Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region
Tags: water quality, environmental impact, biology, wastewater
Principal Investigator: | Herrington, Joey M (1) |
Licence Number: | 13887 |
Organization: | IEG Environmental |
Licensed Year(s): |
2005
|
Issued: | Jul 27, 2005 |
Project Team: | Joe Tetreault (Fisheries Biologist, Ecometrix), Steff Stephansson (Senior Biologist, IEG Environmental), Joey Herrington (Principal Investigator, IEG Environmental) |
Project Description: The Sewage Discharge Assessment will be carried out to meet the needs of the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk's water licensing requirements as issued by the NWT Water Board. The objective of the Sewage Discharge Assessment is to evaluate the potential impacts of sewage discharges on fish and benthos in the receiving environment by comparing reference and effluent exposed communities. Water, sediment and benthic samples will be collected according to standard sampling protocols. MACA has requested that fish be collected to determine population and contamination levels of fish within the study area (exposed and reference). Species of interest include starry flounder, saffron flounder, arctic flounder, and fourhorn sculpin. Given that tissue samples will be required it will be necessary to sacrifice the above mentioned fish. A wildlife monitor will be used to ensure ethical treatment of the animals. Gill nets will be employed for the collection of all species. Gill nets will be set on the bottom and checked regularly until sufficient numbers of fish have been obtained. If incidental catches and/or spoilage of target fish become a problem, attempts will be made to check nets more frequently or to set in a different location. All incidental catch will be released alive. The results of the Sewage Discharge Assessment will be provided to the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, and the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk who will submit it to the NWT Water Board as part of thier water license application to become part of the public registry. Water, sediment, fish and benthic samples will be collected by IEG with the assistance of a summer student assigned to the project by the Fisheries Joint Management Committee. A local resident may also be hired to provide rental field equipment, assist with the field work and/or act as an Environmental Monitor on behalf of the community. The study area for the Tuktoyaktuk Sewage Discharge Assessment includes Uyaalialuk (Inuvialuktun for Rocky Inlet, known locally also as Joe Joe's Place) and specifically those waters immediately adjacent to the seasonal discharge point. The study will be carried out from August 29 to September 9, 2005.