NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: North Slave Region

Tags: water quality, environmental impact, biology, fish habitat, sediment quality, benthic invertebrates, fisheries assessment, hydroelectric station, water level, spawning areas, hydrological processes, fish migration, water velocity

Objective(s): In 1999, the Northwest Territories Power Corporation was awarded a 25 year water licence to operate its three hydroelectric plants on the Snare River. Conditions of this water licence included that two studies be done by the Corporation. The first stud

Project Description: In 1999, the Northwest Territories Power Corporation was awarded a 25 year water licence to operate its three hydroelectric plants on the Snare River. Conditions of this water licence included that two studies be done by the Corporation. The first study is an assessment addressing the removal of minimum flow requirements on two of the dams. This study will include a current assessment of fish and fish habitat, and will address hydrological, power generation, operational and environmental impacts and implications if minimum flows were removed from the licence. The second study has the objective of obtaining environmental information which will provide an understanding of the Snare River system from the Big Spruce Reservoir to Strutt Lake inclusively. Both studies will be done concurrently. The Power Corporation will hire charter planes to fly contracted labourers and equipment to and from the site. To travel from the Power Corporation owned airstrip to the dam sites and the camp, the labourers will have the use of Power Corporation trucks. Where needed, the labourers will make use of Power Corporation owned boats for travel on the Snare River. More information on the fisheries component of this study can be obtained through the researcher's Fisheries and Oceans permit (DFO).