text:
Les différentes méthodes d’estimation de la recharge

Contexte géologique et hydrogéologique

D’un point de vue géologique, la région se situe à la jonction de deux ensembles majeurs : la province de Grenville et la plate-forme du Saint-Laurent. Le substrat rocheux du Bouclier canadien (province de Grenville) est principalement constitué de roches ignées intrusives (anorthosite, granite) et gneissiques datant de l’ère précambrienne ayant subi plusieurs épisodes de métamorphisme de haut grade (Rondot, 1989). La région de la Haute-Côte-Nord, quant à elle, présente en majorité une couverture de roches migmatiques et de roches intrusives de type gabbro (Cousineau et al., 2014, Figure 1.7). Les roches sédimentaires de la plate-forme du Saint-Laurent (grès, calcaire et shale) se retrouvent essentiellement sur les Basses Terres au sein et aux périphéries de la vallée de la Malbaie (Cousineau et al., 2014).
L’astroblème de Charlevoix, issu de l’impact météoritique survenu à la fin du Dévonien (Rondot, 1989), constitue un trait morphologique caractéristique de la région de Charlevoix.
D’un diamètre de 56 kms, celui-ci a pour point culminant le Mont des éboulements à 768 m d’altitude.
La région est également caractérisée par un dense système de failles normales et de fractures bien développées. Ce dernier serait principalement associé au cratère météoritique d’impact ainsi qu’à l’épisode de rifting à l’origine de l’ouverture de l’océan Iapétus le long des failles du Saint-Laurent et de Logan, qui représentent des linéaments majeures dans la région (Lemieux et al., 2003; Rondot, 1989).
Les dépôts de surface quaternaires recouvrant le socle rocheux résultent de la dernière glaciation wisconsinienne. Le till est constitué de particules de roches arrachées par le glacier qui se sont déposées directement sur le socle rocheux. La fonte de la glace a permis la formation de rivières où des sédiments fluvioglaciaires (sable et gravier) se sont déposés.
Lors du retrait du glacier l’avancée de la mer de Goldthwait et la mise en place de lacs proglaciaires ont également déposé des sédiments marins, glaciolacustres et glaciomarins.
Les cours d’eau actuels déposent des sédiments alluviaux qui recouvrent les sédiments plus anciens (Figure 1.8).
Le système aquifère régional est constitué de dépôts quaternaires et de roc fracturé. Le till, recouvre en surface 70% du territoire et est en discordance sur le roc (Tableau 1.3). Les propriétés du till dans cette région peuvent être très variables. Il est parfois caractérisé par une matrice sableuse à structure lâche ponctuée par endroit de blocs métriques. Ce type de till est généralement peu épais. Le till peut également être plus compact et d’épaisseur plus importante (jusqu’à 8 m) confinant les aquifères sous-jacent. Le potentiel aquifère du roc est conditionné par son degré de fracturation. Sa transmissivité varie de 10-3 à 10-7 m²/s pour une moyenne de l’ordre de 10-5 m²/s (Richard et al., 2014).
On distingue une répartition différente des dépôts entre les deux régions (Charlevoix et la Haute-Côte-Nord). En Haute-Côte-Nord, les hautes terres sont dominées par des dépôts de till et de sable le long des cours d’eau. Les basses terres correspondant à de grandes plaines fluviales, sont constituées d’argile recouverte par d’épais dépôts de sable d’origine deltaïque très perméables sur lesquels reposent souvent de grandes tourbières (Cousineau et al., 2014). La succession des dépôts est plus complexe dans la région de Charlevoix.
Associée à la moraine de Saint-Narcisse, elle présente des dépôts fluvioglaciaires et glaciolacustres en plus grande proportion (environ 20%). Ces derniers constituent un potentiel aquifère majeur dans la région. Cependant, leur étendue est généralement limitée et discontinue. Des sédiments glaciomarins se sont aussi accumulés dans les fonds de vallées (Cousineau et al., 2014, Figure 1.8).
L’écoulement régional des eaux souterraines est régi par le gradient topographique, soit du NW (Laurentides) vers le SE en direction du Saint-Laurent, sauf la rivière petit Saguenay qui a comme exutoire le Saguenay.
Le contexte hydrogéologique peut également être défini en termes de type d’aquifère : libre, semi-captif ou captif en tenant principalement compte de la nature des dépôts. Ainsi, les sables et graviers correspondent à des aquifères à nappe libre alors que l’argile et les dépôts organiques (de type tourbière) confinent les aquifères sous-jacents.
Les propriétés hydrauliques du till et du roc étant très aléatoires, ces derniers sont associés à des conditions semi-captives (Figure 1.9). Cette distinction permet de prévoir l’intensité spatiale de la recharge. Les dépôts perméables de surface tels que les dépôts fluvioglaciaires, constituent des zones préférentielles de recharge alors que les zones recouvertes d’argile, et de dépôts de till sont propices au ruissellement de surface.

Estimating groundwater recharge is crucial to ensuring the proper management of aquifers. In this study, net regional recharge and spatial potential recharge are estimated at four watersheds within the Charlevoix-Haute-Côte-Nord (CHCN) area, Quebec Province, Canada. The regional aquifer system is characterized by quaternary sediments (mainly composed of till) and fractured bedrock.
In this study, four methods are applied according to available data. The first two approaches are regional water budget methods. The methods differ in the estimation of vertical inflows (VI), which is estimated from two hydrological models : GR4J (Valéry, 2010) and HYDROTEL (Fortin et al., 1995, 2007; Poirier et al., 2014). The third method estimates potential recharge spatially over the study area. Finally, the streamflow data are analyzed using the Echkardt (2008) baseflow separation method to obtain an estimate of recharge, assuming that discharge is equal to recharge (Centre d’expertise hydrique du Québec (CEHQ), 2010).
According to the results of all investigated methods, the mean annual recharge for the CHCN region is approximately 183 mm, which is 18 % of the total yearly precipitation (P). The discussion highlights large uncertainties due to the assumptions of each method and the reliability of the data.

Recharge is generally defined as the amount of water that reaches the saturated zone and adds to the groundwater reservoir (Scanlon et al., 2002; Vries & Simmers, 2002).
The estimation of groundwater recharge represents a major challenge that is crucialfor both hydrogeologists and hydrologists. From a hydrogeologist’s point of view, groundwater recharge is the main input that quantifies the state of the resource. For a hydrologist, recharge is water that is temporarily lost because it does not immediately contribute to direct runoff to the river. An accurate estimation of the groundwater recharge is a key to constructing acceptable groundwater flow models. Although it is possible to assess the recharge from in situ point measurements of groundwater level fluctuations of an aquifer through extensive field surveys, available databases for groundwater levels are very sparse, particularly for remote areas. In addition, because of its high variability over time and space, calculating recharge directly from local instruments is nearly impossible.
Therefore, recharge is often deduced from indirect approaches. These approaches still require large databases and the use of many simplifying assumptions. Moreover, the uncertainty related to indirect approaches is difficult to evaluate. Therefore, the joint use of several methods to provide a reasonable estimate of recharge is justifiable (e.g., Rivard et al., 2014). Many techniques are available to quantify recharge. Recharge can be broadly categorized as water budget approaches, water table fluctuation approaches, streamflow analyses, chemical tracing, physical techniques and numerical modelling.
This paper aims to compare four methods of estimating recharge and infiltration through case studies in Charlevoix and Haute-Côte-Nord (CHCN), which are located in Quebec Province in Canada. The results are discussed in the context of uncertainties and hypotheses inherent to each method. Such comparisons allow for validation of a value and a range of values of recharge. Recommendations regarding the use of each method for estimating recharge can be provided. This study is part of a much broader research program called PACES (‟Programme d’Acquisition de Connaissances sur les eaux Souterraines”- Groundwater Knowledge Acquisition Program), initiated by the Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs (MDDEP)- Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parcs.
The goal of this program is to survey groundwater quantity and quality throughout Quebec in populated territories and to obtain an overall understanding of this resource. The PACES projects intend to gather and compile data on groundwater for establishing groundwater geodatabases (Chesnaux et al., 2011). The PACES projects also aim to estimate the availability of groundwater for better management of this resource. These PACES projects have conducted many field campaigns for hydrogeological data acquisition. The PACES program is being conducted separately for different areas of the province, including in the Charlevoix and Haute-Côte-Nord regions.
Several techniques are available for assessing the recharge of aquifers. Each technique possesses strengths and weaknesses.
Water budget approaches are widely used to estimate groundwater recharge. These approaches include most physically-based hydrological models, such as SWAT, HELP and MOHYSE (e.g., Arnold et al., 2000; Croteau et al., 2010; Rivard et al., 2014). Seepage meters or lysimeters allow for direct measurements of real time vertical infiltration, but their use is limited to point estimations. These installations may also perturb the local soil and modify the rate of infiltration. In addition, such measurements require costly material, careful maintenance and extended field campaigns, which reduce their implementation to a few points in a watershed that can cover thousands of square kilometers.
Investigations of the fluctuations in the water table are among the most popular methods for estimating groundwater recharge and are mostly suitable for areas with a shallow water table. Such methods are easy to apply and inexpensive (e.g., Healy, 2010; Yin et al., 2011). Difficulties in applying these methods are related to determining the specific yield, which depends on the fluctuation of the level in the water table. Streamflow time series analysis can also be used to assess groundwater discharge to a river. Hydrogram separation and recession analysis are two approaches that rely on streamflow time series analysis (e.g., Meyboom, 1961;Domenico & Schwartz, 1998; Rutledge, 2007). In this framework, it is assumed that the discharge is equal to the recharge (Bredehoeft, 2007). Analytical models can also be used to describe groundwater flow and
to estimate recharge. For example, Chesnaux (2013) estimated the recharge of an unconfined fractured bedrock aquifer in the Canadian Shield based on the assumption of a Dupuit-Forchheimer flow type (Dupuit, 1863). Numerical modeling of groundwater flow in the vadose zone can determine infiltration by solving Richard’s equation (van Dam & Feddes, 2000; Gogolev, 2002) for a 1D model of vertical infiltration. UNSATH, VS2DT, SWAP and HYDRUS 2D (Scanlon et al., 2002) are among the most popular commercial software used for this purpose. Extensive field studies are necessary to obtain the data required by numerical models. Consequently, the study area must be small, and many uncertainties remain, particularly regarding the relationship between hydraulic conductivity, water content and pore pressure.
Finally, the methods based on tracer tests can also be used to estimate groundwater recharge (e.g., Flint et al., 2002; Scanlon et al., 2002; Vries & Simmers, 2002). Several tracer-based methods have been proposed: isotopic analysis (Allison et al., 1994), heat tracers (Flint et al., 2002), historical tracers (e.g., tritium/helium couple or Chlorofluorocarbons), (Delin et al., 2007; Coes et al., 2007) and environmental tracers, e.g., chloride mass balance (CMB, Flint et al., 2002). All of these methods are generally costly and only manageable for a small controlled study area (Scanlon et al., 2002). In this study, four methods are selected and compared for estimating recharge based on available data in the PACES groundwater database. The first two methods are based on a global water budget (WB1 and WB2), but they differ in the vertical inflows (VI) estimations (Fortin et al., 1995; Perrin et al., 2003; Valéry, 2010; Poirier et al. 2012). The third method is a local water budget (WB3) (Lim et al., 2006; Monfet, 1979). The fourth method is based on hydrogram separation (Eckhardt, 2005, 2008; CEHQ, 2010). These methods are applied on different time and space scales depending on the availability of climatic data (temperature, T; precipitation, P) and hydrological data (Streamflow, Q). WB1, WB2 and the hydrogram method provide a net recharge assessment for four watersheds over the 1975-1995 period, whereas WB3 provides a local assessment of potential recharge (infiltration) over three watersheds for the 1989-1992 period. This paper is organized as follows: Section 2 provides a description of the study area, and the methodology is detailedin Section 3. The results are presented and discussed in Section 4. Conclusions and recommendations regarding future work are presented in the final section.

