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Home > Projects
Prairie Droughts and Surface Winds from Eolian Deposits
When broad scale droughts persist over long periods, the vegetative soil cover is lost and wind erosion occurs, forming sand dunes that can become permanent features of the landscape. The prevailing wind circulation during these periods can be inferred from the orientation of the dunes, and the timing of droughts can be inferred by analysing the organic material incorporated in the dune and other geological techniques. This project produced a map of present-day dunes in the Prairies (more than 170 dune fields), accompanied by a map of potential sediment transport based on the historical wind data.
By dating past dune activity, several periods of dune building were identified, going back 4000 years or more, indicating significant drought periods in many parts of the Prairies. In particular, many areas show evidence of droughts within the last 500 years which would have been more severe than those recorded in historical times. Detailed studies of correlation between sand dune activity and the paleo-environmental record are in progress.
| Team | S.A. Wolfe |
| Funding | $40,000 |
| Collaborators | National Resources Canada |