GILLES
WENDLING, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Dr.
Wendling has been involved in the assessment of water supplies (drinking water)
and in the protection of groundwater resources. His fields of interest and expertise are the following:
design of production wells;
monitoring, maintenance and rehabilitation of water wells;
characterization and protection of aquifers and watersheds;
education on water supply systems, hydrogeology, water conservation and
water microbiology;
water management and water demand assessment; and
ground disposal of treated liquid wastes.
Gilles Wendling was in
the organizing team of the CanWell 2004 PanCanadian groundwater convention and
trade show (500 delegates). Dr.
Wendling has been the Director -Technical and Professional Division of the BC
Groundwater Association from 2001 to 2006, and its managing Director in 2006,
2007 and 2008. He has also been the Director -Technical and Professional
Division of the Canadian Groundwater Association in 2003 and 2004.
Gilles
Wendling is the president and founder of Global Aquifer Development Foundation,
a Canadian charity creating partnerships with developing countries and
assisting in the establishment of groundwater management systems.
Gilles
Wendling has conducted and managed studies in many fields of hydrogeology such
as:
Environmental impact studies (commercial and industrial activities
– mostly for the mining and petroleum industries);
Impact assessments of municipal and regional solid waste and liquid
waste disposal facilities;
Geotechnical investigations (seepage and slope stability assessments);
Etc.
This
resume mainly focuses on water supply, aquifer and watershed studies and
presents a selection of the various types of studies most recently completed.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Most
Complex – Largest Projects (budgets ranging between $ 100,000 and $ 1
Million).
Aquifer
management for the second largest private water utility in BC for 7 years
– project manager, Parksville, BC.
Characterization
and numerical modelling (using GIS and Visual Modflow) of watershed serving
several municipalities, regional district and private water purveyors. Project conducted in partnership with
the water purveyors and BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection –
project manager, Mt. Arrowsmith Watershed, East Coast of Vancouver Island, BC.
Hydrogeological,
hydrological, geotechnical and biophysical assessments of land proposed for
large development (residential, commercial and golf course) – project
manager, East Coast of Vancouver Island, BC.
Completed
a review and critique of a large hydrogeological study on behalf of the Halalt
First Nation for a proposed series of production wells (water supply for the
District of North Cowichan) as part of a provincial and federal environmental
assessment process, Chemainus River Aquifer, Halalt First Nation, BC
Investigation
of water needs and water resources of 120 villages (150 to 3,000
inhabitants). Duties included a
visit of each village, meeting with the representatives, global
socio-economical study in order to estimate the most appropriate techniques to
meet water needs. Guidimaka
region, Mauritania.
Other Projects
(budgets up to $ 100,000)
“Aquifer
and Watershed” related projects
Impact
of proposed coal bed methane (CBM) development on salmon (via groundwater and
surface water interaction) in the headwaters of the Skeena, Nass, and Stikine
Rivers, BC
Drinking
Water – Watershed Protection Action Plan, Regional District of Nanaimo,
BC
Aquifer
vulnerability assessment, associated with proposed large residential
development, Cowichan Valley Regional District, BC
Assessment
of aquifer potential for water supply, Cumberland, BC
Assessment
of aquifer potential for water supply, Comox, BC
Assessment
of aquifer potential for water supply, Yellow Point, BC
Assessment
of aquifer potential for water supply, Cobble Hill, BC
Expression
of professional opinion on limitation of regional growth due to limitation of
the water supply, Regional District of Nanaimo, BC
Hydrogeological
Assessment of land potentially developed for residential use, Comox, BC
Aquifer
delineation and characterization, Groundbirch to Dawson Creek, as art of BC
Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection aquifer mapping project, Northern BC
Aquifer
Mapping for BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Qualicum Beach to
Horne Lake and four of the Southern Gulf Islands, BC
Aquifer
modelling and preliminary aquifer protection plan, City of Merritt, BC
Design
of an aquifer protection plan, Ucluelet, BC
Regional
hydrogeological study and water supply assessment, Lantzville, BC
Delineation
of aquifers and definition of hydrogeological conditions in area of potential
coal bed methane extraction, Courtenay-Comox area, BC
Aquifer
assessment, contamination risk assessment and input on by-laws for area
proposed for industrial development, Parksville, BC
Public
presentations to educate the public, elected officials, and regulators on
groundwater, aquifers, watersheds and groundwater sustainability (Parksville,
North Cowichan, Victoria, Fort Saint John, Houdson’s Hope, Tumbler Ridge,
Princeton, Keremeos, Fernie, etc.)
