NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: physical sciences, water quality, soil, landscape disturbance, climate change, geomorphological processes, snowmelt, erosion, snow density, catchment drainage

Objective(s): The main objective of this research is the study of mass movements and water quality in the Richardson Mountains catchments. The project was started last year by I.D. Clark. Similar studies have been done in the past near Old Crow and in the British Mountains (Firth River). The aim of the study of mass movements in the Richardson Mountains is to understand the processes of erosion related to climate changes. The site to be studied is located south of Little Fish Creek. The landscape looks like bench forms which are named Cryoplanation terrasses. This site was visited last year for 2-3 hours. Their formation are not really understood but we suspect that the melting of snow plays an important role. One means to study their formation is the analysis of clay and pebbles. Water analysis from snow banks may also provide information. The researcher will examine water quality in the Richardson Mountains to understand springs in Fish Creek. We want to answer the following questions: 1) origin and age of water, 2) temperature and salinity, 3) communs points between Cache Creek springs and Fish Creek springs, and 4) extension of the icing a century ago.

Project Description: The aim of the study of mass movements in the Richardson Mountains is to understand the processes of erosion related to climate changes. The site to be studied is located south of Little Fish Creek. The landscape looks like bench forms which are named Cryoplanation terrasses. This site was visited last year for 2-3 hours. Their formation are not really understood but we suspect that the melting of snow plays an important role. One means to study their formation is the analysis of clay and pebbles. Water analysis from snow banks may also provide information. The researcher will examine water quality in the Richardson Mountains to understand springs in Fish Creek. We want to answer the following questions: 1) origin and age of water, 2) temperature and salinity, 3) communs points between Cache Creek springs and Fish Creek springs, and 4) extension of the icing a century ago. The researcher will spend a week on the cryoplanation terrasses and a week at Fish Creek. Access to the site will be by helicopter from Inuvik via Aklavik and in the field by hiking. The sampling will be a series of field measurements (temperature, pH, salinity) for water and also taking water and soil samples for further analysis in the laboratory.