NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: North Slave Region, South Slave Region

Tags: physical sciences, mining, hydrology, surface water, environmental baseline, snow accumulation, snow water equivalence

Objective(s): The objective of this research is to characterize the surface water hydrology at the Thor Lake site and vicinity for one hydrologic year.

Project Description: This licence is being issued for the scientific research application no. 982. The objective of this research is to characterize the surface water hydrology at the Thor Lake site and vicinity for at least one hydrologic year. The baseline study is being conducted to aid Avalon Ventures in assessing potential environmental effects of its activities and having adequate environmental information to support filing of regulatory applications in the future. The researchers will conduct snow surveys to assess snow water equivalent in the vicinity of Thor Lake. This information is needed to provide surface water balance of the site. Time of survey is intended to capture maximum snow accumulations for winter season and to assess late winter snow water equivalence losses (associated with late winter thaws) or gains (associated with late winter accumulations) which provides useful data for the site water balance. Data set is correlated with regional (NWT/Federal) snow survey data bases. The researchers will also re-instal hydrometric monitoring networks at several sites at Thor and Long Lakes. This will allow them to conduct field sampling of high flow event in streams flowing to/from Thor and Long Lakes. Time of survey is intended to assess peak flows in the basin to establish stage-discharge relationship in water courses and develop the surface water balance for the site. The researchers will collect lake level and flow monitoring data which will assess summer flow and lake level conditions. Flow monitoring is needed to complete stage-discharge relationship in streams flowing to/from Thor and Long Lakes and to assess inputs and outputs to Thor Lake. The last base line assessment will examine pre-freeze up conditions including: flow and lake level conditions. Flow monitoring needed to complete stage-discharge relationship in streams flowing to/from Thor and Long Lakes and to assess inputs and outputs to Thor Lake. This will be followed by uninstalling the hydrometric monitoring network. Information including data and analysis on surface water hydrology and aquatics in and around Thor Lake will be available to communities for review. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted within and adjacent to the Thor Lake Property from March 6 to October 31, 2009.