Description of the study area

The four watersheds considered in this study are located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec Province, Canada (Figure 2.1). The surface areas of these watersheds range from 712 to 3 085 km². The river channel network is generally dense.
Figure 2.1 shows that this portion of Quebec comprises two major rivers: the Saguenay (Fjord) and St. Lawrence Rivers. The topography of the region is dominated by the Laurentides Range, the meteoritic impact crater of Charlevoix, and deep valleys, all of which create a steep landscape.
The climate of the region is cold and humid. The mean annual precipitation (water equivalence) is approximately 1020 mm/y. The forest is composed of mixed broadleaved trees and evergreens and cover 80 % of the study area. The average temperature ranges from -25°C in winter and 25°C in summer (Figure 2.2). In winter, precipitation is solid, and the streamflow is low. When the temperature begins to rise, the snow cover melts and causes a spring flood. In summer, the high temperature triggers evapotranspiration, inducing low flows in rivers. Heavy rainfall events during autumn occasionally induce high flows.
From a geological point of view, the region of the Charlevoix –Haute-Côte-Nord is located between two major units: Grenville Province and the St. Lawrence Platform of the Canadian Shield. The substratum is mainly composed of crystalline granitic and gneissic rock. The bedrock in the northern part of the study area is mainly represented by migmatites. Rock outcrops are observed across a large portion (10 %) of the territory, particularly on highlands (Table 2.1). Quaternary sediments result from the last glaciation and deglaciation episodes. Mapping of these surface deposits has been performed over the CHCN region (Cousineau et al., 2014). These sediments have glacial, glaciofluvials and glaciomarine origins. Following the glacier withdrawal, the Goldthwait Sea progressed inland and deposited marine sediments. The Till glacial sediments cover approximately 70 % of the study area (Figure 2.3 and Table 2.1).
The regional aquifer system is characterized by quaternary sediments and fractured bedrock. A layer of till covers most of the area, and it is in direct contact with the bedrock.
The layer was formed by rock particles that were dragged and carried by glaciers and then deposited directly onto the bedrock. The till is characterized by variable and complex structures. Some till it is composed of a sandy matrix with larger metric blocks. Till can also be represented by a compact matrix, which confines the underlying bedrock aquifer.
The potential aquifer property of the bedrock depends on the density of its fracture network. However, no significant associations between transmissivity and structural features, such as faults or the meteoritic impact and geologic formations have been observed in this study area. The average transmissivity of the crystalline bedrock is on the order of 10-5 m²/s (Richard et al., 2014b).
The spatial sequence of quaternary deposits is complex throughout the region. The Haute-Côte-Nord region is dominated by till deposits at the highest elevations, with sand along the streams. Lowlands correspond to large fluvial plains where clay sediments are covered by thick deltaic sand deposits confined by peatland. With the Saint-Narcisse moraine, the Charlevoix area comprises glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine deposits (approximately 20 %) in the valleys. These deposits represent important potentially productive aquifers. However, the deposit extent is limited and discontinuous.
Glaciomarine sediments also accumulated at the bottom of steep-sided valleys, such as those along the Du Gouffre and La Malbaie Rivers (Cousineau et al., 2014). This quaternary history has resulted in the formation of different types of aquifers with various confining conditions (Figure 2.3).

Recharge assessment methods

In this study four methods have been selected and applied on four watersheds into the CHCN. These methods are applied on different time and space scales depending on the availability of climatic data (temperature, T; precipitation, P; and the streamflow, Q).

Water budget

This method consists of applying the principle of mass conservation to the hydrological cycle. This principle states that the difference between the input and output fluxes of water in an aquifer system is equal to the change in water storage. Recharge is thus obtained by summing all the other terms in the water balance (Equation 1):

Global water budget (WB1 and WB2)

The global values of recharge provided by WB1 and WB2 are computed for the period 1975-1995 and for four watersheds where data are available. These two methods differ in the estimation of VI. For WB1, VI is calculated from the global conceptual hydrological model, GR4J, which was developed by Perrin et al. (2003) using CemaNeige (Valéry, 2010) as the snowmelt module. For WB2, VI is calculated from physically-based distributed hydrological model HYDROTEL (Fortin et al., 1995). The VI from HYDROTEL was provided by the CEHQ (Centre d’Expertise Hydrique du Québec; Poirier et al., 2014). Both models were run with a daily time step. The vertical inflows produced from these two models use gridded climatic data (precipitation and temperature) were generated by the Centre d’expertise hydrique du Québec (Poirier et al. 2012). The interpolation has been performed at a daily time step, at a 0.1 degree resolution over the southern Quebec territory (Figure 2.1). Simple isotropic kriging was performed, with monthly mean variograms for precipitation, minimum temperature and maximum temperature. CemaNeige, which is used for WB1, is a daily degree snowmelt module that simulates the daily evolution of snow cover. The climatic interpolated data are averaged over each watershed before being added to GR4J with CemaNeige, since GR4J is a global model. The model comprises a total of six free parameters that must be calibrated against the observed streamflow using a portion of the hydroclimatic data reserved for this purpose. Two of these parameters, kf and Ctg, are only related to snowmelt. These last parameters represent the snowmelt parameter and the correction of the thermic state of the snow cover, respectively. One of the particularities of CemaNeige is the division of each watershed into five altitudinal zones to calculate the median altitudes of each zone as inputs to CemaNeige. According to the recommendation of Valéry (2010), five parameters are fixed: the mean annual quantity of snow (QNBV, in mm), the altitudinal correction of precipitation, the altitudinal gradient of temperature (-0.6°C/100 m), the snow melt temperature (0°C) and Vmin, which is the percentage of Kf that corresponds to the minimal snowmelt speed (10 %). CemaNeige separates the total precipitation into rain and snow according to the median altitude of the watershed for each altitudinal zone. Snowmelt in each zone is delayed according to the thermic state of the snow cover. Finally, the quantity of water from snowmelt (Sm), which is added to the rainfall (Pl), is calculated according to Equation 2.

Local water budget (WB3)

The third water budget variant estimates the spatial infiltration (on a 250 m × 250 m grid) by a computation implemented in ArcGIS (ESRI ArcGIS 10.1, 2012). This method has been developed with the PACES team for of calculating the DRASTIC index (Aller et al., 1987) over the study area. This last water budget (WB3) is determinated from the VI provided by the CEHQ. The AET is estimated from the Budyko relation (Budyko, 1974) and is only applied for the summer (used for WB2). The surface runoff computation is based on the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Curve Number, (CN) method (Cronshey, 1986). This approach aims to account for the characteristics of each mesh of the watershed grid (topography, soil coverage and deposits). Nevertheless, it does not allow for the estimation of subsurface runoff. Consequently, the resulting maps correspond to an infiltration map or a map of a potential recharge zone. In the present study, this method is only performed for the Du Gouffre, La Malbaie and Petit-Saguenay watersheds because the soil coverage information is not available for the Portneuf River watershed.
The CN method has been adapted by Monfet (1979) for humid southern Quebec to match meteorological conditions, the geological context and the nature of the soils. The CN is a quantitative parameter that depends on soil properties (nature, grain size, texture and infiltration capacity), the type of soil coverage (vegetation and land use), the topography of the watershed and the hydrologic conditions, which must be determined from a field study. Such a large investigation would not be feasible for the entire study area. Consequently, the mean hydrologic conditions for all studied watersheds are applied.

