NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: North Slave Region

Tags: physical sciences, aquatic ecosystems, infrastructure planning, industrial development, environmental compensation, ecological survey

Objective(s): To describe the terrestrial and aquatic environment in the Yellowknife River between Prosperous Lake and Bluefish Lake.

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 of the aquatic environment may be required to investigate fish habitat, population, migration and spawning, and water quality and benthic invertebrate populations. Terrestrial surveys may be required to recording local vegetation and wildlife observations. To investigate fish in the affected area, bathymetry, gill netting and snorkeling may be conducted. Some fish collection may be required to determine age, health and reproductive status of spawning fish. 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). 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. 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 March 1, 2011 to November 1, 2011.