NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Tags: physical sciences, water quality, fish habitat, air quality, vegetation, limnology, fish, bathymetry

Project Description: The scope of environmental studies to be undertaken includes fish and fish habitat, water quality, air quality, and vegetation surveys. Equipment for habitat surveys will be limited to standard field measuring and surveying equipment, such as GPS units, and helicopters. An automated meteorological station has been set up to collect weather data. A summer and fall fish and fish habitat survey will be conducted within the area potentially impacted by the mine to identify spawning and fish habitat. Various fish collection techniques including angling, electrofishing, set nets, and traps will be used to collect specimens. Fish habitat will be surveyed visually, and depth will be measured using a depth sounder and measuring line. Water quality readings and samples will be collected during the spring and summer fisheries surveys. A summer water quality program is planned for water bodies downstream of the proposed tailings area and reference lake. The data collected will determine the baseline limnology and chemistry of the water bodies. Samples (roughly 3l) will be collected from the surface, and from one metre above the bottom. A late-season vegetation survey, starting in August, for the NICO project site and all-weather road will determine rare plants presence and vegetation communities on the proposed project footprint. These will be identified by walking the area and documenting observations. An air quality survey is also planned. Three dustfall monitoring stations and three passive SO2 and NO2 monitoring stations will be installed to establish an air quality baseline. Copies of final report(s) will be distributed to the communities and the Aurora Research Institute upon the completion of the project. Fieldwork will take place from July 21 to October 31, 2006 at Fortune Mineral’s NICO property and along the route of a proposed all-weather access road.