Hydrogram separation

A streamflow hydrogram can be divided into three main types of flows: sub-surface or hypodermic flow, baseflow and surface runoff (Domenico & Schwartz, 1998). The hydrogram separation is possible assuming that the flow component presents different time lags (Eckhardt, 2008). Runoff is related to rapid flow: its stream contribution stops earlier. Baseflow has a long time lag, and it continues after the hypodermic flow stops.
During low flow, the streamflow mostly consists of baseflow. This baseflow component corresponds to groundwater discharge into a river.
Several authors focused on streamflow records to estimate groundwater recharge (e.g., Meyboom, 1961; Rorabaugh, 1964;Mau & Winter, 1997; Rutledge, 1998; Lee et al., 2006). In this context, recharge is assumed to be equal to the baseflow. Various methods can be used for hydrograph separation, including graphical approaches (Linsley et al., 1982; Brodie & Hostetler, 2005), digital filtering with programs such as HYSEP or PART (Arnold et al., 1995; Brodie & Hostetler, 2005; Rutledge, 2007) and recession-curve displacement methods (Rorabaugh, 1964).
In this study, baseflow data computed with recursive digital filters (Eckhardt, 2005; 2008) are directly supplied by the Centre d’expertise hydrique du Québec (CEHQ, 2010). Such methods are based on the generalized Equation 12. The following paragraphs present some details of the calculation procedure applied by the CEHQ.

The vertical inflows

The daily results of GR4J-CemaNeige are presented in Figure 2.7 for 1990 in Du Gouffre watershed. Additionally, the value of the parameters after calibration and the performance index of each watershed are reported in Table 2.5, showing very good NS (>0.8) for all of the watersheds.
Figure 2.7 shows that during winter, VI are very low or null, since the snowmelt is generally negligible. During spring, VI is high due to snowmelt. Therefore, a lot of runoff is produced. In summer, VI is equal to precipitation because the latter is liquid. Part of this water is lost by evapotranspiration.

The runoff (Ru)

The mean annual total runoff (Ru= QT-QB)varies between 265 mm (La Malbaie) and 375 mm (Portneuf); the mean annual total runoff is 321 mm/y over the entire CHCN region or 31 % of the total yearly precipitation. A large portion of the total runoff occurs during spring (54 %). This is attributed to snowmelt, which rapidly saturates the soil and causes surface and sub-surface runoff. The highest values of runoff are observed for Portneuf and Petit-Saguenay (35 % and 33 %, respectively), which present higher proportions of rock and till deposits than the two other watersheds (see Table 2.1).

Infiltration maps or potential recharge zones

The percentages of each component of the water budget in regards to precipitation (P) is computed and presented in Figure 2.9. The regional mean annual surface runoff (RuS) and infiltration are 181 mm and 208 mm, corresponding to 20 % and 22 % of the total precipitation. As mentioned earlier the subsurface runoff can’t be estimated by this method. The results are detailed in Table 2.6. The spatial variations (independent of the quantity of precipitation) depend on the physical characteristics of the watersheds, particularly the nature of surface deposits and slopes. Sand, gravel and low slope zones or valleys favor maximum infiltration (532 mm/y) and minimum runoff (4 mm/y), whereas the impervious deposits, including clay, till and rock, and steep landscapes correspond to the lowest infiltration rates (113 mm/y) and highest surface runoff (312 mm/y). The ranges of infiltration and surface runoff according to the nature of surface deposits are reported in Table 2.6.

Baseflow and global recharge

Figure 2.10a and 2.10b show the seasonal fluctuation in the baseflow obtained after the hydrogram separation. However, only 30 % of the baseflow occurs during summer, whereas the main part of the baseflow is observed during the spring melt period.
This directly depends on the hydrogram separation method, which considers that the baseflow increases when the streamflow rises. The same conclusion is proposed by Croteau et al. (2010) and Larocque et al. (2010). For this reason, the baseflow is also calculated separately for the June-February period, when the streamflow is lowest and is mostly from the discharge of groundwater into the river. The mean annual values for the baseflow are presented in Table 2.7. The mean yearly baseflow (over 1975-1995) accounts for 30 % of the mean total annual precipitation, whereas the mean baseflow computed over the June- February period accounts for 18 % of the mean total annual precipitation.
The accuracy of the water budget method is directly dependent on the uncertainties in each component. These uncertainties are particularly high when the recharge is low.
The larger part of the water budget is represented by the AET (48 % of the total annual precipitation). This component impacts the recharge to a large extent. The AET is defined as a proportion of the PET, which changes each year for all of the watersheds. However, this AET/PET ratio could also vary seasonally as it is indeed not always constant throughout the year. Additionally, PET and AET estimations performed in this study only rely on temperature and precipitation. Because many of other parameters impact the AET, such as the soil coverage or the air saturation, more sophisticated approaches could be implemented using an energy budget. However, this requires a lot of data that are not often available.
Runoff estimations based on the hydrogram separation (QT – QB) can also induce errors. In fact, a part of the baseflow (especially during spring) can also be attributed to subsurface runoff. In this case, the runoff calculated from QT minus QB could be underestimated.
The strong assumption that VI is the only supply of AET, runoff and recharge represents a coarse simplification. In fact, water can be added or subtracted by deep groundwater flow or by soil water storage. This fact can explain the negative value of recharge that is occasionally obtained some years (see Figure 2.11b).
Climatic data can also contain some errors. Approximatively one-third of the precipitation is solid, but this quantity is often underestimated due to the wind, which prevents snow to be captured by the snow gauge. The total precipitation measured by gauges thus represents a minimum value. Most operational agencies use snow surveys to correct SWE values throughout winter; such is the case with VICEHQ in this study. Moreover, the number of climatic stations is very low (especially in the Haute-Côte-Nord; see Figure 2.1) and is non- uniformly distributed over the area.
The hydrogram separation method seems to be the most realistic method of recharge estimation. Indeed, streamflow records represent an observable hydrologic signal that characterizes the aquifer system (Bredehoeft, 2007). Nevertheless, this principle triggers large discussions, and two main points of view are debated. Some authors support the fact that basin recharge is approximatively equal to basin discharge when dynamic equilibrium conditions are satisfied. According to Rutledge (2007), this method would be valid when the database is sufficiently long (ten years or more). Bredehoeft (2007), also encourages the scientific community to concentrate on developing methods to compute the discharge rather than the recharge. However, this analogy between discharge and recharge is too simplistic. Pumping, deep ground water flow, hydraulic connections between aquifers (e.g., Richard et al., 2014a), wetland and lake discharge, bank storage or even runoff can have significant impacts and can disrupt the equilibrium (e.g., Halford & Mayer, 2000; Scanlon et al., 2002; Stephens, 2009). In the study presented here, wetland and lake discharge could be considerable. In fact, the percentage of the watershed area covered by lakes ranges from 1 % (Du Gouffre) to 7 % (Portneuf). Additionally, the flow from springs or outcrop face seepage can also introduce water from deep fractures, as observed in steep rock valleys, such as La Malbaie.
All of these uncertainties are significant, but their quantification is beyond the scope of this paper. Thus, the daily recharge is not reliable because the water budget is not closed over one day or one season. Nevertheless, the annual mean value seems reasonable.
Finally, the methods used in this study are only based on hydro-climatic data (precipitation, temperature and streamflow). The infiltration is estimated locally to account for spatial variations in the topography, the soil coverage and deposits. Nevertheless, hydraulic conductivity, soil properties (soil saturation and water content) or the water table level are not considered. In another study, it would be interesting to take additional measurements and to investigate the saturated and unsaturated zones. Additionally, the implementation of a groundwater model, such as HELP or SWAT, would confirm the recharge values that were calculated in this study.
The comparison between ReWB1 and ReWB2 indicates the spatio-temporal variations in the sublimation of snow (see Figure 2.11b). ReWB2, which indirectly and partly accounts for sublimation through snow survey corrections, is consistently lower than ReWB1, which does not consider sublimation. The spatial analysis here is rather coarse and refers to the varying difference between ReWB2 and ReWB1 from one watershed to another.

Estimating recharge remains a major challenge in hydrology and hydrogeology. It is particularly difficult in Quebec because the soil is covered by snow six months per year. In addition, a number of regions such as CHCN only have a few weather stations, which are non-uniformly distributed over the area.
This study assessed the regional recharge and potential zones of recharge. Overall, the mean annual recharge estimated from the water budget (WB1 and WB2) and baseflow (June to February) is 183 mm on average over 1975-1995; this value represents 18 % of the mean total annual precipitation.
The hydrogram separation method is appropriate as a first approximation when the low flow period (June to February) is considered. This method is easy to apply, inexpensive and only requires streamflow data. However, this method must be validated by other methods to provide a reasonable estimate of recharge.
The water budget method is also easily implemented. Nevertheless, the method’s accuracy is hampered by underlying simplistic assumptions and by the uncertainties related to precipitation (caused by the sublimation and the underestimation of snow cover). If snow-water equivalent corrections based on a snow survey are not available, computing winter evaporation over large spatial and time scales and considering the result an estimate of sublimation are recommended.
A local approach accounts for the physical characteristics of the study area to evaluate the potential recharge zones according to the nature of deposits and the slope. The CN method has been adapted for the CHCN region to obtain surface runoff that is representative of surface deposits and the topography of the region.
Finally, applying other methods in the vadose zone would help account for the soil water content, the hydraulic conductivity and the water table in much greater detail and would help to obtain more accurate results than those presented here.

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Table des matières

1.2.1 Définition de la recharge
1.2.2 Intérêt de l’étude de la recharge
1.2.3 Les différentes méthodes d’estimation de la recharge
1.4.1 Sélection des méthodes et des sites spécifiques d’étude
1.4.2 Physiographie et hydrologie
1.4.3 Contexte hydro-climatique et occupation du sol
1.4.4 Contexte géologique et hydrogéologique
In this study four methods have been selected and applied on four watersheds into the CHCN.
These methods are applied on different time and space scales depending on the availability of climatic data (temperature, T; precipitation, P; and the streamflow, Q)
2.4.1 Water budget
2.4.2 Hydrogram separation
2.5.1 The vertical inflows
2.5.2 The actual evapotranspiration (AET)
2.5.3 The runoff (Ru)
2.5.4 Infiltration maps or potential recharge zones
2.5.5 Baseflow and global recharge

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De L’Isle’s Influential First Atlas Map of Asia

Fine example of an early state of Guillaume De L'Isle's first atlas map of Asia, one of the most significant maps of the continent published in the eighteenth century.

