Abstract
Hydrogeology is defined as the science of the occurrence, distribution, and movement of water below the Earth’s surface. This chapter will focus on groundwater occurrence and movement below or at the periphery of ancient and modern ice sheets (e.g., glaciohydrogeology), but also on the interaction of meltwater with the sediments and rocks within glaciated terrain. The growth of ice sheets has a large-scale and long-term impact on groundwater flow as evidenced by changes in hydraulic heads, groundwater flow patterns and velocities, penetration depths of meltwater, recharging rates and pore-water pressure within glaciated terrains. Over the last 20 years, the interest in glacial hydrogeology from glaciologists, hydrologists, and glacial geologists has significantly increased because of the impact of groundwater flow on ice sheet dynamics, water budgets in glacial catchments, solute fluxes, and tunnel valley genesis. The implications of groundwater flow for the management of potable water resources, the viability of nuclear waste repositories, and the exploitation of hydrocarbon resources have also greatly contributed to the development of this subject. This chapter presents the different parameters influencing groundwater hydrology in glacial environments and the impact of groundwater flow characteristics on glacier dynamics and glacial landforms. This chapter also aims to review the issues and applications of glaciohydrogeology.
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