NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Tags: environmental assessment, cumulative effects, geotechnical survey, remote sensing, aerial photography

Objective(s): To conduct ongoing monitoring and assessment programs including areas in the Mackenzie River Special Management Zone (SMZ) and to collect local and regional biophysical information to support ongoing cumulative effects assessments.

Project Description: The goals of this research project are: 1. Biophysical Assessments: Monitoring and On-going Collection of Data Biophysical assessments will be completed during snow-free conditions, with most activity occurring between early June and mid-August, though some work, such as select wildlife investigations, may occur year round. Weather and other logistical considerations may modify the timing of any planned assessments. Sites assessed previously may be reassessed. New sites, including those added to increase the coverage of the EL470 study area beyond those areas immediately adjacent to the 2012/13 activities, will be selected based on pre-scouting, air photo and LIDAR interpretation. Mapping verification sites and detailed assessment sites will also be selected. At the mapping verification sites, the plant communities will be documented based on the dominant species composition and cover in each strata; any special features are to be noted. Detailed assessment sites are expected to include the following: a. Soils: Soil boreholes are expected to be bored to either permafrost or a depth of 1 meter. Soil horizons will be assessed and should include a soil profile description and diagram, depth to permafrost, standing water, soil texture for each profile and depth of organic layer. In some areas, a soil sample may be collected for analysis based on the phase 1 site assessment, scouting trip observations and observations at the site. The soil type will also be classified. b. Rare Plants (plant species at risk): A rare vascular plant survey will be conducted for areas directly within the project footprint and/or in areas which may be affected by potential future construction. Samples of non-vascular plant cover will be taken to help determine the potential for rarity of these plant species within the study area. If present, plant species at risk will be documented and a rare species form will be completed and submitted to ENR, along with a plant specimen, for verification. The plant community will be classified according to NWT nomenclature and the landform type will be documented. Species of importance to Traditional Land Use will also be noted. Photographs are to accompany all sites assessed. c. Wildlife and Species at Risk: Investigations may include wildlife observations based on a helicopter flying over a selected grid. Aerial observations would include species, number of individuals sited, behavior/ habitat use and type located in. The observations would also be geo-referenced using GPS and where possible, a photograph would accompany the observation. Data collected from ground surveys is expected to consist of species observed, scat and habitat use observations along pre-selected grids, located within a selection of each of the habitat types sampled and stratified according to relative habitat type and area (within the study area). Under a wildlife camera survey, cameras may be installed to study primary travel routes and movement patterns for wildlife, in those areas which may be affected by future project proposals. Surveys will focus on significant species, including species at risk and species of important traditional land use. If species at risk are observed, the observation record will include species, number of individuals, behavior, habitat use and type. A photograph and GPS reference will also be completed; data is to be submitted to ENR for their records. 2. Surface Water and Sediment Sampling Selected water bodies in EL470 have already undergone bathymetric assessment and sampling. For any additional sampling and/or assessment work, a boat (zodiac) and bathymetric equipment will be used to collect volumetric information. Surface water samples and sediment will be collected from selected lakes. 3. Groundwater Program The groundwater program planned for the monitoring wells (installed last year) will include pumping and sampling. Measurements will be taken to characterize and assess the groundwater quality and hydrogeology within the study area. All non-dedicated sampling equipment will be appropriately cleaned and decontaminated between wells. The baseline-data collected is expected to support a multi-year groundwater monitoring study planned for the EL 470 project area. Well pads and additional monitoring wells, not constructed last season, may also be installed (under land use permit S12A-005) to further support the monitoring program. 