The map shows the continent in masterful detail, exhibiting De L’Isle’s status as one of the most technically-skilled cartographers of this period. De L'Isle's map of Asia would become the source map for a number of other contemporary mapmakers, including J.B. Homann, Covens & Mortier, Nolin, De Fer and others.

The map stretches from European Muscovy—differentiated from Tartar Muscovy—to Japan in the north. In the south, the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula are included and the geographic coverage continues westward to India, Maritime Southeast Asia, and the Marianas (Isles des Larrons).

The map is very detailed, with the Great Wall of China stretching across northern China. The “I or C. de Sincapura” (the island of cape of Singapore) dots the end of Malacca. The Philippines are shown with a nice, large treatment.

Korea is shown as a peninsula, rather than an island as it was included on some contemporary maps. It is separated from Japan by the Mer Orientale.

Japan is well-delineated for the period, although the north of the archipelago is exaggerated into the large Terre d’Yeco, a misunderstanding of the extent of Hokkaido. Two other islands lie east in the North Pacific, I. des Etats and Terre de la Compagnie.

North of these Pacific chimeras is the Mer d’Amour. While the reader might think this refers to a Sea of Love, it is actually a derivation of the nearby R. d’Amour, which is the Amur River. The tenth longest river in the world, the Amur separates Russia and Inner Manchuria. A note in the sea, near a promontory of land, reads, “we do not yet know where this point of land ends and if it does not belong to some other continent.”

Farther south, the edge of an unlabeled shore is included in the southeast corner. The only toponym is B. de Diemens. This is the coast of what is today Queensland, Australia. This was the site of the first known European contact with the continent, the voyage of the Duyfken in 1605-06. Under the command of Willem Janszoon, the Duyfken explored the eastern shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria, just below the Cape York Peninsula. Later, at the behest of Anthony van Diemen, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1636 until 1645, other voyages also visited the area, leaving the toponym seen here.

De L’Isle’s erudition is on display across the map, but especially with details like L. de Kia in what is today Burma. This Lake Kia is a reference to the fabled Lake Chiamay that was often included in the area. It was thought to give rise to four great rivers. However, upon reviewing all the extant sources, De L’Isle reduced the lake’s size and importance, as seen here.

The map’s decorative features are nestled into the left border of the map. At the top is a title cartouche set within a vignette of turbaned men in a caravan atop camels. Eight scale bars are just below. In the lower left corner is an advertisement, which explains that De L’Isle has introduced several geographic novelties and innovations in this map, which he explains at greater length in a separate publication.

The Mughal Empire, Arakan, and Tonkin

The map lays out the boundaries of the area’s empires and polities, including the Persian Empire, China, and the political entities of India and Southeast Asia: the Mughals, Arakan, and Tonkin. The Mughal Empire began when Babur (r. 1526-1530), originally from Central Asia, established himself in Kabul, Afghanistan and marched south into India via the Khyber Pass. His descendants consolidated power and fought off rivals. Particularly under the rule of Akbar (r. 1556-1605), the Mughal Empire developed an imperial structure characterized by tolerance of religious differences and a competent administrative elite.

Later in the seventeenth century, the Mughal Empire developed not only as a center of arts and culture—the Taj Mahal was built during this time—but as a political and economic power house. By 1707, under the controversial ruler Aurangzeb (r. 1658-1707), the Mughal Empire reached its largest extent, encompassing much of the Indian subcontinent. A decade later, however, the empire entered into decline. Many of the areas that had been added by Aurangzeb were in open revolt and the dynastic line was in chaos. In 1719, four separate emperors ruled. The Mughal Empire began to lose land and influence, particularly in the face of Maratha opposition and the arrival of the British East India Company.

The kingdom of Arakan, or Ava as De L’Isle has it, was an Indianized kingdom nestled between the Indian subcontinent, the Bay of Bengal, and what was historically known as Burma. At a significant crossroads in trade routes to India, China, and Southeast Asia, Arakan was diverse religiously and ethnically. Islam came to the region in the eighth century. The Rakhine people migrated to the area around the ninth century; today, the area is Rakhine State in Myanmar. The area was also a site of conflict, with the Burmese and Bengal Sultanate just some of those who sought to control the strategic and economically-important region. Arakan was able to survive and had a formidable navy by the seventeenth century.

However, the Dutch and the Portuguese were also drawn to the trade center. The Dutch arrived in 1623; thirty years later, they completed a treaty that gave the Dutch East India Company duty-free trade rights. However, in 1665 the Mughals smashed the Arakan fleet, forcing the area into decline.

Tonkin (also Tongkin, Tonquin, Tongking) refers to the northern part of what is today Vietnam. It means “eastern capital,” in reference to Hanoi. In the first millennium CE, the area for a time was under the control of China. After 938, however, it was independent and ruled by the Ngô, Đinh, Early Lê, Lý, Trần, and Hồ dynasties. Disputes with China continued, with Lê Lợi as a notable leader who fought the Ming dynasty and established himself in Hanoi in the mid-fifteenth century. By the seventeenth century, Westerners were frequent visitors to the area. They traded with the Trinh lords who were then in power. The French took the area as a protectorate from 1884 to 1945.

Lake Chiamay

Lake Chiamay first appeared on a map in 1554 when it was included on the terza tavola in the second edition of volume one of Ramusio’s Delle navigationi et viaggi. Drawn by Giacomo Gastaldi, this map of South and Southeast Asia shows a massive lake from which four rivers flow; these are commonly interpreted as the Chao Phraya, Salween, Irrawaddy, and a branch of the Brahmaputra, but also sometimes include other rivers.

Reports of the lake came from two Portuguese sources: a geographer, João de Barros, and an explorer, Fernão Mendes Pinto. Pinto wrote letters describing a great lake. Barros likely saw these letters. He, in turn, compiled a history of Asia, Décadas da Ásia, that mentioned the lake; Ramusio included Barros’ work in his own compilation of travel and exploration.

Barros describes a lake that begat six rivers, but the map in Ramusio’s work shows only four. However, Gastaldi’s 1561 map, Tertia Pars Asiae, shows six rivers leaving and two entering the lake. After appearing in such an authoritative work, the lake was taken up by other mapmakers. Many used the Ramusio/Gastaldi model. Others innovated on the theme of this geographic chimera, as no such lake exists in the area.

Luis Jorge de Barbuda’s 1584 map shows the lake farther to the north and with a different river pattern. His model was taken up by Hondius in India Orientales (1606) and thereafter by many others. The Jesuit Martino Martini gathered information from his travels in eastern and northern China to compile Imperii Sinarum Nova Descriptio (1655). Martini included the lake, but added the Red River and had the Chao Phraya originate from a different lake. Around 1570, other maps appeared that gave Lake Chiamay only two outlets.

As more Jesuit knowledge of Southeast Asia filtered back to Europe, mapmakers such as Guillaume De L’Isle began to question the veracity of the lake. It last was added to a map by Vaugondy in 1751; it was reprinted in map reissues, however, until at least 1783. By the early-nineteenth century, the feature was understood to be nothing more than a cartographic myth. By the early-twentieth century, expeditions had definitively proven that no such lake existed.

North Pacific chimeras: Yesso, De Gama, and Compagnie Land

The etymology of the idiom Yesso (Eso, Yeco, Jesso, Yedso) is most likely the Japanese Ezo-chi; a term used for the lands north of the island of Honshu. During the Edō period (1600-1886), it came to represent the ‘foreigners’ on the Kuril and Sakhalin islands. As European traders came into contact with the Japanese in the seventeenth century, the term was transferred onto European maps, where it was often associated with the island of Hokkaido. It varies on maps from a small island to a near-continent sized mass that stretches from Asia to Alaska.

The toponym held interest for Europeans because the island was supposedly tied to mythic riches. Father Francis Xavier (1506-1552), an early Jesuit missionary to Japan and China, related stories that immense silver mines were to be found on a secluded Japanese island; these stories were echoed in Spanish reports. The rumors became so tenacious and tantalizing that Abraham Ortelius included an island of silver north of Japan on his 1589 map of the Pacific.

Yesso is often tied to two other mythical North Pacific lands, Gamaland and Compagnies Land. Juan de Gama, the grandson of Vasco de Gama, was a Portuguese navigator who was accused of illegal trading with the Spanish in the East Indies. Gama fled and sailed from Macau to Japan in the later sixteenth century. He then struck out east, across the Pacific, and supposedly saw lands in the North Pacific. These lands were initially shown as small islands on Portuguese charts, but ballooned into a continent-sized landmass in later representations.

Several voyagers sought out these chimerical islands, including the Dutchmen Matthijs Hendrickszoon Quast in 1639 and Maarten Gerritszoon Vries in 1643. Compagnies Land, often shown along with Staten Land, were islands sighted by Vries on his 1643 voyage. He named the islands for the Dutch States General (Staten Land) and for the Dutch East India Company (VOC) (Compagnies, or Company’s Land). In reality, he had re-discovered two of the Kuril Islands. However, other mapmakers latched onto Compagnies Land in particular, enlarging and merging it with Yesso and/or Gamaland.

In the mid-eighteenth century, Vitus Bering, a Danish explorer in Russian employ, and later James Cook would both check the area and find nothing. La Perouse also sought the huge islands, but found only the Kurils, putting to rest the myth of the continent-sized dream lands.

Guillaume De L'Isle Biography

Guillaume De L'Isle (1675-1726) is probably the greatest figure in French cartography. Having learned geography from his father Claude, by the age of eight or nine he could draw maps to demonstrate ancient history.  He studied mathematics and astronomy under Cassini, from whom he received a superb grounding in scientific cartography—the hallmark of his work. His first atlas was published in ca. 1700. In 1702 he was elected a member of the Academie Royale des Sciences and in 1718 he became Premier Geographe du Roi

De L'Isle's work was important as marking a transition from the maps of the Dutch school, which were highly decorative and artistically-orientated, to a more scientific approach. He reduced the importance given to the decorative elements in maps, and emphasized the scientific base on which they were constructed. His maps of the newly explored parts of the world reflect the most up-to-date information available and did not contain fanciful detail in the absence of solid information. It can be fairly said that he was truly the father of the modern school of cartography at the commercial level.

