NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: physical sciences, arctic lakes, climate change, hydrology, lake ice, limnology

Objective(s): The overall objective of this study is to develop a model that can be used to look at the vulnerability of small arctic lakes and ponds to changing climate.

Project Description: The overall objective of this study is to develop a model that can be used to look at the vulnerability of small arctic lakes and ponds to changing climate. Lake Ice Study: Noell Lake and Lakes 5A & 5B (~ 1 km W-NW of Noell Lake) will be visited in late April to measure lake ice. Holes will be made in the ice using an ice corer. Ice thickness and composition will be determined by measuring and examining the ice cores. Through the holes in the ice the researchers will take water samples using small plastic bottles (removing no more than 3L of water from the lake). The water samples will be sent to laboratories to determine water properties. They will also take sediment samples from the lake bottom through the holes in the ice using a manual core sampler. Less than 9L of sediment will be removed. The sediment samples will be sent to laboratories to determine sediment characteristics. The field party and equipment will be transported to and from the study lakes by helicopter (one-day trips out of Inuvik) – the helicopter will land onto or near the lakes. If necessary, some travel might be by snowmobiles (using established snowmobile trails). Spring Melt: For 2-3 weeks during the spring melt period (late May/early June), the researchers will monitor the melting snow, and resulting water flow to lakes 5A and 5B (~ 1 km W-NW of Noell Lake). The water flow to the lakes will be measured using conventional monitoring equipment (e.g. current meters; small portable weirs). Water samples from the flowing snowmelt water will be taken using small plastic bottles (30mL to 1L bottles). The water samples will be sent to laboratories to determine water properties. During this 2-3 week period, the work will be conducted from a very small temporary field camp (for 2-3 people). This camp will have a very small “footprint” – only small camping tents, cooking stove, supplies and field equipment. Transport of people, supplies and equipment to and from the temporary field camp will be by helicopter which will land onto or near the lake. Lake Studies: There are 2 lakes sites already in place (lakes 5A and 5B, ~ 1 km W-NW of Noell Lake) and 2 more lakes will be identified during the 2009 field season for intensive studies (perhaps lakes 6A and 6B as recommended by Dr. Steve Kokelj, INAC-Yellowknife). These 4 lakes will be visited 4 times per year to obtain water samples using small plastic bottles (30mL to 1L bottles) – up to 3 litres of water will be removed from each lake per visit. The water samples will be sent to laboratories to determine water properties. Sediment samples from the lake bottom will be obtained from the same 4 lakes using a small sampler, but only 2 times per year (during visits for water sampling) – up to 9 L of sediment will be removed from the lake bottom per visit. The sediment samples will be sent to laboratories to determine sediment characteristics. Also, the lake water will be sampled for very small plant material, bacteria and insect larvae suspended in the lake water. These samples will be collected using a very small (20 cm) net, and sent to laboratories for analysis. There are 40+ lakes that will be visited in August, and 60+ lakes that will be visited in September, for water sampling (selected from lakes N and W of Noell Lake, W and SW of Parsons Lake, and on Richards Island – map available from researcher or ARI licencing office). Water samples will be taken from these lakes using small plastic bottles (30mL to 1L bottles). No more than 3L of water will be removed from each lake per visit. Only water will be sampled – no sediment samples will be taken during these visits. The water samples will be sent to laboratories to determine water properties. For the lake study field work, the field party and equipment will be transported to and from the study lakes by helicopter (one-day trips out of Inuvik) – the helicopter will land onto or near the lakes. In some cases, the researchers may use a small inflatable boat to collect samples from the lake. No field camp is required for these lake study activities in August. Water Input to Lakes: During summer visits to lakes 5A and 5B (as described above), the researchers will also measure and sample water flowing into these two lakes using conventional equipment (e.g. current meters; small portable weirs). Samples of this water will be collected in small plastic bottles (30mL to 1L bottles) and sent to laboratories to determine water properties. Environmental Conditions: To monitor environmental conditions, a small weather station will be set up at lakes 5A and 5B (as described above) to measure air temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation. Attached to these automated stations will be instruments to measure lake water temperature, water level and other water properties. Permafrost depths at key locations near lakes 5A and 5B will be measured using portable ground penetrating radar and sonar. Ground temperature at these permafrost sampling locations will be measured using temperature sensors. Some very small samples of permafrost ice will be collected and sent to laboratories to determine water properties. The monitoring of environmental conditions will be done during visits to the lake sites as mentioned above. No field camp is required. Students to assist in the field program will be identified through the Inuvialuit Joint Secretariat and the Aurora Research Institute. Wildlife Monitors will be utilized when necessary. The researchers plan to hold annual community-based meetings and consultations in northern communities to inform local residents in the region of the nature and significance of the research, what they are trying to find out and why, and to provide updates on what they have learned (key findings) as the work progresses. They will also visit the schools to reach out to the youth. Information will also be made available through a project website, posters, brochures, fact sheets, etc. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from April 20 to September 22, 2009, in more than 60 study lakes located in the regions close to Noell Lake, Parsons Lake and on Richards Island. The lakes’ co-ordinates are listed in the research licence application, and are shown in maps available: online in your community organization’s user account at the ARI online system, from the researcher, and / or from the ARI licencing office. These are the same lakes monitored by Dr. Steve Kokelj (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Yellowknife). A sub-set of these lakes near and including Noell Lake will be the primary focus of the study, with most intensive and extensive field investigations taking place on two small lakes (5A; 5B) in the Noell Lake region (~ 1 km W-NW of Noell Lake).