4. Fisheries and aquatic resources a. Fish and fish habitat assessment of stream crossings: Assessments will support planning and regulatory applications for the construction of a proposed all-weather road in EL470, which is anticipated to be built along the current winter road corridor. Timing for the fish habitat study is anticipated to occur in either summer or fall; exact dates have not yet been determined. This assessment would include habitat measurements, description and mapping of the riparian zone and stream bed at the crossing, as well as upstream and downstream; stream measurements for discharge, velocity and water depth. Photographs and GPS records are to be taken for all sites assessed. Fish will be collected using a variety of methods (to be approved by Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)) including electrofishing, seines, minnow traps and angling. Information collected will include species identification, length, weight, visual inspection for parasites/deformities, erosion of fins, lesions and tumors (DELT). Fish will be released live whenever possible; in circumstances where this is not possible, additional biological information is to be obtained from those samples. Additional sites may be established on one or two of the streams surveyed in the assessment, in collaboration with a DFO study assessing stream survey protocols. Data collection procedures and measurements would remain the same. b. Fish health and lake survey: these surveys are being conducted based on concerns raised during last year’s traditional knowledge studies and community consultations. Two lakes and potentially the Mackenzie River will be selected for the fish health surveys, based on locations proposed as both suitable for project water withdrawal needs (from last year’s surface water studies) and also identified by the communities as being used for harvesting purposes. Community input from Tulita and Norman Wells are expected to provide the basis for choosing the final sampling sites and the timing (summer or fall). The selected areas will be surveyed for fish composition (including species and location) and shoreline habitat characterization. They will also be sampled for physical water parameters. Biological sampling may include species identification, length, weight, sex, maturity, visual inspection for parasites/deformities, erosion of fins, lesions and tumors (DELT), as well as gonad and liver somatic indexes. Fish tissue samples may be taken for target parameters such as mercury and methyl mercury, total metals, polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) and hydrocarbon compounds. Data collection procedures remain the same as described in the previous section. If appropriate, suitable edible fish that cannot be released live will be donated back to the communities for distribution. Two additional lakes, also proposed for water withdrawal purposes, may be sampled for fish species composition and habitat characterization. The same biological information and physical measurements would be taken as with the fish health survey; however, no tissue samples would be taken. 5. Geotechnical Assessment The geotechnical assessment for gravel, sand, shales and permafrost will support planning and regulatory applications for a potential all-weather road in EL470. The assessment is expected to include obtaining any necessary regulatory approvals and landowner authorizations, a geophysical survey, resistivity mapping, drilling boreholes to an estimated depth of 10 meters below surface, logging surficial deposits, collecting samples for laboratory analysis, delineating the extent of gravel sources and preparing a conceptual engineering design for the proposed all-weather road. A cased solid-stem auger rig and ground penetrating radar (GPR) may be used for the study. 6. Cumulative Effects Assessment Support The Cumulative Effects assessment is primarily a desk-top study. However, during the field program design the team will continue to work with ENR to consider additional information needs. This may include a fly-over site assessment to gather vegetation community type information and wildlife observations, within a broader regional study area. No detailed on-the-ground investigations are planned. 7. Environmental Protection Planning Follow-Up ConocoPhillips, through its efforts to date, has aimed to map and describe the baseline environmental conditions of the study area, as well as identify potential environmental and cultural sensitivities. As the research team consider future plans and evaluate the work done so far, it may be necessary to revisit selected field locations to gather additional environmental data and further assess sensitivity and suitability for project design/development. If required, this field program (revisiting of selected field locations) will be scheduled according to the nature of the feature(s) to be studied and type of fieldwork to be done, but is most likely to occur in July or August. 8. Geological Field Program The geological field program planned for 2012-2013 has been rescheduled for 2013-2014. The team intends to conduct a geological field program at outcrops in the mountains adjacent to EL470, in the Mackenzie Mountains and Franklin Mountains, including rock sample collection. The work would take place under snow-free conditions. The 6-8 person field crew is expected to use helicopters to fly daily from Norman Wells to the sites of interest in the Mackenzie and Franklin Mountains. The crew will land and assess some locations of interest, which may include taking small (fist-sized or smaller) rock samples from the outcrops. Equipment would include maps, GPS, rock hammers, cameras, notebooks. The team expects to conduct community consultations several times throughout the year. For 2013, consultations are expected to include a debrief about 2012/13 operations, an overview of the 2013/14 field program and discussion about plans for the future. Team members will be available to respond to questions face-to-face during the community meetings and while present in the community, and by telephone or email the rest of the time. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from June 23, 2013 to December 31, 2013.