De L’Isle also played a prominent part in the recalculation of latitude and longitude, based on the most recent celestial observations. His major contribution was in collating and incorporating this latitudinal and longitudinal information in his maps, setting a new standard of accuracy, quickly followed by many of his contemporaries. Guillaume De L’Isle’s work was widely copied by other mapmakers of the period, including Chatelain, Covens & Mortier, and Albrizzi.

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Home > Back to Search Results > A failed slave insurrection in Virginia...
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A failed slave insurrection in Virginia...

Item # 677880
THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, London, February, 1802  Among the news reports near the back under "America" is a report which tells of a quelched slave revolt in Virginia which is related to the more famous Gabriel's Conspiracy of 1800. It reads: "A letter from Richmond, Virginia...states that an insurrection of the negroes at Petersburgh, Norway, had been discover in time to prevent the consequences. Five hundred had risen with an intent to destroy all the Whites; some of the conspirators were taken, the rest dispersed in the woods."
This is followed by several other reports from America.
Both full page plates called for are present.
Complete in 96 pages, full title/contents page with an engraving of St. John's Gate, 5 by 8 1/4 inches, very nice condition.

Category: Pre-Civil War


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Is it illegal to not shovel your sidewalk?

If you ever wanted to measure how well a community gets along, monitor how they shovel snow.

Some neighbours stop their snow shovel right at the hard edge of their property, while other neighbours shovel snow off the sidewalks of the 5 houses next to them. It’s an interesting social experiment, but for the snow shovelling slackers, what does the law actually say?

Generally speaking, across Canada, there are bylaws in place forcing you to shovel your sidewalk, or you may face fines.

How cities shovel snow

In Toronto’s municipal code book, “Steps, landings, walks, driveways, parking spaces, ramps and similar areas of a yard shall be cleared of snow and ice within 24 hours of snowfall to provide safe access and egress for persons and vehicles.”

However, in Toronto’s downtown core, where sidewalks cannot be plowed by a city service, you need to shovel snow off your sidewalk within 12 hours or face a $100 fine plus a $25 surcharge from the city.

In Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Halifax, and Moncton, to name a few, the city shovels the snow from your sidewalk for you.

In other major cities, it’s on the residents to clear the snow.

Calgary requires snow to be cleared within 24 hours, or you’ll receive a warning. If it’s still not clear, the city will shovel the snow, and charge you accordingly for the services provided.

Edmontonians get 48 hours after a snowfall and a $100 fine if you don’t shovel the snow, or $200 for a second offence. In fact, you may end up in court if you continually fail to shovel the snow.

Regina, has 24 hours  to shovel the snow in the downtown core, 48 hours elsewhere. If you don’t shovel the snow, you’ll be fined $100.

Saskatoon has to clear sidewalks within 48 hours, or if you’re downtown, it needs to be done within 24 hours. If you don’t do it, the city will shovel your snow, and add the charges to your property taxes.

Vancouver requires you to shovel snow by 10 am the morning after a heavy snowfall or you could face a fine of $200. If you own a business in Vancouver, you could face penalties of up to $2000.

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How Snow Shovel Bylaws work

Bylaw enforcement, however, is lax. Generally, you’ll have to initiate a lack of snow shovelling complaint against your neighbour. In most municipalities, across Canada, you can do this by dialling 3-1-1.

Here is what happens after snow clearing bylaw complaint is registered:

  • A file is opened listing your concerns
  • A Municipal Enforcement Officer (MEO) investigates within four business days
  • The MEO either issues a warning notice with directions to fix the problem within a set time frame or issues the $100 fine immediately, depending on the circumstances
  • the officer may issue an order for the City to clear the snow and ice from the sidewalk and bill the property owner for the cost; and
  • the City may contact you to appear as a witness if the matter goes to court.

If no one complains, the likelihood of a behavioural change is slim. Do you risk complaining if, in a worst case scenario, you have to appear in court, staring face to face with that neighbour? Especially if you don’t own the sidewalk in the first place? If you don’t own it, and someone were to slip on the sidewalk adjacent to your property and injure themselves, what happens?

Is it illegal to shovel snow into the road?

Yes, it’s illegal. According to section 181 of the highway traffic act, it is an offence “to deposit snow or ice onto a highway.” Anyone caught will be fined $115. It’s also dangerous for drivers navigating through excess snow.

How snow shovelling affects your home insurance

When reviewing home insurance quotes, did you look at how much personal liability coverage you had? In Canada, liability coverage for house insurance ranges from $100,000 to $5,000,000. If someone injures themselves on the sidewalk in front of your house and opts to file a claim, the claim will be against the city, not you.

However, if you haven’t shovelled the snow creating a safe path, free of slippery ice, to your home, and they slip on your steps and injure themselves on your front porch, the injured person can file a liability claim on your property insurance. Liability isn’t the only coverage you need when it comes to snow clearing.

The importance of an Overland Water endorsement on your house insurance policy

Climate change brings extreme and fluctuating weather. One day, there’s 30cm of snow, the next day, the temperature rises melting the snow which creates flooding. Floods are the most costly natural disasters in Canada concerning property damage. If you’re not clearing the snow from the property around your home, it will melt and could seep into your foundation. If there are cracks in your foundation, it could get into your basement which the Insurance Bureau of Canada estimates will cost an average of $43,000 to repair.

I had a build up of snow on my roof. Due to a sudden thaw, preceded by record snowfalls, the mass amount of snow was melting fast. I didn’t have proper eavestroughs installed, and the water ended up in my basement. I was outside trying to deal with the situation as quickly as I could. In the end, know that it’s a reality, preparation is key.

I’m handy, so I was able to solve the issue and divert the water away quickly. But, if I couldn’t solve the problem, I would’ve paid a lot of money out of pocket for renovations. Home insurance covers a burst pipe, but not water entering your home due to melting snow, unless you have an overland water add-on to your home insurance. Overland water protects water that comes into the home from freshwater sources such as an overflow of rivers, lakes, ponds or rain and snow accumulation.

How snow shovelling affects your car insurance

A person convicted of shovelling snow onto city streets is liable for a fine of up to $5,000 (Toronto Bylaw 719-5). The penalty is so high because that shovelled snow can be a dangerous road hazard. An accident on the road due to slipping on snow or ice can negatively affect your car insurance if you have to make a claim. You can report this anonymously with 311 as illegal dumping. It’s handled by Toronto’s Right of Way Management.

shovel snow

Remember to take extra time to clear the snow off your car’s roof and windshields before driving and ensure you have winter tires on and give a little extra space between you and the car in front of you. Car accident claims go up during the winter months.

The Bottom Line

Be a good neighbour and while you’re shovelling the snow off your sidewalk, clear your neighbours’ sidewalk, too. A good community supports each other. Also, If you’re on vacation, it’s nice to rest easy knowing your neighbour will clear your sidewalk; reciprocity is a wonderful thing – bylaws, not so much.

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Blustream Expands Video-Over-IP Portfolio With New Transmitter and Receiver

Blustream Expands Video-Over-IP Portfolio With New Transmitter and ReceiverBlustream announced it is now shipping the latest addition to its video-over-IP portfolio, the IP250UHD 4K multicast platform featuring Dante integration. Adding to the company’s existing IP200UHD family of products, the IP250UHD-TX transmitter and IP250UHD-RX video scaling receiver distribute ultra HD and 4K video with HDCP 2.2 over a single category or fiber cable. It also allows integrators to input two audio channels from the video-over-IP system for playout on Dante-enabled devices and extract two channels from the Dante network for playout across the Blustream system.

The IP250UHD video-over-IP platform distributes AV and control signals over a 1Gb network using visually lossless compression technology to deliver HDMI, Dante, bidirectional IR, RS-232 and USB/KVM signals up to 328 feet over a standard network architecture. Distribution can travel further when using the units’ fiber SFP port. The IP250UHD-TX and IP250UHD-RX support independent or combined HDMI and/or Dante signal distribution to work with any network configuration. The IP250UHD-TX includes an HDMI loop-out for integrating local displays or cascading to multiple devices.

Both the transmitter and receiver can be powered via PoE from the network switch or locally should the switch not support PoE.


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The European Parliament is preparing a non-binding resolution that proposes splitting Google Inc's search engine operations in Europe from the rest of its business as one possible option to rein in the Internet company’s dominance in the search market.

European politicians have grown increasingly concerned about Google's and other American companies' command of the Internet industry, and have sought ways to curb their power. A public call for a break-up would be the most far-reaching action proposed and a significant threat to Google's business.

The draft motion does not mention Google or any specific search engine, though Google is by far the dominant provider of such services in Europe with an estimated 90 percent market share. Earlier on Friday, the Financial Times described a draft motion as calling for a break-up of Google.

Google declined to comment.

The motion seen by Reuters "calls on the Commission to consider proposals with the aim of unbundling search engines from other commercial services as one potential long-term solution" to leveling the competitive playing field.

Parliament has no power to initiate legislation and lacks the authority to break up corporations, and while the draft motion is a non-binding resolution, it would step up the pressure on the European Commission to act against Google.

Google already faces stern criticism in Europe about everything from privacy to tax policies, and has been wrestling with a European court’s ruling that requires it to remove links from search results that individuals find objectionable.

The company has grown so large as to inspire distrust in many corners, with a chorus of public criticism from politicians and business executives.

"It’s a strong expression of the fact that things are going to change,” said Gary Reback, a U.S. attorney who has filed complaints on behalf of companies against Google over fair search. “The parliament doesn’t bind the commission for sure, but they have to listen.”

Europe's new antitrust chief said she would take some time to decide on the next step of the four-year investigation into the Internet search leader, after her predecessor had scrapped a proposed settlement with the company.

European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who took over from Joaquin Almunia on Nov. 1, said she would take a representative sample of views from parties involved in the case and check on the latest industry developments before taking any action.

Resentment, however, has been building in Europe for years.

