Enhancement of Permafrost Monitoring Network and collection of baseline terrain information in Mackenzie Valley Corridor - Deh Cho Region
Principal Investigator: Smith, Sharon S (22)
Licence Number: 14040
Organization: Geological Survey of Canada
Licensed Year(s): 2006
Issued: Jul 27, 2006
Project Team: Dr. Sharon Smith (Principal Investigator, GSC), Dr. Shiqiang Ye (Team Member, GSC), Dr. Larry Dyke (Advisor, GSC), Mark Nixon (Team Member, GSC), Dr. Dan Riseborough (Team Member, GSC)

Project Description: The Geological Survey of Canada maintains a network of active layer and permafrost temperature monitoring sites in the Mackenzie region in order to document the response of permafrost conditions to climate change. Gaps exist in the network in the permafrost zones north of Norman Wells, the Mackenzie Delta region, and on shorelines and coastlines. Enhancement of the network is essential to provide baseline information for developments such as pipelines, highways and power lines, and to assess the impact on the environment of such development and climate change. One or two boreholes of up to 20 m depth will be drilled at twenty sites in the Deh Cho Region. Preferred locations near roads, pipelines, or cut lines will be used to minimize disturbance. Air rotary drills with no drill fluids required will be used. Temperature cables will be installed in boreholes and data loggers connected to provide a continuous record. Soil samples will be obtained from selected boreholes to characterize the ground ice and geotechnical conditions. In total up to 40 boreholes will be drilled. Additional instrumentation may be installed at select sites to record climate related information. Sites close to the highway between Fort Simpson and Wrigley will be accessed from Fort Simpson with a truck-carried drill rig. Other sites around Fort Simpson will be accessed with a heli-portable, light air rotary drills. Duration of fieldwork will be up to one and half months. On an annual basis a short visit will be required to retrieve data from instrumentation. Local assistants may be hired for short periods to assist with field work. Project data will be available through the Canadian Permafrost Monitoring Network website (www.canpfnetwork.com), and published in Geological Survey of Canada reports. Results will be presented to communities, and copies of publications will be sent to regional organizations. The study will be conducted from August 1 to December 31, 2006 at the following sites: Backwater 63°55'13.49" 124° 7'6.84" Ochre River 63°29'56.92" 123°37'40.06" Smith Creek 63° 8'42.73" 123°15'28.28" South of Smith Creek 63° 2'14.70" 123°11'35.82" River Between two Mountains 62°56'30.96" 123°11'53.34" McConnell 62°48'50.13" 123° 7'36.39" Willowlake River 62°42'11.84" 123° 4'54.89" Willowlake River South 62°37'30.88" 123° 2'36.07" Ebbutt Hill 62°18'59.32" 122°24'19.85" Trail River 62° 5'25.00" 121°45'53.46" Harris River 61°52'36.77" 121°17'25.58" Naylars Landings 61°50'47.84" 121° 5'26.16" Manners Creek 61°43'59.11" 121° 5'38.70" Manners Sources 61°37'35.01" 121° 6'15.28" Jean Marie Creek 61°27'17.46" 120°57'40.74" Trout River 61° 0'6.28"N 120°35'0.53" Trout Road Crossing 60°49'58.30" 120°29'5.10" Trainor Lake 60°23'15.78" 120° 4'25.13" Kakisa Sources 60°11'20.07" 120° 0'2.58" Kakisa River 60° 3'36.11" 120° 0'21.12"