Partner Access
Open Access

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What is
ORMGP?

The Oak Ridges Moraine Groundwater Program (ORMGP) is a unique partnership of Ontario government agencies (regional municipalities and conservation authorities) working together to better manage and understand groundwater resources. Beginning in 2001, the ORMGP now provides extensive geological and hydrological data through an interactive map-based website, aiding in informed water-related decision-making. This resource is utilized by government agencies and leading consulting firms to ensure sustainable groundwater management.

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overhead photo of farm fields along a body of water
Photo Credit: Greenbelt Foundation
forest from above
Photo Credit: Mitch Bowmile

What we do

The Oak Ridges Moraine Groundwater Program (ORMGP) delivers a comprehensive hydrogeological knowledge system essential for understanding groundwater dynamics. We integrate climate data, subsurface water movement, and streamflow information to provide a holistic view of groundwater resources. Our system supports government agencies, consulting firms, and academia in making informed, sustainable water management decisions.

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How it’s helping

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“We are all frequent users. It’s very easy to use.”

Esmaeil Khazaei – Hatch

“It’s a great resource and we really need to use it more. It has what you need.”

Dwight Smikle – R.J. Burnside and Associates

“Before the ORMGP website, a limited number of people had the information on their desktops. Now that information is available to a much wider audience. It’s really good information that sets the stage for our work so we are not duplicating efforts.”

Don Ford – Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

“I use it for reviewing historical documents, accessing insights to locations (bore holes, wells and bedrock), water table mapping and specialty tools like piper plots.”

Blythe Rheiha – Regional Municipality of York

“Platform is unique. Best one in Ontario. Great foresight to pursue it as long as possible.”

Behnam Doulatyari – CTC Source Water Protection

“If we didn’t have ORMGP, we’d have to look at individual records and that is very time consuming. ORMGP already has everything synthesized in a reasonable way. It takes out the guesswork to give us a useful and cohesive picture.”

Daniel Banks – Regional Municipality of Halton

“Having the data in one spot is the biggest value. It is valid, accurate and we can rely on it. It saves time and money. Consultants don’t have to reinvent the wheel and they can look at historical data very easily.”

Erin Ihnat – Regional Municipality of Peel

“This website allows us to have better access to data and visualizations. This efficiency allows us to concentrate on more complex projects.”

Erin Wilson – Regional Municipality of York

Who we work with

Public Sector

The ORMGP’s primary partners include municipalities in the Toronto area (Toronto, York, Peel, Durham, Halton) and their associated conservation authorities.

Consultants

Across the study area many consulting companies have partnered with the ORMGP and quickly learned that they can rely upon the ORMGP website to assist them in their day-to-day work.

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See how others are making use of the site

Screenshot of the ORMGP database feature showing boreholes

Boreholes

ORMGP has pulled together many different well/borehole sources together into a single database. Get access to over 600,000 wells with direct links to the original well record or consultant borehole logs. The “Filter” tool allows users to query out wells in a variety of different ways (e.g., all wells deeper/shallower than a certain depth; all wells drilled in a certain time period, all wells drilled by a specific well drilling company, all wells where the driller has recommended a pumping rate above/below a specific amount, etc. Many wells in the ORMGP database are unique and cannot be found in provincial datasets.

Screenshot of the ORMGP database feature showing cross sections

Cross-Sections

You can create cross-sections anywhere within the ORMGP study area.  We have conducted thousands of cross-sectional analyses to pick the tops of geological units at any of the over 600,000 wells in the database.  These layers have been interpolated and are available on our cross-section tool that allows users to instantly look into the subsurface. The cross-section map also allows for the visualization of a ‘virtual borehole’ in locations of interest or of sparse well coverage, to explore anticipated stratigraphy based on our latest 3D geologic model. 

Screenshot of the ORMGP database feature showing document filtering

Documents

The ORMGP has over 14,000 documents available to its partner agencies and companies. All library documents are searchable in a variety of ways including text and by spatial analysis. Examples include consultant reports, government maps, scientific papers, and newspaper articles – basically anything that can assist you in a better understanding of Ontario’s subsurface and groundwater resources. All library documents are searchable in a variety of ways including text and by spatial analysis – all documents are assigned x/y coordinates when they are added to the library. Join the program to see how you can make use of this readily available information.

Screenshot of the ORMGP database feature showing high resolution topography

High Resolution Topography

This spectacular map provides important clues as to how the glacial sediments across Ontario were deposited. When combined with the surficial geology map, your understanding of the area’s geological history is tremendously enhanced. 

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Contact us to become a partner

Ready to transform your environmental work? Join ORMGP and access our informative decision support website, where you can easily find data, mapping, and analyses to save time. Fill out the form to learn more about partnering with ORMGP.

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Photo Credit: Mitch Bowmile

Our
Partners

Duram region
Toronto
York Region
Peel Region
Halton
Kawartha Conservation
Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority
Lower Trent Conservation
Duram region
Ganaraska Conservation
Ontonabee Conservation
Conservation Halton
Lake Simcoe Region conservation authority
Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Credit Valley Conservation inspired by nature