Impacts of a Warming Climate on Groundwater Flow in Permafrost Terrain. Prof. David L. Rudolph's (Ph.D., P. Eng.) guest lecture 09.09.2026

Guest lecture: Prof. David L. Rudolph (Ph.D., P. Eng.) from University of Waterloo, Canada
The occurrence and continuity of permafrost significantly influences groundwater circulation and the interaction of groundwater with the surface water systems in northern landscapes. Warming climatic conditions in the north is leading to an accelerated degradation of permafrost resulting in the creation or enlargement of groundwater flow pathways, enhancing the hydraulic connection between deep and shallow groundwater flow systems and the terrestrial surface. Documented implications of this are changes in stream flows, lakes levels and surface water quality, which may have direct influence on aquatic and terrestrial ecology. Permafrost degradation is also having damaging impacts on surface and subsurface infrastructure. The investigation of groundwater flow systems in northern landscapes is particularly challenging due to the remote and inaccessible nature of the terrain, severe climatic conditions and the unique characteristics of the subsurface. Conventional investigative techniques such as drilling and monitoring well installation are often not feasible. In this presentation, the nature of transient groundwater flow in a discontinuous permafrost environment is discussed relative to warming climatic conditions. At a field site near Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, Canada, a series of remote sensing and geophysical methods including optical orbit-base surveys, low elevation Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) and Infrared (IR) helicopter surveys were employed to map the geometry of permafrost at a regional and local scales and to identify local points of groundwater discharge. Terrestrial Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) along with geochemical and physical hydrogeological data were used to inform the interpretation of the airborne surveys and reveal local groundwater-surface water interaction processes. New numerical modeling tools were developed to explore various predictive scenarios associated with the long-term degradation of permafrost in this type of environment. The combined data sets and modeling provide insight into the changing nature of groundwater flow systems in these complex discontinuous permafrost environments.

Short bio of Dr Rudolph
David Rudolph, Ph.D., P.Eng., is a Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Waterloo. He specializes and teaches in the areas of regional hydrogeology and groundwater protection and management. His research group combines watershed-scale field monitoring with numerical modeling strategies to resolve issues related to water balances, impacts of diffuse source contaminants and groundwater-surface water interaction phenomena. Recent research focus has involved the characterization of groundwater flow systems within discontinuous permafrost terrain in the far north. He was the 2010 recipient of NGWA’s M. King Hubbert Award for contributions to the field of hydrogeology, was the 2013 NGWA Darcy Lecturer in Ground Water Science and is the recipient of the 2020 IAH Robert N. Farvolden Award in Groundwater Science.