NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Gwich'in Settlement Area, Sahtu Settlement Area

Tags: physical sciences, geological mapping, active layer, vegetation, land use planning, environmental change, landslides, topography, Mackenzie River, riverbank erosion, solifluction

Project Description: The main objectives of the field reconnaissance at landslide sites are as follows: o To visit landslide sites that exhibit on-going movement in order to qualify the rate of movement; o To identify main failure mechanisms and factors that contributed to slope failures; o To validate previous data collected through airphoto interpretation and remote sensing techniques; o To collect soil samples that could help to characterize materials involved in slope failures; o To determine the influence of past forest fires as triggers for landslides. For 2005, the researchers plan a reconnaissance of the most important landslide sites. These sites are located along the Mackenzie River between Norman Wells and Inuvik, and mainly at river crossings. Specific zones of interests are the Thunder River and Ramparts areas. Reconnaissance at specific landslide sites along the proposed pipeline routing is also planned. Those specific sites will be selected by airphoto interpretation. Access to these sites will by helicopter, and once at the site, access to specific landslide features will be by foot to minimize disturbance. Detailed survey using non-disruptive ground survey equipment will be done at some sites to obtain detailed profiles and cross sections. Small soil samples (about 30cm3) will be collected at specific sites for subsequent lab testing in order to define physical/mechanical properties of materials involved in slope failures. No instrumentation will be installed permanently at the visited sites. If the researchers decide to monitor any active landslides, they will install light, non-permanent devices for a 12-month period with dismantling planned for Summer 2006. As most of the work in this project is done through airphoto interpretation and space imagery analyses, work to be done in the field is mostly reconnaissance and validation of existing data. The researchers will consult further with the local RRCs and land administrators when more details of their proposed field sites are known. They will be hiring a local guide/monitor, renting vehicles, accommodations and purchasing supplies in the communities, flying with local helicopter companies (e.g. Norman Wells: Sahtu Canadian Helicopters Ltd., Sahtu Helicopters Ltd; Inuvik: Trans North Helicopters). Results of the study will be distributed using governmental agencies' websites (both Federal and Territorial), local seminars and exhibitions in local visitor centres or community centres and local RRC offices. Technical results will also be published through scientific journal papers available in electronic format for communities in the NWT. The study will be conducted along the proposed gas pipeline route between Norman Wells and Inuvik, NWT, from July 5-15, 2005.