fluctuating sea level. The faults have been important from a societal viewpoint in development of municipal groundwater supplies, controlling inflows to excavations, hydrocarbon exploration, quarry development, and geotechnical investigations. Conceptual models presented here outline fault control on groundwater flow based on seven case studies. Future research should focus on basin-bounding faults in support of managing their role in aquifer development and protection, mountain-front recharge, controlling large-magnitude springs, groundwater–stream interaction, and channel morphology. The hydrogeological importance of these faults has historically been underappreciated.

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The lived narrative versus the learned narrative

John McGahern ◽

10.7228/manchester/9781526100566.003.0013 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Linden MacIntyre

Keyword(s):

Nova Scotia ◽

Early Years ◽

Seamus Heaney ◽

Growing Up ◽

Cape Breton Island ◽

Cape Breton ◽

Personal Approach ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

John McGahern, in his fiction and memoir, follows an ancient bardic tradition exemplified in our time by the poets Seamus Heaney and Sorley MacLean. This chapter takes a more personal approach to make connections between the author’s childhood in a small place on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, and the early years of John McGahern, Seamus Heaney and Sorley MacLean, a Scottish poet. The chapter examines the author’s own formation as a journalist and novelist – a journey greatly influenced by McGahern and by the strong Irish and Scottish tradition of Breton Island - alongside that of the three writers. It explores the relationship between growing up on an island and a sense of isolation and inferiority that might go with it, and the impact that this kind of life might have had on McGahern’s, Heaney’s and MacSorley’s work and personality.

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Age and condition of deer killed by coyotes in Nova Scotia

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z03-189 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 81 (11) ◽

pp. 1894-1898 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Brent R Patterson ◽

François Messier

Keyword(s):

Nova Scotia ◽

Age Distribution ◽

Marrow Fat ◽

Hunting Season ◽

Cape Breton Island ◽

The Road ◽

Fat Reserves ◽

Cape Breton ◽

On The Road ◽

The Impact

Coyote (Canis latrans) predation is a major source of mortality for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in many areas of northeastern North America. However, if coyotes primarily remove deer that would have died of other causes in the absence of predation (compensatory mortality), the impact of predation would be minimal regardless of the number of deer removed. We examined the carcasses of 102 white-tailed deer consumed by coyotes during winter in southwestern Nova Scotia (Queens County) and on Cape Breton Island from 1992 to 1997. Sixty-nine deer were victims of predation, five died of other natural causes, two were killed in coyote snares, two were killed on the road, two were shot and not recovered during the autumn hunting season, and one was shot and abandoned in early winter. The causes of death of the remaining 21 deer could not be determined. Fawns were overrepresented in the sample of coyote-killed deer on Cape Breton Island, but the age distribution of deer killed by coyotes in Queens County did not differ significantly from that of local road-killed deer. Femur marrow fat reserves of deer killed by coyotes appeared to be as good as or better than those of road-killed deer in the vicinity of each study area. During winter, coyotes often killed deer in situations where deer were disadvantaged either by deep snow or by poor footing on frozen lakes. This may help explain the general lack of selection of weaker animals. Our data are consistent with the idea that mortality due to coyote predation was largely additive to mortality due to other factors. However, manipulative experiments are needed to verify this conclusion.

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Aggregate testing of marine sand and gravel samples from offshore Cape Breton Island

10.4095/203751 ◽

1995 ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Cape Breton Island ◽

Cape Breton ◽

Marine Sand ◽

Sand And Gravel

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Évolution d'un milieu littoral et remontée du niveau relatif de la mer à l'Holocène supérieur au nord de l'île du Cap-Breton, Nouvelle-Ecosse

Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences ◽

10.1139/e85-031 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 315-323 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

A. de Vernal ◽

G. Lortie ◽

A. Larouche ◽

D. B. Scott ◽

P. J. H. Richard

Keyword(s):