Google has tried to counter that mistrust, which its executives believe is linked to European perceptions of the United States in general. But recent revelations about U.S. surveillance practices, including that Washington monitored German Chancellor Angela Merkel's phone, have ignited a strong backlash, particularly in Germany, where the historic experiences of Nazism and Communism have left people deeply suspicious of powerful institutions controlling personal data.

Andreas Schwab, the German Christian Democrat lawmaker who co-sponsored the resolution, told Reuters it was “very likely” it would be adopted as both his own center-right group, the largest in parliament, and the main center-left group supported it. Schwab proposed the resolution along with Spanish centrist Ramon Tremosa earlier this week.

In a statement on Wednesday, the two said Google had failed to propose adequate remedies during the antitrust investigation by the commission. Vestager has said she wants time to study the dossier after her predecessor decided against a settlement with Google that would have ended the case.

Google ”continued thereby to suppress competition to the detriment of European consumers and businesses,“ Schwab and Tremosa said.

In a position paper, they cited a number of possible solutions to what they saw as Google’s abusive dominant position in search engines and its ability to drive Internet traffic to favored sites. If these failed, then, they suggested, legislation should be tried.

“In case the proceedings against Google carry on without any satisfying decisions and the current anti-competitive behavior continues to exist, a regulation of the dominant online web search should be envisaged,” they said.

Reflecting broad suspicion of Google, other parties in parliament may also support the non-binding resolution.

Jan Philipp Albrecht of the Greens said: "Search engines like Google should not be allowed to use their market power to push forward other commercial activities of the same company.

Officials at the European Commission could not be immediately reached for comment.

It was also not clear how U.S. regulators would respond. In a major victory for Google, U.S. regulators in 2013 ended an investigation into the Internet company and concluded that it had not manipulated Web search results to hurt rivals. It did get Google to agree to change some of its business practices, including halting the "scraping" of reviews and other data from rivals' websites for its own products.

Rivals such as Yelp Inc argue that the company is squeezing them out in Internet search results.

The review site, which has complained that Google ranks its own content higher than Yelp's, said on Friday that the Internet search service harms users by favoring its own products, for instance social network Google+, which also carries review content.

"By hardwiring Google+ in the largest category of search, Google isn’t just stifling innovation, it's harming consumers," Luther Lowe, Yelp Director of Public Policy, told Reuters.

(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic, Julia Fioretti and Alastair Macdonald; Additional reporting by Dan Levine in San Francisco, writing by Edwin Chan; editing by James Dalgleish, Peter Henderson and Bernard Orr)


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Many immigrants fear coming out of hiding despite Obama's action
Honduran migrants deported from the United States walk on a tarmac of Toncontin Airport in Tegucigalpa (AFP)

Norma Martinez, an undocumented mother of two girls born in New Jersey after she arrived illegally from El Salvador in 2007, worries the Obama administration's new immigration program might provide fleeting protections that a new president could easily reverse.

"I don't want to go on living in hiding," said Martinez, 34, adding that she would happily sign up and pay a fine to avoid deportation.

"But what happens if they take the program away, it would mean automatic deportation," she added, saying she and her husband, also undocumented, might be better off staying out of sight until a permanent solution is reached.

In an address to the nation on Thursday night, President Barack Obama outlined executive action to let some 4.4 million parents of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents remain in the United States temporarily, without the threat of deportation. He said he took the step after Congress failed to pass immigration reform legislation.

As details of the speech filtered through immigrant communities across the United States, many undocumented Hispanics remained skeptical, saying the new temporary benefits offered by the White House might not be worth the risk of coming out of the shadows.

While Obama's so-called "deferred action" for parents of children who are U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents could offer temporary status to as many as 5 million immigrants, the many shortcomings detract from its benefits, experts say.

"It's a step in the right direction, but it's going to fall far short of the mark," said Cheryl Little, a veteran immigration advocate and director of Miami-based Americans for Immigrant Justice.

"Deferred action is not legal status, it's simply a temporary reprieve from deportation," she added.

Eligible applicants would have to come forward and provide all relevant documents to the immigration authorities, including how long they have been in the country, their source of income, and place of work.

Immigrants who have lived illegally in the United States for many years can be afraid to sign up for fear of future deportation if their temporary status runs out, as well as large fines and exposure to unpaid medical bills, said Mark Hugo Lopez with the Pew Hispanic Center.

"Who knows who the next president will be and if they might take this protection away," he said.

Immigrants may also lack the proper documentation to prove eligibility, he added, amounting to huge uncertainty over the benefits of signing up.

Only 55 percent of the estimated 1.2 million young people eligible under a 2012 program that offered temporary relief for the children of unauthorized immigrants have applied, according to an August report by the Migration Policy Institute.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) offers a two-year work permit to qualifying young adults ages 15 to 30 who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

Obama's executive action is the most significant move to protect unauthorized immigrants since 1986, when Congress passed legislation allowing almost 3 million people in the country illegally to obtain residency, and ultimately U.S. citizenship.

Even under that program only 36 percent of those eligible became U.S. citizens, said Lopez. "Many of them are too busy working, and it's expensive. They worry about not being able to pass the exam because they don't speak English," Lopez added.

A survey by the Pew Hispanic Center in late October found that only 26 percent of Latino adults were aware of the debate over Obama's use of executive action. Among those who had heard about it 38 percent were either disappointed or angry, while only 25 percent were pleased or very happy.

Miami-born Christy Gaspar, 20, who lives in Homestead in south Florida with her Guatemalan parents, who are legal residents, said she worried about six uncles who are undocumented.

"They are not going to trust anything the president says," Gaspar explained. "He hasn't kept his promises," she added, noting how record number of immigrants have been deported under the Obama administration.

Two weeks ago, federal immigration agents arrested one of her uncles, along with half-a-dozen other men who are in the U.S. illegally, Gaspar said.

"He was let go after being granted a bond, but some of the men were deported," she said.

Another of Gaspar's uncles, Guillermo, has lived in the United States for 15 years and has two U.S. born children, but was unsure about Obama's announcement. "I put my faith in God that what he says is true. ... I hope he helps us, but I'm still afraid of being deported."

Mary Alfaro, a 37-year-old undocumented Mexican mother of two U.S.-born children who has been living in south Florida since 1995, called Obama's decision a partial solution.

"We need more than an executive order. We need a law that addresses the immigrant population. It's a small victory. But we are on the right track."

(Additional reporting by Francisco Alvarado)


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Former L.A. County sheriff pleads not guilty to new federal charges
Lee Baca announces his retirement during a news conference at Los Angeles County Sheriff's headquarters in Monterey Park, California, U.S., January 7, 2014. REUTERS/Kevork Djansezian/FIle Photo

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges he sought to obstruct a federal corruption probe that overshadowed the final years of his tenure as chief custodian of the nation's largest county jail system.

Baca, 74, was indicted last week on three new criminal charges after he backed out of an earlier plea agreement rather than face a sentence tougher than the six-month term a federal judge had rejected as too lenient. He entered a not guilty plea on Friday to all three new charges, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

(Reporting by Paula Lehman in Los Angeles; Writing by Steve Gorman)


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Worlds First P-MARK SPCR199 Systems

Edward Barnes
January 18, 2020

Reacton Fire Suppression is the first company to achieve certification to the latest standard for fire systems in heavy equipment vehicles.  Below is an explanation of the new standard called P-Mark SPCR199 and how Reacton have achieved the highest scores classifying the systems as A+.

P-Mark according to SPCR 199 has been developed for fire suppression systems in engine compartments of heavy vehicles. This new global approval has been quickly adopted and referenced as the benchmark for heavy vehicles. The test methods and components tests demand the very highest performance from components and systems, examples of these demanding tests are:

  • Evaluation to ensure no re-ignition of fires.
  • Systems performance is evaluated to various degrees of openness to environments.
  • The system and components must pass the most extensive and extreme vibration tests of any certification for heavy vehicles.
  • Additional testing for corrosion and environmental operating temperatures to ensure even in the worst case the system still discharges.
  • A factory inspection to ensure the quality control of the systems design and manufacturing.

Reacton achieved the highest score possible in the P-Mark SPCR 199 with a 10/10 rating and Level of openness rating of III (Fully Open). This performance ensures that even with the highest airflow, hidden fire are extinguished which are conditions which foam and watermist systems often fail. Unlike a number of systems Reacton has certified a variety of sizes to ensure that from the smallest engine bay up to larger equipment a compliant P-Mark SCPR199 system can be fitted.

To find out more about this certification please visit the RISE website here.

A copy of our certification can be found on our approvals page by clicking here.

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Mining Industry Automatic Fire Suppression Systems

Our extensive experience in supplying fire suppression systems to mining equipment allows us to advise on the most suitable solutions for mining machinery such as dumpers, excavators, crushers, screeners, weigh feeders and drill rigs working in the most challenging conditions.

Contact Us

Dump Trucks

Regardless of size, we can supply and fit bespoke systems to suit any dump truck carrying out mining activities. Our fire suppression systems can handle the toughest of conditions.

Excavators are the workhorses of any mining operation and Reacton Fire Suppression have systems that provide the most effective solution against the risk of major fire loss.

Drill Rigs

Extreme temperatures and friction can lead to sparking and high temperatures,  automatic fire suppression systems ensure your assets are protected from the risk of fire damage at all times.

Case Study

Reacton Fire Suppression is highly experienced in the mining sector.  Our most recent mining installation in Mongolia saw our teams 28 day trip fit suppression systems to 20 heavy vehicles.

Reacton Systems help protect your business.

View all our approvals and certificates in our dedicated accreditations section.

See Our Approvals

Automatic Fire Suppression In The Mining Industry

The global mining industry is pivotal to the world’s economy, with industries across the globe depending on the supply of commodities from underground. In its search for, extraction, beneficiation and processing of naturally occurring solid minerals from the earth, mining is an industry that relies on plant machinery to do the heavy lifting.

