NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Sahtu Settlement Area

Tags: water quality, environmental impact, biology, fish habitat, hydrology, sediment, aquatic ecology, hydrogeology, groundwater discharge

Objective(s): Imperial Oil Resources Ventures Limited, Aboriginal Pipeline Group, ConocoPhillips Canada (north) Limited, Shell Canada Limited and ExxonMobil Canada Properties conducted a number of baseline studies from 2001 to 2004 as part of the Mackenzie Gas Project. These studies will continue in 2005. Local knowledge and technical/scientific research, in combination with a synthesis of existing technical information, is being used to develop a suitable knowledge base for planning, assessment of impacts and development of environmental protection plans. This application is for aquatic studies that will include fish and fish habitat, hydrology, water and sediment quality and hydrogeology studies. The work will include additional investigations into fish, hydrology and water quality in rivers and lakes previously visited, as well as summer and fall aquatics studies of waterbodies near the infrastructure sites, access roads, and borrow pits. Key features to be determined in areas where significant groundwater discharge is identified may include; geological and hydrogeological setting; ground water flow rate; and ground water quality (both field and laboratory analyses)

Project Description: Imperial Oil Resources Ltd., Aboriginal Pipeline Group, ConocoPhillips Canada (North) Ltd., Shell Canada Limited, and ExxonMobil Canada Properties are continuing baseline studies begun in 2001 as part of the Mackenzie Gas Project. All of the aquatic studies will be conducted by three- or four-person crews supported by helicopter, or if possible, by boat. Each crew will include a local assistant. The field crews will be based out of Fort Good Hope, Norman Wells or Tulita. Most of the field crews involved with the aquatic studies will be capable of collecting fish and fish habitat, hydrology and water and sediment quality data and samples. Hydrogeology field crews will make hydrogeological and geological observations, map related features, collect samples and interpret data. A hydrogeologist may accompany the other aquatic field crews where hydrogeology information needs to be collected in addition to other aquatic data. In most cases, a waterbody will be visited just once per season, although some streams may be visited several times to identify changes at different times of the summer and fall. Investigations will be continuing throughout 2005 to collect the additional data necessary for permit applications. Each of the field crews involved with these studies will be capable of collecting fish and fish habitat, hydrology and water quality data and samples. The extent and nature of the studies will vary according to the type of site. The main categories of sites for which aquatic studies will be conducted include barge landings, access roads, borrow pits and water supply and disposal sites. At most locations where aquatic studies take place, the presence of groundwater discharge will be evaluated. Key feature to be determined in areas where significant groundwater discharge is identified may include: geological and hydrogeological setting, ground water flow rate and ground water quality (both field and laboratory analyses).