Late Holocene ◽

Plant Macrofossils ◽

Human Occupation ◽

Organic Detritus ◽

Cape Breton Island ◽

Cape Breton ◽

Marine Fossils ◽

Lowermost Part ◽

Gravel Bar ◽

Sand And Gravel

The sedimentary sequence in a coastal pond on Cape Breton Island was examined by various analyses (pollen, plant macrofossils, diatoms, and rhizopods). The results allow for the reconstruction of different phases in the evolution of the pond in conjunction with relative sea-level rise during the late Holocene. Throughout the period studied the microflora and microfauna indicate that the pond was mainly freshwater, isolated from the sea by a continuous sand and gravel bar. Three phases in the pond evolution have been identified: (1) the lowermost part of the sequence is characterized by mineral detrital deposits and some marine fossils related to the reworking of bar sediment by storms and high tides washing over the rock sill; (2) this was followed by a rapid filling of the basin by organic detritus provided by shore washing processes; (3) a marsh evolving into a shallow lake completes the sequence up to the interruption by human occupation. The lake-level rise is linked to the formation of the bar, which was controlled by the highest storm-beach level. A submersion rate of 18 cm/century has been calculated using the beginning of the lacustrine phase, which was dated at 2680 years BP (UQ-616).

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The geology and hydrogeology of springs on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada: an overview

Atlantic Geology ◽

10.4138/atlgeol.2019.004 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 137-161

Author(s):

Fred E. Baechler ◽

Heather J. Cross ◽

Lynn Baechler

Keyword(s):

Debris Flows ◽

Monitoring Program ◽

Debris Avalanche ◽

Hydrocarbon Exploration ◽

Future Research ◽

Mountain Range ◽

Flow Temperature ◽

Cape Breton Island ◽

Cape Breton ◽

Sphere Of Influence

Cape Breton Island springs have historically played a role in developing potable water supplies, enhancing salmonid streams, creating thin-skinned debris flows, as well as mineral and hydrocarbon exploration. Cape Breton Island provides a hydrogeological view into the roots of an ancient mountain range, now exhumed, deglaciated and tectonically inactive. Exhumation and glaciation over approximately 140 Ma since the Cretaceous are of particular relevance to spring formation. A total of 510 springs have been identified and discussed in terms of hydrological regions, flow, temperature, sphere of influence, total dissolved solids, pH and water typing. Examples are provided detailing characteristics of springs associated with faults, karst, salt diapirs, rockfall/alluvial systems and debris avalanche sites. Preliminary findings from a monitoring program of 27 springs are discussed. Future research should focus on identifying additional springs and characterizing associated groundwater dependent ecosystems. Incorporating springs into the provincial groundwater observation well monitoring program could facilitate early warning of drought conditions and other impacts associated with changing climate.

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Culinary tourism on Cape Breton Island

Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l alimentation ◽

10.15353/cfs-rcea.v6i2.333 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Erna MacLeod

Keyword(s):

Tourism Destination ◽

Cape Breton Island ◽

Culinary Tourism ◽

Economic Significance ◽

Cape Breton ◽

Local Stakeholders ◽

Resilient Communities ◽

World Class ◽

Ecological Relations ◽

Developed World

Cape Breton Island is a well-known North American tourism destination with long-standing attractions such as the Cabot Trail and more recently developed world-class offerings such as the Cabot Links Golf Course. Tourism contributes significantly to Cape Breton’s economy, particularly since the mid-20th century as traditional resource-based industries have declined. In the 21st century, culinary tourism has become increasingly important to expand the island’s tourism offerings and to provide “authentic” tourism experiences. This study examines local-food tourism in Cape Breton to illuminate its cultural and economic significance. I conducted interviews with food producers, restaurateurs, government representatives, and tourism executives. I also consulted websites and policy documents and compared local stakeholders’ experiences and perspectives with official tourism strategies. Promoting culinary tourism raises questions of power, autonomy, inclusion, and accountability. My study accentuates possibilities for aligning economic and ecological goals to create resilient communities, foster equitable social and ecological relations, and establish Cape Breton as a culinary tourism destination.

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