The Nova Scotia Groundwater Observation Well Network was established in 1965. It currently includes 40 active observation wells located across the province. The locations of the wells are shown in Map 1 (PDF:671k). The network is used to:

• monitor groundwater levels
• monitor groundwater quality
• evaluate the impact of human activities on groundwater
• evaluate long-term trends associated with issues such as climate change.

The observation well network is equipped with electronic dataloggers and telemetric units that record water levels every hour and transmit the data to a central computer. The wells are visited approximately every six months for field verification and water samples are collected periodically to test groundwater chemistry.

Nova Scotia Groundwater Observation Well Network:

Water Levels and Groundwater Quality Results

View all the results for active wells here, or click a well location on Map 1 (PDF:671k).

Results are also available for inactive wells that are no longer being monitored.

Reports

• 2015 Report - Nova Scotia Groundwater Observation Well Network (PDF:27.4mb)
• 2012 Report - Nova Scotia Groundwater Observation Well Network (PDF:19.7mb)
• 2011 Report - Nova Scotia Groundwater Observation Well Network (PDF:8.2mb)
• 2010 Report - Nova Scotia Groundwater Observation Well Network (PDF:9.2mb)
• 2009 Report - Nova Scotia Groundwater Observation Well Network (PDF:7.5mb)
• 2008 Report - Nova Scotia Groundwater Observation Well Network (PDF:7.2mb)
• 2007 Report - Nova Scotia Groundwater Observation Well Network (PDF:2.9mb)
• 1981 Report - Groundwater Hydrographs in Nova Scotia 1965-1981 (PDF:7.2mb).

Other Data

The Nova Scotia Real-Time Shallow Aquifer Monitoring Network is a community-based, real-time groundwater monitoring network for tracking water levels in shallow aquifers.

The Groundswell Ecology Action Centre (EAC) website link below is provided for information only. The Groundswell project provides additional community based observation wells with groundwater monitoring data presented in a similar format to the provincial Groundwater Observation Well Network data.

For more information, visit Groundswell: Community-Based Groundwater Monitoring website.