NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: physical sciences, environmental impact, geology, climate change, prediction models, sediment quality, Beaufort Sea, coastal erosion, environmental sensitivity index, geomorphological processes, coastal mapping

Objective(s): The Beaufort Sea coast is one of the most rapidly changing coastlines in the world and is identified as one of the most vulnerable to climate change. The Geological Survey of Canada has been studying the causes for this phenomenon for the past four years under the Coastal Impacts of Climate Change Program and has developed a much better understanding of the processes which govern the changes. However, because of limited budgets and the variable nature of both the coastline and the climatic and ocean conditions which affect it, our research is incomplete and we propose to extend the program for at least an additional three years. The primary objectives of the project are to map the coastline of the Canadian Beaufort Sea in terms of its sensitivity to coastal erosion, to monitor changes in the coastline, collect information on the morphology of the coast and the sediments which compose it for use in developing and calibrating predictive models of coastal change.

Project Description: The primary objectives of the project are to map the coastline of the Canadian Beaufort Sea in terms of its sensitivity to coastal erosion and monitor changes in the coastline, and to collect information on the morphology of the coast and the sediments which compose it for use in developing and calibrating predictive models of coastal change. In order to achieve these objectives previously proven methods will be used. These methods are: 1) surveying with global positioning and conventional optical survey equipment, 2) airborne (fixed wing and helicopter) photography and video, 3) echosounding surveys and sampling of the seabed using small open boats (inflatables or Boston Whalers), 4) Probing of the seabed and beaches to depths of 3-4 m using water jet drills (water pumped through a 1" pipe using a portable gas-powered pump) and 5) Coring of the seabed from winter ice to depths of 3-4 m using hand-held push corers and augers. The primary goal of most of these activities is to monitor changes in the morphology beach and nearshore and character of the sediments of the coast from one year to the next in response to waves, floods and storms. Logistics will be coordinated out of Polar Continental Shelf Project Base Camp at Tuktoyaktuk and at the Inuvik Research Centre in Inuvik.