Staff Research Highlight - Understanding topography-driven groundwater flow using fully-coupled surface-water and groundwater modeling
This research focuses on understanding the dynamics of topography-driven groundwater flow systems using fully-coupled surface–subsurface hydrologic modelling. This study addresses long-standing challenges in representing nested flow systems by simulating interactions between climate, topography, and groundwater without relying on potentially unrealistic, static boundary conditions.
HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Vulnerability of the Saint-Charles drinking water source: portrait of the groundwater resources of the St-Charles River watershed and their links with surface water
We’re pleased to highlight this research effort, which focuses on understanding the vulnerability of the Saint-Charles River drinking water source and characterizing the groundwater resources that support it. Presented through a public-facing ArcGIS Story Map, this project delivers an accessible summary of a detailed hydrogeological study that integrates field measurements, geochemical analyses, and numerical modelling to evaluate the watershed’s current and future ability to provide safe, reliable drinking water for the City of Quebec and its surrounding municipalities.
HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Source Water Protection in Quebec City: Using an integrated 3D hydrological model to investigate surface water-groundwater interactions
The research, presented as a poster by Benjamin Frot at EGU 2025, explores the use of HydroGeoSphere (HGS) to investigate surface water–groundwater interactions in the Saint-Charles River watershed, which supplies drinking water to Quebec City. With a focus on source water protection, the study addresses the challenges posed by increasing urbanization, contamination from septic systems and road salts, and reduced water availability during low-flow periods. The work is part of a larger project aimed at evaluating the vulnerability of Quebec City's main surface water intake.
HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Exploring the reliability of ²²²Rn as a tracer of groundwater age in alluvial aquifers: Insights from the explicit simulation of variable ²²²Rn production
We’re pleased to highlight this publication which investigates the reliability of using radon-222 (²²²Rn) as a tracer for groundwater age in alluvial aquifers. Accurate estimations of groundwater residence time (GRT)—the time since water infiltrated from the surface—are critical for effective water resource management, especially in systems that rely on bank filtration near rivers for drinking water supply. While ²²²Rn has long been employed as a natural tracer due to its radioactive decay properties and elevated concentrations in groundwater, most traditional models assume spatially uniform ²²²Rn production and purely advective flow— assumptions that rarely hold in real-world aquifers.
Staff Research Highlight - A Continuous Differentiable Formulation for Seepage Face Boundary Conditions in Dynamic Groundwater Systems
This research by Aquanty staff introduces a continuously differentiable formulation for seepage face boundary conditions in dynamic groundwater systems. Traditional approaches often model seepage faces with abrupt boundary transitions, leading to numerical instabilities, convergence issues, and computational inefficiencies in transient groundwater simulations. This research presents a novel approach that ensures smooth transitions between saturated and unsaturated zones, improving the stability and accuracy of numerical groundwater models.
Staff Research Highlight - Effects of soil heterogeneity and preferential flow on the water flow and isotope transport in an experimental hillslope
We’re pleased to highlight this publication, co-authored by Aquanty’s senior scientist, Hyoun-Tae Hwang, which examines the water sources and threshold behaviours of streamflow generation in a mountain headwater catchment.
Staff Research Highlight - Assessment of hydraulic and thermal properties of the Antarctic active layer: Insights from laboratory column experiments and inverse modelling
We’re pleased to highlight this publication, co-authored by Aquanty’s senior scientist, Hyoun-Tae Hwang, which investigates the hydraulic and thermal properties of the Antarctic active layer using laboratory column experiments and HydroGeoSphere (HGS) for inverse modeling.
Staff Research Highlight - Water sources and threshold behaviors of streamflow generation in a mountain headwater catchment
We’re pleased to highlight this publication, co-authored by Aquanty’s senior scientist, Hyoun-Tae Hwang, which examines the water sources and threshold behaviours of streamflow generation in a mountain headwater catchment.
Staff Research Highlight - Development of a fully integrated hydrological fate and transport model for plant protection products: incorporating groundwater, tile drainage, and runoff
This research investigates how the integrated hydrological modelling of plant protection products (PPPs) such as pesticides can provide a more comprehensive understanding of their environmental behavior across groundwater, surface water, and tile drainage systems.
HGS HIGHLIGHT – Estimating cumulative wastewater treatment plant discharge influences on acesulfame and Escherichia coli in a highly impacted watershed with a fully-integrated modelling approach
In this research highlight, researchers used HydroGeoSphere (HGS) to explore the impact of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharge on surface water contamination in a mixed-use watershed in Ontario, Canada. The study focused on tracking acesulfame, a commonly used artificial sweetener, and Escherichia coli (E. coli), a fecal indicator, to understand how these contaminants move between surface and groundwater systems. Understanding the interactions between surface water and groundwater is critical in watersheds where WWTP discharge contributes to regional water quality concerns.