Alberta Geological Survey Geology Podcasts

By measuring the spring's changes in flow volume over time and the chemical constituents in the water, we can tell a great deal about groundwater flow and the rocks or soil hosting the water. Knowing the locations of the springs throughout the province provides the first step in understanding groundwater - all without drilling a well.

Since 2005, Alberta Geological Survey has been responsible for a warning system and studies on the South Peak of Turtle Mountain, the site of the 1903 Frank Slide. Our activities include annual maintenance and repairs of instruments on the mountain and annual review of data trends. We also study how portions of the mountain are moving.

As project staff members complete new geological studies, they frequently incorporate historical data into their work, including digitizing existing maps. Whenever possible, we publish these digital data for others to use. We recently published the two GIS datasets described in this podcast.

Alberta Geological Survey and Alberta Environment are collaborating to map and understand the province's groundwater resources. A team of geologists and technologists will map the extent of the major aquifers; characterize the physical properties of the aquifers; quantify the chemical properties of the water within these aquifers; assess current groundwater use associated with these aquifers; and predict the long-term effects on groundwater and surface-water resources when using groundwater from these aquifers. The team plans to complete this work within the next 15 years.

August 29, 2008 marked the grand re-opening of the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre in the Crowsnest Pass in southwestern Alberta. After a nine-month closure and a $1.5 million renovation, visitors can relive the Frank Slide story in a more personal, interactive and creative setting, involving first-hand accounts by the people who lived through the destruction.

The goal of the Alberta Geological Survey's Saline Aquifer Mapping project, or SAM for short, will be to provide public-domain, digital maps of the major saline aquifers from the crystalline basement to the lowermost aquifer of the Colorado Group.

Modern attempts to use geothermal energy go back more than a 100 years, but its development has been uneven due to slow technological breakthroughs and historically low oil and gas prices. Recent high energy prices and concerns over global warming have stimulated renewed interest and support for what is potentially a very large and renewable energy resource.

As part of a multi-year initiative, AGS undertook surficial mapping of the McLennan area in the northeast quadrant of the Winagami map area. This study was primarily to map the surfical geology and determine the Quaternary history.

Alberta Geological Survey's website has recently had a makeover. This podcast is on some of the changes you will find and also on how to stay up-to-date with what is happening at Alberta Geological Survey.

Modern attempts to use geothermal energy go back more than a 100 years, but its development has been uneven due to slow technological breakthroughs and historically low oil and gas prices. Recent high energy prices and concerns over global warming have stimulated renewed interest and support for what is potentially a very large and renewable energy resource.

Since 2005, the Geological Hazards Section at AGS has used new remote-sensing technologies to detect and map movements associated with ground hazards in Alberta. Once promising technology is Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR). This article is some of the results of that testing.

Alberta Geological Survey is pleased to announce the release of shapefiles of selected Geological Atlas of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin maps, produced from the digital files created and archived by AGS during production of the atlas which was published in 1994.

The Alberta Geological Survey has received funding from the Alberta energy Innovation Fund to perform organic geochemical and geological evaluations on Cretaceous Colorado Group and the Mississippian Banff Formation shale and mudstone.

Alberta Geological Survey has initiated work on a digital atlas of the first 500 metres of Alberta geology.

Dr. Stefan Bachu of the Alberta Geological Survey was one of the scientists who received the prestigious designation of Nobel laureate this fall.

The publication Alberta Beneath Our Feet has won the Association of Earth Science Editors Award for Outstanding Publication.

This past summer, a group of politicians and government geologists from Russia, came to Alberta to visit the EUB and AGS in order to gain an understanding of the policies and regulations of drillcore collection and storage.

The thick Ardley Coal Zone in west-central Alberta is being reviewed for CBM production potential and possibly injecting CO2 into the coals to 'geologically capture CO2.

The Discovery Channel's Daily Planet team visited Alberta to film stories on two separate Alberta Geological Survey initiatives: The Turtle Mountain Monitoring Project and the Diamond Potential of Alberta.

A new groundwater mapping program has been launched at AGS. In partnership with Alberta Environment, this program will fill the need for modern mapping and groundwater inventory information in Alberta.