Arkell Spring Grounds facts for kids

The Arkell Spring Grounds is a special place near Arkell, Ontario, Canada. It's where a lot of drinking water comes from for the city of Guelph. This water comes from a natural spring that is fed by underground water, called an aquifer. The city of Guelph owns this land and it provides most of the drinking water for local residents.

A Look Back: How Guelph Started Using the Springs

Guelph began using groundwater for its drinking water way back in 1879. They started getting water from the Arkell Spring in 1903. An official agreement between Arkell and Guelph was made in 1908.

Work began in August 1908 to build a watercourse to the city. This was a difficult job because spring water kept filling the trenches the workers were digging. In October and November of that year, workers even used dynamite to clear the path faster. The Arkell Springs area was also the first place in Canada where trees were planted specifically to protect a city's water supply.

A Water Scare During Wartime

In July 1915, during a time of war, there were worries about attacks on important structures in Canada and the United States. The Guelph Mercury newspaper reported rumors of an attack on Guelph's water system. Some people wrongly blamed the immigrant community in the St. Patrick's Ward neighborhood for damaging the pipeline from Arkell Spring. They even blamed them for a sickness outbreak earlier that year. This neighborhood had many immigrants, including people from Germany and Austria.

This scare led to an investigation by health officials from Ontario. They sent doctors and a sanitary inspector to check the pipeline. They found that no one had intentionally damaged the pipe. Instead, they discovered cracks in the water main. These cracks allowed dirty swamp water to mix with the clean spring water. Because of this, Guelph had to issue a boil-water advisory until the pipes were fixed.

Modern Wells and Water Supply

In the 1960s, Guelph started building modern wells at the Arkell Spring Grounds. These wells have been working ever since. The first new well, Arkell 7, was built in 1964. More wells were added later: Arkell 1 and Arkell 6 in 1967, Arkell 8 in 1989, and Arkell 14 and Arkell 15 in 2012. The Arkell Aqueduct, a special water channel, was also built in 1964.

For a short time, from about 1979 to 1982, the city of Kitchener-Waterloo also got water from the Arkell Spring.

The Arkell Springs Grounds were temporarily closed in April 2020 because of rules to stop the spread of COVID-19. They reopened in February 2021.

How the Water Works: Hydrology

The water that comes out of the Arkell Springs is groundwater. This means it's water that has soaked into the ground. When rain falls in the area, it sinks down through the soil and plants. It gets filtered naturally before it reaches the solid rock deep underground, called bedrock.

The Arkell Spring Grounds sit on top of several rock layers. These layers help filter the water as it travels down.

Guelph is one of the biggest cities in Canada that uses groundwater as its main water source. About 55% to 80% of the city's water comes from the Arkell Spring Grounds. Even though the grounds are outside Guelph's city limits, the city owns the 350 hectares (860 acres) plot of land.

The six wells on this property are between 14.2–44.2 metres (47–145 ft) deep. They are located near natural areas. Most of the Arkell wells produce 6,500 cubic meters of water each day. The shallowest well, Arkell 1, draws about 2,000 cubic meters per day.

The city collects groundwater from Arkell Springs using small pipes. These pipes empty into the Arkell Aqueduct. This aqueduct is a non-pressurized channel made of concrete that uses gravity to move the water. It carries the water 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) to the F.M. Woods Pumping Station and Reservoir. Here, the water is treated with sodium hypochlorite to make it safe to drink.

Keeping the Springs Full

To make sure there's enough water, especially from April to November when more water is used, there's a special system. This artificial recharge system takes water from the Eramosa River. It sends this water into an infiltration trench. This helps keep the spring full so it can provide enough water even when the city uses a lot. About half of the water taken from the river is recovered for drinking. The rest goes back into the river.

Studies have looked into whether the water could get dirty from chemical spills or pollution from the Eramosa River.

Protecting the Water: Conservation

In 1964, red pine trees were planted around the Arkell Spring Grounds. Now, the Guelph city government is working to plant more native trees in the Arkell Spring area. This helps improve both the amount and quality of the groundwater.

As the older red pine trees get thinner due to poor soil and being too crowded, the city plants native trees to replace them. This creates a more diverse and healthy forest. Instead of letting the pines die naturally, they are cut down when animals are not breeding. Some cut trees are removed, while others are left to break down naturally.

Nearby landowners also help make the forest more diverse. In early 2007, the owners of Cove Valley Farm in Halton, which is next to the Arkell Spring area, won an award. They won the 2006 Watershed Award for their conservation efforts. These efforts included planting 7,000 white pine trees starting in 1980. They also built a covered area to store manure. This helps stop dirty runoff from getting into the groundwater.

Exploring the Area: Recreation

The Arkell Spring Grounds is not a public park. However, some parts of the property are managed by the Guelph Hiking Club and the Guelph Off-Road Biking Association. These two groups look after more than a dozen marked trails on the Arkell Spring Grounds. Only members of these organizations are allowed to use the trails.

There are about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) of trails on the Arkell Spring Grounds. The Guelph Hiking Club maintains the hiking trails, which have red and blue signs. The Guelph Off-Road Biking Association (GORBA) maintains the bike paths, which have yellow and green signs. Some trails are used by both groups. When using the trails, watch out for large rocks, tree roots sticking out, and steep hills.

Areas of the Arkell Spring Grounds that do not have marked trails are off-limits. This is to protect the water supply and keep visitors safe. Some old trails have been turned into work areas and are now closed to visitors.

There are no parking areas for cars on the Arkell Spring Grounds or on nearby roads. This means access to the property is limited.