Some of the biggest trucks on the planet are found working tirelessly at mines and are capable of moving extreme payloads in excess of 450 tonnes, which is more than a fully loaded Airbus A380. With multiple diesel engines generating 6 times more power than a Formula 1 racing car, these trucks operate around the clock in extreme conditions. Along with dozers, excavators, wheel loaders and shovels, these heavy lifters are relied on to keep these operations moving 24 hours a day.

Our High Performance System

When protecting vehicles that keep the transportation and logistics sector moving, your fire suppression products should meet or exceed the same vehicle testing standards that they were subject to.  This is exactly what Reacton have done.

Our transportation and logistics sector on road fire suppression system features include:

  • System & components tested to ISO 16750-3:2007
  • Corrosion resistance to ISO 21207:2016
  • Multi Port High Flow Discharge Valve
  • Robust detection system
  • Compact easy to install systems
  • High performance with low nozzle count
  • Dry and wet chemical
  • NFPA standard 17 and 17a
Contact Us

The Importance Of Fire Suppression In Mining

Fire poses an ever present threat to mine operations, with over a third of fires originating from vehicles. A small fire in a mine, either on the surface or underground, can rapidly become catastrophic result in loss of life. Heat, flammable fluids and rapid air flow in engine bays culminate to provide a near perfect environment for fires to start.

Mining regulations can be complex and can differ significantly from country-to-country. But an unquestionable parallel is the approach to reducing fire risk. Which is why regulators, such as MSHA, advocate the installation of automatic fire suppression equipment, such as Reacton’s P-Mark 199 heavy vehicle accredited systems, in battery and engine compartments.

Blog, News or Events

Keep up to date with our latest fire and saftey news by reading and subscribing to our global news blog.


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Saying Goodbye to My Beloved Horse

Losing this lifelong equine companion was heartbreaking.

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Janie (J.F.) and her beloved horse, Skookum Cat, in 1997Photo: Courtesy of J.F. Dickinson
Janie (J.F.) and her beloved horse, Skookum Cat, in 1997.

Leader of the pack

Losing a friend is devastating. I recently lost one whom I’d had for over 21 years. We’d spent so many days together it is difficult to even think about him not being there for me. I don’t know how I’m going to go on without that shoulder to cry on, or enjoying the great outdoors with him through all kinds of weather, knowing I could count on him to get me wherever I was going in comfort and style.

I am speaking of my horse, Skookum Cat. I first met “Cat” in 1997 while looking for a replacement horse for a cross-country ride my husband and I had gone on the previous three summers. We were taking part in the NWMP (North-West Mounted Police) Boundary Commission Trail Ride that went from Manitoba to Alberta. I’d been looking for a while when we went to a local estate auction one Saturday and happened to run into an acquaintance who we knew was very knowledgeable about horses. I mentioned the type of horse I wanted, and he said he had the one for me.

I’d always owned Arabians, and still do. I know many people have different opinions on breeds of horses, however, I believe that how you treat the horse will determine the response you get in return. This particular gentleman only raised quarter horses, but I am open-minded and was willing to see this special horse. We chatted with the potential seller, and agreed to meet him the following day at his ranch.

We arrived and walked out to the corral where there were a number of horses milling about. I looked around, trying to pick out that special horse but none caught my eye until I spotted one way in the back looking over the fence, ears pricked forward—and I knew. Skookum Cat was a 16-hands-high, nine-year-old handsome lad. He was brought forward, following behind his handler, and calmly walked into the barn area, where he was brushed down and saddled. We all went out into the ring where you could see that hours of training had taken place; the groove in the outside circle was well worn. Cat stepped up, and around that circle he went, ridden by his handler who wore duck boots and kept speaking gently to that big, brown, bay quarter horse gelding. I was hooked, now it was my turn. Cat turned big intelligent eyes on me and we did the circle. Stop, turn, back, trot, walk, canter, “Whatever you want, I will do it for you” he seemed to be saying.

We were given the option of coming back and spending more time with this horse to make sure—but I didn’t need to. We had brought the trailer and the deal was made that same day. I brought that beautiful quarter horse home. The days that followed were a dream for me. We rode every day, venturing into uncharted areas that I hadn’t been to before, and Cat was just as curious as I was to see new vistas. I’d carry a canteen and granola bars with me on those long day excursions. When a drink was needed, Cat would slurp water from my hand, seemingly quite pleased with himself. When he heard the crinkle of the wrapper from the bar, his ears would flick and he’d try to look at me while maintaining his gait. I’d reach forward and we would share that granola bar.

After Cat had been with us for about two weeks, I was out riding and decided to take a path I hadn’t been on before. My sense of direction in the bush and mountains isn’t the best, so I will generally stay on a well-travelled trail. The trail petered out, and now we were well into the dense bush. I was confused and it was time for this horse to do what every other horse I had would do. Take me home, and he did! We ended up right back where we had started. Over dead fall and under trees, always giving me time to get myself through without scratches and head bumps, giving me time to assess the logistics of getting both of us through his chosen path, this was my horse.

We had other horses join our small herd and Cat became their protector. One day while working outside, I heard the horses squealing. I rushed over to see that neighbouring horses had broken in, and our mare with her two-week-old foal was in jeopardy. The mare was frantically trying to get her foal separated from the strange horses and the foal was caught in the middle. Cat went into that fracas, also screaming as horses do when in a fight, and with teeth bared and hoofs flying, got that foal away from those strange horses and put himself between them and the foal. It was a while before I was able to get everyone into their respective places. I checked the foal and mare, finding no damage, thanks to my brave Cat.

Over the years, I had long conversations with Cat; he was my sounding board through the many trials of life. He knew when I was feeling down, and also when I was doing great. He’d lay his head on my shoulder when I gave him hugs. He was such a comfort when my dad was rushed to the hospital and I was three provinces away. He let me sob on his neck when my dad passed away, standing quietly until I cried myself out. He’d walk so nicely when I put the grandchildren on him, the children feeling so high up in the world aboard that big brown horse. He’d stand perfectly still and let them brush him, as well.

Cat even knew how to open gates. He’d watch when you went through a gate to see how it worked. Apparently, the grass on the lawn was much tastier than the pasture grass! We soon learned that different latches were required. I’m sure that Cat was laughing when I’d find him on the lawn.

Meet the Canadian saving the Newfoundland pony from extinction.

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Just days after Cat came to live at Janie’s place, the pair were already bondingPhoto: Courtesy of J.F. Dickinson
Just days after Cat came to live at Janie’s place, the pair were already bonding.

A final farewell

One morning when my husband went out to do the morning feed, he called to me, “Cat is down.” I’d been expecting the inevitable, but still, you tend to put that out of your mind. We’d had a March storm the day before so I dressed quickly and ran out. Cat saw me and came towards me, stumbling a little. I started to sob. He was so thin, when did that happen? He was wet, shivering and trying hard to stay upright. I put my arms around him and sobbed some more. Once again his comfort came through. We put blankets on him and led him closer to the barn. He lay down again, moaning as he did. More blankets were added and we prepared some warm mash, but it was too late. I stayed with him, stroking his face and reminding him of all the good times we’d had, and how special he was. When did he get all those white hairs on his face? His muzzle was so soft. He moaned quietly as I stroked his face. Then he was gone. He is buried next to the mare whose foal he saved so long ago. He visited her in that corner many times over the years; it was only proper to have them together again. Will I find another? I don’t know if there are any more Skookum Cats out there.

Next, learn what it’s like photographing Alberta’s wild horses.

Originally Published in Our Canada


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BedJet bed climate control

BedJet Climate Control

This is why I'm get some sleep during menopause

Dealing with night sweats? Can’t get warm at night? Whether you are too hot or too cold in the rack, the BedJet is the answer. This ingenious little unit can keep you at the ideal temperature all night long. It comes with a wireless remote control, and also a bluetooth app so you can control it with your phone.

Check it out
Deal of the day


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Travel made personal

32 years of tailored experiences

Our world of inspiration

Established in 1989, we’re an independent travel company based in Islington. Over the past three decades, our portfolio of trips has evolved but our founding pillars – Knowledge, Service, Passion and Trust – continue to underpin everything we do.

Just think of us as your personal travel planner

After 30 years of designing holidays we’ve learnt that everyone holidays in a different way. That’s why we like to get to know you first and understand your needs before we apply our travel expertise.

We save you hours of planning time by researching and refining the best options. We set realistic expectations and explain why we think each element is ideal for you. After all, the proof of a perfect holiday is when you come back to us and book another – which is what many of our clients have been doing for decades.

Book with Confidence

We want you to feel confident when you book with Real Holidays. Our highly personable and bespoke service is more relevant than ever to today’s travel landscape and we are here to talk through every element of your holiday.

Having full transparency in your booking gives you the confidence in the flexibility of your arrangements. Read about the many ways we continue to support you.

Knowledge, Service, Passion & Trust underpin everything Real Holidays do

  • We just wanted to say a huge thank you for planning our holiday and looking after us so well in keeping us informed when needed. We had a wonderful time and everything worked perfectly.

    Lynda, Dave, John and Heather, Greece – Sept 2021
  • Hi Rob, I had the best time it was absolutely perfect and exactly what I needed. Thank you so much for suggesting it and for being so helpful with all my questions.

    Clare, St Lucia – Aug 2021
  • Thank you for persevering with the numerous changes and for keeping us so well informed. It was much appreciated. If we had not had that degree of service we would almost certainly have cancelled and written off 2021.

    John, Pelion & Skiathos - Sept 2021
  • The holiday itself was extremely successful from a logistics point of view, and as to be expected fantastic from an experience point of view. Europe is definitely open and people should go and Real Holidays gave us the confidence to do so.

    Gemma and Mike - June 2021
  • Thank you again for your dedication in arranging everything. It definitely ticked the box in terms of a holiday where Arpi and I could relax because Timothy's needs were catered for, so I'm really grateful to you for coming up with such a suitable suggestion.

    Joanna and Arpi – Sept 2021
  • Thank you for all your hard work in organisation, we had a great time thank you. Pindus mountains were lovely, not a Brit in sight!

