Towards autonomous groundwater management at Barriere Lake
Project carried out in collaboration with the Barriere Lake First Nation
In October 2025, we had the honour of being welcomed by the Barriere Lake community to deliver hands-on hydrogeology training to support the development of their drinking water quality monitoring skills.
From analysis to action
Following an invitation from the Barriere Lake First Nation, our hydrogeology engineers, Laurence Labelle and David Granger, travelled to the community to provide practical training on groundwater sampling. This initiative follows the drinking water source vulnerability assessment that the Travelling Training Program (TTP) team conducted in 2024.
The community wanted to go further and develop its autonomy to monitor groundwater quality around its drinking water sources itself.
Training tailored to the needs of the community
The four participants benefited from comprehensive training, combining theory and practice directly in the field. The program covered: the basics of hydrogeology, groundwater monitoring planning, selecting parameters to analyze based on specific objectives, and the safe use of sampling equipment.
Special attention was given to best practices for avoiding sample contamination, as well as proper methods for sample preservation and transportation. These are essential skills to ensure the reliability of analytical results and, ultimately, to better protect the community’s drinking water.
This tailored training illustrates our commitment to supporting the strengthening of local capacity for water management and protection in First Nations communities.
