Shell Canada Limited Summer 2006 Historic Well Site Investigations
Principal Investigator: Warren, Randall (1)
Licence Number: 14056
Organization: Shell Canada Limited
Licensed Year(s): 2006
Issued: Aug 14, 2006
Project Team: Chad Wawrinchuk, Valerie Veenstra, Dan Parker

Objective(s): The purpose of the proposed study is to examine twenty-two historic well sites within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, eight of which are located within the Kendall Island Bird Sanctuary. Investigations on six of the twenty-two sites will comprise geophysical surveys, and collection of benthic invertebrates, soil sediment, surface water samples, soil invertebrates and arthropods and plant tissue. The remaining sixteen well sites will be subject to a reconnaissance survey using GPS, and general investigations of vegetation and plant community health.

Project Description: The purpose of the proposed study is to examine twenty-two historic well sites within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, eight of which are located within the Kendall Island Bird Sanctuary. Investigations on six of the twenty-two sites will comprise geophysical surveys, and collection of benthic invertebrates, soil sediment, surface water samples, soil invertebrates and arthropods and plant tissue. The remaining sixteen well sites will be subject to a reconnaissance survey using GPS (coupled with EM31, EM38 and ERT), and general investigations of vegetation and plant community health. The field crew and project equipment will mobilize daily from Inuvik and will travel to the historic well sites by helicopter. All data and samples will be collected using handheld implements. Benthic invertebrates will be collected from ponded areas both on and near selected historic well sites. Three replicate samples will be collected from each pond using an Eckman dredge on an extendable handle. Retrieved samples will be rinsed in a mesh dip net, and then transferred in to sample jars and preserved in buffered formalin. Surface water and sediment samples will be collected using a sampler with an extendable handle and stored in sample jars. Standard preservatives will used to preserve the water samples for later analysis. Soil, soil invertebrate and arthropod samples will be collected as loose soil in a plastic sampling bag as soil cores held within in Shelby tubes. Loose soil samples will be collected using shovels. Each soil core will be gathered by driving a Shelby tube into the soil with a sledgehammer and removing the soil and Shelby tubes as a single unit. Distilled water will be used to rinse all equipment following each sample collection. Both tree and shrub, and understory vegetation found at or near select well sites will be assessed for relative plant health, total percentage of dead or dying tissue and presence of non-native or invasive species. Enough plant material will be collected from these well sites to fill one 500ml glass jar and one 1l ziplock bag. Plant samples will not be washed Vegetation at all other well sites will be assessed for the types of vegetation present, the dominant species and percent cover. Areas with non-native and invasive plants or areas of poor plant vigour will be noted. Field investigations will be conducted from August 14-30, 2006 at the following sites: Napoiak F-31 (68.34026 134.89693); Niglintgak M-19 (69.31252N 135.32177); Kipnik O-20 (68.83329 134.80522); Beaverhouse Creek H-13 (68.36965 135.55263); Kumak C-58 (69.28504 135.23153); Kumak J-06 (69.25999 135.01605); Unak L-28 (68. 79528 135.37394); Unak B-11 (68.66691 135.31572); Ulu A-35 (68.73727 135.88650); Tullugak K-31 (68.84475 135.16361); Kugpik O-13 (68.88056 135.30361); Kugpik L-24 (68.89206 135. 37028); Titalik o-15 (69.08273 135.05329); Titalik K-26 (69.09166 135. 10417); Shavilig J-20 (69.16068 135.30330); Unipkat B-12 (69.18354 135.30695); Unipkat I-22 (69.19683 135. 34113); Kumak E-58 (69.28803 135.26746); Niglintgak B-19 (69.29570 135.29946); Niglintgak H-30 (69.32255 135.34314); Kumak A-29 (69.300028 135.09111); Kumak K-16 (69.26481 135.05508).