3.3 Ground Water 



3.3.1 Operations 



SaskPower's supplementary water supply project continued to operate during 2004. The supplementary 

 water supply project currently consists of 21 wells with a total of 10 discharge points. No wells were 

 added or deleted from the well field during the year. The majority of ground-water production in 2004 

 occurred during the fall to spring period. This is a typical operational pattern for the project and is done 

 to minimize water losses. However, as in 2002 and 2003, pumping was maintained through the 2004 

 summer period due to low spring runoff. In 2004, ground-water production increased to 4,764 dam^ 

 from the 2003 total of 4,489 dam^ Production from 1991 to 2004 has now averaged 4,982 dam^ per 

 year. Prior to 1991, the wells used for supplementJiry supply were part of a dewatering network for 

 coal-mming operations. This resulted in high production levels in the early to mid 1980's as shown in 

 Figure 3.12. With the drought of the late 1980's and early 1990's, it was evident that there was a 

 continued need for ground water to supplement water levels in Cookson Reservoir. Consequently the 

 wells were taken over by SaskPower for use as a supplementary supply. 



Poplar River Power Station - Supplementary Supply 



1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 



Year 



Figure 3.12 Supplementary Water Supply 



19 



