Distribution of Miles Canyon basalt in the Whitehorse area and implications for groundwater resources

Miocene Miles Canyon basalts play a critical role in the historical development and modern economics of the City of Whitehorse. Where cut by the Yukon River, the unnavigable waters at Miles Canyon and the Whitehorse Rapids formed a natural terminus that became a transportation hub that in turn encouraged settlement. Today, this basalt is responsible not only for efficient and economical hydroelectric power, but also for hosting the groundwater resources for many of Whitehorse's rural residents. Much of the city is underlain by Cretaceous granodiorite of the Whitehorse Batholith, which is a relatively poor aquifer due to its lack of porosity. Miles Canyon basalt however, has significantly higher innate hydraulic permeability and thus provides better opportunities for additional groundwater resources and aquifer development. Miles Canyon basalts have reported hydraulic conductivity values around 2 x 10^-6 m/s, which are 20 to 50 times higher than reported hydraulic conductivity values for unfractured granodiorite aquifers. As such, the loci of basalt limits have important implications for the siting of productive private water wells. This paper summarizes details of Miles Canyon…

Publisher

Government of Yukon

Resources

3

Catalogue metadata updated

2026-08-26