NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Tags: physical sciences, aquatic ecosystems, infrastructure planning, ecological survey

Objective(s): To describe the terrestrial and aquatic environment in the Yellowknife River between Prosperous Lake and Bluefish Lake. This may include investigating vegetation, water quality, benthic inverterbrate populations, and fish.

Project Description: The objective is to describe the terrestrial and aquatic environment in the Yellowknife River between Prosperous Lake and Bluefish Lake. This may include investigating vegetation, water quality, benthic invertebrate populations, and fish. The results will be used to determine the most suitable means of fish habitat compensation, and to guide mitigation during construction of the new dam for Bluefish Hydro. Surveys may include gill netting and snorkeling, with some fish collection to determine age, health and reproductive status of spawning fish. Terrestrial surveys may be required to recording local vegetation and wildlife observations. Sampling water quality, benthic invertebrate populations and fish may be made in the Yellowknife River between Prosperous Lake and Bluefish Lake, during the summer and fall. Water quality and aquatic organism sampling will occur early to mid-summer. Spawning surveys of suckers, grayling and pike may be required at the inflow of the Yellowknife River to Prosperous Lake in sprint, and of lake trout, whitefish and ciscoes in the fall (likely September). Benthic invertebrates may be collected at the same time, through sediment grabs. Water quality monitoring is anticipated downstream of the new dam during construction, to reduce risk to fish spawning habitat. Results from the monitoring program will be submitted to the government regulatory agencies and communities through land use permit and water license application processes. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from June 25, 2010 to December 31, 2010.