“Water
supply” related projects
Design
of large production municipal well – Senior review, Merritt, BC
Professional
opinion on potential groundwater supply for irrigation of agricultural land,
Lantzville, BC
Design
and preliminary testing of water wells, Nanoose, BC
Assessment
of water supply for land development, using an artesian well completed in a
bedrock aquifer. The assessment
included aquifer protection recommendations. Garden Bay (Sunshine Coast), BC
Assessment
of water supply for land development, using a surface water pond, Garden Bay
(Sunshine Coast), BC
Assessment
of a water supply to provide base flow for fish habitat, as part of requested
mitigative measure for a storm water management plan for a land subdivision,
Township of Langley, BC
Retained
as the main consultant for aquifer characterization and protection and for
system operation of a large water purveyor relying only on groundwater,
Clearbrook, BC
Assessment
of potential impact to the water supply of a ski resort of a proposed open loop
geothermal system, Sun Peaks, BC
Water
source assessment, residential development, Ucluelet, BC
Water
supply assessment for 70-lot subdivision, Nanaimo, BC
Assessment
of part of drinking water supply system (Regional District of Comox-Strathcona)
and design, construction and testing of new production well, Oyster River, BC
Salt
water Intrusion study and design of monitoring plan for production well,
Parksville, BC
Assessment
of failure (collapse of large cavity created by fine migration) of large
production well for Canadian Forces Base, Comox, BC
Decommissioning
of municipal well, Lantzville, BC
Development
of a wellhead protection area, risk identification and well survey, Gold River,
BC
Hydrogeological
assessment of bedrock well, Regional District of Lake Country, Ellison Ridge,
BC
Testing
of a water supply well for a school and design of re-injection structure, Mayo,
Yukon.
Water
supply, licensing review and preliminary study of potential new groundwater
resources, Mount Washington Alpine Resort, Courtenay, BC.
Characterization
of water sources (water well and infiltration gallery) used by a bottled water
processing plant. The study was
completed to satisfy the requirements of provincial health officers and to
apply for an exporting license to California, Fanny Bay, BC.
Water
demand and population growth assessment in preparation for treaty negotiation,
Hul'Qumi'Num Treaty Group, central and southern Vancouver Island, BC
Preliminary
hydrogeological study for Olympic facility (Whistler Sliding Centre), CEAA
screening, Whistler, BC
Data
review and recommendations for rehabilitation and maintenance plan for
municipal well field, Ucluelet, BC
Hydrogeological
investigation for the potential development of a groundwater supply source for
a proposed water bottling facility, Gold River, BC.
Water
Supply study for provincial park facility, Little Qualicum River, Qualicum
Beach, BC
Development
of a wellhead protection area, risk identification and well survey, Gold River,
BC
Water
supply monitoring and assessment of potential salt water intrusion, two
municipal water supply wells, Regional District of Nanaimo, Nanaimo, BC
Hydrogeological
assessment to identify origin of hotspring and possibility of using hot water
as a geothermal source (for Kaska Deena Council) without impacting sensitive
ecosystems, Liard Hotspring, BC
Regional
hydrogeological study and assessment of artesian municipal production well with
large discharge rate at elevated temperature to be used as a source of energy -
senior technical input and review, Haynes Junction, Yukon
Well
efficiency and microbiological assessment followed by design and implementation
of well rehabilitation plan, Agriculture Canada Facility (well used for
geothermal energy), Agassiz, BC
Regional
hydrogeological study (including numerical modelling) and development of water
supply system for 150 lots subdivision, Parksville, BC
Hydrogeological
assessment (water supply and liquid waste assessment) for large residential
development (80 lots) in preparation for preliminary layout (PLA) application,
regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot, BC
Hydrogeological
study (water supply & liquid waste disposal) of large property proposed for
residential development. Low
impact development solutions proposed to counter adverse hydrogeological
conditions encountered, Lantzville, BC
Hydrogeological
study for residential development (including 2D modelling) and promotion of low
impact development solutions, Parksville, BC
Literature
review to assess impact of forest harvesting on water table fluctuation,
Western BC