    Hugh, Greece - Aug 2021

Epic Powder

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Travel Ideas

How it works

Your personal travel planner will devote hours of expertise, years of knowledge and every ounce of passion to create a holiday you’ll love.

  • We get to know you

    Your travel planner talks to you and learns about the experiences that suit you best

  • We design flexible holidays

    Any aspect can be refined, and we explain the pricing and itinerary in full

  • We do the booking

    Everything is taken care of from bookings to restaurant reservations

  • We support you

    From start to finish, and everything in between, we’re always here for queries or help


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¡Important! Updates on COVID-19 here
Real ID Requirements...
REAL ID Requirements, location and Hours
DEADLINE October 1, 2021

REAL ID requirements in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Important update about COVID-19

2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19):

More info

REAL ID offices in Santa Fe county:

Address Distance
850 St. Michaels Drive MVD Office Locations & Hours 4 mi. Office details
2546 Camino Entrada MVD Office Locations & Hours 10 mi. Office details
92 S Main St MVD Office Locations & Hours 25 mi. Office details
1121 Santa Clara Peak Road MVD Office Locations & Hours 39 mi. Office details
997 Central Ave. MVD Office Locations & Hours 39 mi. Office details
Hwy 518 Main St MVD Office Locations & Hours 63 mi. Office details
2522 Ridge Runner Road MVD Office Locations & Hours 64 mi. Office details
80 Jemez Springs Plaza MVD Office Locations & Hours 69 mi. Office details
829 Camino del Pueblo MVD Office Locations & Hours 70 mi. Office details
201 Broadway MVD Office Locations & Hours 77 mi. Office details
8001 Wyoming Blvd NE MVD Office Locations & Hours 80 mi. Office details
8001 Wyoming Blvd NE MVD Office Locations & Hours 80 mi. Office details
4114 Sabana Grande MVD Office Locations & Hours 82 mi. Office details
4000 Southern Blvd SE Suite 103 MVD Office Locations & Hours 82 mi. Office details
11500 Menaul Blvd. N.E., Suite F1 MVD Office Locations & Hours 83 mi. Office details

New Mexico Complies with the REAL ID Standards.

New Mexico is called "The Land of Enchantment". This State is coordinated with the Federal Government and highly involved into achieve a more secure country for all american territories, and to help inhibit terrorists when there is a possibility of these ones trying to avoid detection by using fraudulent IDs. Every State improves with the goal of a safest country and frontiers.

Go to the official state page

What is a REAL ID?

REAL ID info in New Mexico

The REAL ID is a new type of Identification card that you will have to get before October 1st 2021. This card is issued with more secure standards in every State. You will need this new card when you need to identify yourself for official purposes, and the Federal agencies will be obligated to request it to you in case you need to access any Federal Facilities, enter Nuclear Power Plants or even if you are about to board a commercial aircraft around the States.

The deadline to get your brand new REAL ID card is the first of October 2021, it is set that by this time, all the different States will be able to issue them. If you are an american citizen or an american legal resident, you will have to apply for this new type of identification to be able to move around the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will give all States until October 1st 2021 to start to issue this new Identification cards according to the REAL ID standards, for that reason, the Department of Homeland Security is working really hard with all States to help them to comply the standards by the deadline.

The REAL ID is not a national identification card, and it doesn't create a centralized federal database. We would like to leave clear that every State will keep issuing their own cards with its characteristics and will keep having their own records.

There are some States that already have set security standards on their regular Id cards and that are still acceptable, like the Enhanced Drivers licenses issued in New York, Vermont, Minnesota,Michigan and Washington.

To process your REAL ID card you will have to make an appointment on your current State driving license agency website and check the requirements and the papers you will have to present there, most of the States will request documentation that shows: Full name and date of birth, if you have your Social Security Number, your address and your legal Status.

If your card has one of the following marks (Check Image below), it may comply with the REAL ID standards, but if you are not sure that your ID is compliant with the REAL ID Identification card please look for assistance.

If you are not sure that your ID card complies with the REAL ID, just make an appointment and ask your agency before risking yourself to being denied to entrance any facility or in case you need to fly around the States. In this last case, if you still do not have ready your REAL ID for October 1st, you can still travel around using your passport; the Transportation Security Administration website offers some other interested information you may check before your flight.

These REAL ID cards are designed to improve the way Every American citizen is identified. All american people must have a REAL ID card or an Identification card.

The Department of Homeland Security, in some cases, will allow some Special REAL IDs to non citizens or immigrants with no documentation, always with the difference that these cards will be marked with some other characteristics, symbols or color. If you are interested in this kind of cards, please visit the DHS website to check if you are allowed to apply for one of these REAL ID cards.

Any person with an Employment Authorization Document can apply for a REAL ID card which will be temporary until its expiration date. (In this case you will also need to be in possession of a Social Security Number).

There have been some modifications and additions to the REAL ID Act, so if you are not sure you are entitled to have this Identification card, we recommend you to ask for assistance to you local State Agency or to visit the DHS website.

Flying in a commercial aircraft after/before October 1st 2021.

Every person planning to fly around the States after October 1 2021, must keep in mind that a REAL ID will be mandatory to go through the checkpoint at the airport, if someone is not in possession of the new REAL ID, this person may be allowed to board and Aircraft by using the passport as an alternative way to be identified. Otherwise, if you plan to fly before this date, the DHS and the TSA will allow you to travel with all the current driver's license and identification cards issued by your State.

If you are travelling with a minor under 18 years of age, the REAL ID is not required, and a regular ID will be enough to cross the security checkpoint.

Please bear in mind that the REAL ID does not allow people to cross the border into Canada or Mexico, nor even to travel in an International cruise, a passport instead will be the necessary document to make this international travel. REAL ID will be only used in this case to travel around the United States.

Necessary documentation to apply for a REAL ID.

The State agencies will require the following documentation for all these american citizens or legal american residents who apply for the REAL ID card.

  • Id card that shows your full name and your date of birth - if you are from outside the United States a passport and Visa will be required.
  • Social Security number - Or your Employer Authorization Document if you are not american citizen.
  • 2 documents that show your local address.
  • Legal Status Document - For those who are married, diverced.

Please keep in mind that all this process to obtain or renew your REAL ID card, will be done personally, it is not acceptable to do it remotely. Every State will have their own database to issue the REAL ID card, so with this in mind, you may want to check your State specific requirements before your appointment.

There will be possible solutions for you if by the time October comes your State doesn’t comply with the Standards of the new REAL ID - Please bear in mind that all States are now working really closely with the DHS to issue REAL ID cards by the deadline.

One of the possible Options for you is to report your situation to the DHS: THere will be some States that already applied for an extension of time to comply with all this new security standards, that’s why, if you are not sure your State had been granted an extension, you can ask the DHS about the situation so they can help you and asses you ASAP.

You can apply for a regular ID, the one can be used for certain purposes except for the official ones. In this case, your ID will have some inscription establishing that your ID "Is not valid for official purposes", so it will have to be replaced in some cases for example by the passport.

What is the Enhanced Driver's License:

If you live in New York, Washington, Minnesota, Michigan or Vermont, you may already have your enhanced driver's license. These kinds of cards are acceptable as Border-crossing documents and are only issued by the States of Washington, New York, Minnesota, Vermont and Michigan. The Secretary of Homeland Security established these cards as acceptable to enter the States by land and sea ports complying with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, this is due to the fact that this particular card is issued in a secure process, like the REAL ID ones, and that includes new technologies like a Radio Frequency Identification Chip.

Search REAL ID offices in Santa Fe (NM) by city

Search REAL ID offices in New Mexico by county

REAL ID requirements by state

Select your state to obtain local information and requirements about REAL ID.


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I figure we need all the luck we can get to make it through the new year…

So I always start off New Year’s Day with a big pot of black eyed peas. I’ve tried several recipes, but this is my favorite.

I like to serve a big bowl of black eyed peas with cornbread, of course, steaming rice, and I like a winter salad made with kale. By the way, several grocery stores now carry a pre-packaged kale salad that I think is great tasting and so healthy!

(Don’t forget the southern tradition of dropping a coin in the pot for good luck.)

Jane’s Black Eyed Peas

(serves 6 easily)

2 lbs fresh black eyed peas (soaked in water overnight or “quick-soak” by bringing to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover pot and soak for 1 hour.)

12 ounces diced country ham (or a combination of ham and salt pork if you prefer)

6 cloves minced garlic

2 quarts chicken broth

water as needed

2 large onions, diced

salt and black pepper to taste

Garnish with chopped red onion, fresh jalapenos, red wine vinegar or tobasco.

Heat a large soup kettle over medium high heat. Add salt port; fry until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove salt pork and set aside. Add onions and garlic, saute until tender and translucent, be careful not to burn.

Add peas, chicken broth, and water as needed. (Drop a coin in for extra good luck!) Return salt pork to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until peas are fully softened. Add water as necessary to keep peas moist but not soupy, about 1 hour. Keep cooking until peas start to break down and turn the pot juices to opaque. Otherwise you’ll end up with watery beans.

When peas have fully softened, season generously with salt and pepper, continue to simmer to blend flavors, a couple of minutes longer. Salt peas only after they have fully softened. (Salt too soon and they never will!)

Serve with bowls of chopped red onion and fresh chopped jalepenos. I also like to season mine with red wine vinegar or tobasco.

Serve with steaming hot rice, corn bread and a kale salad.

Happy 2015!!

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My 20 year old son and I went for burgers at noon Saturday…

and Fred’s Texas Cafe in Ft. Worth was packed, like it always is…inside and out.

It was a pretty day so there were plenty of people on the patio, but we still had to wait for a table inside.

I got Fred’s regular cheeseburger with fries and Michael got the verde (he’s 2o…)

The food is always good at Fred’s and I enjoy looking at the collection of stuff on the walls.

Ice cold cokes to finish things off made a pretty perfect lunch with the son.

Have you been to Fred’s? Do you like it? Do you have a burger place you think is better??

Tell me cause I want to try it.

Jane's Journaling Guide!

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