Late glacial paleohydrology of the Wainwright basin; east-central Alberta, Canada

The Quaternary glacial sediments of an area in east-central Alberta, Canada were investigated. Sediment samples were collected throughout the study area and a unit of coarse-grained glaciolacustrine sediment was discovered covering 24,000 km2. A glacial lake was proposed to occupy the Wainwright basin. The geomorphology and sediment stratigraphy of the landforms present within the basin were investigated to determine the type of glacial lake (supra-, pro-, or sub-glacial). There are four large channels that drained the glacial lake which occupied the basin. The channels have subaqueous fans located at their termini. The subaqueous fans are topographically higher than their associated channels which required the meltwater to flow reverse of topographic gradient. The reverse gradient flows required pressurized flow in the channels that could be explained by the drainage of a subglacial reservoir. The paleodischarge and paleovelocity of the channels entering and exiting the basin were estimated and determined that the basin experienced catastrophic rates of meltwater input and output. The basin was likely part of an interconnected series of channels and reservoirs.