| Principal Investigator: | Sibbald, Carey (5) |
| Licence Number: | 15155 |
| Organization: | Deton' Cho Stantec |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
|
| Issued: | Sep 24, 2012 |
| Project Team: | Carey Sibbald, Karen Munro |
Objective(s): To continue baseline data collection to further characterize the baseline water, sediment quality and aquatic communities at specific lakes within the Thor Lake area and Avalon's Thor Lake Rare Earth Elements Project footprint.
Project Description: The objective of the 2012 Aquatics program is to continue baseline data collection to further characterize the baseline water and sediment quality and aquatic communities at specific lakes within the Thor Lake area and Avalon's Thor Lake Rare Earth Elements Project footprint. Water, sediment and aquatic organisms will be collected at up to 11 stations (10 lakes) within the Thor Lake area. Most stations will be accessed by ATV or helicopter and a boat in summer and fall. A multi-parameter water quality meter will be used to obtain depth profiles of temperature, oxygen, pH and conductivity in the field. Water samples will be collected at one depth at each sampling station, depending on lake characteristics. Water samples will be analyzed for routine parameters (e.g. turbidity, total suspended and total dissolved solids, alkalinity, major ions), nutrients, total and dissolved metals, dissolved organic carbon, radionuclides (lead-210, radium-226, radium-228, thorium-228, thorium-230 & thorium-232) and rare earth elements. Sediment samples will be collected from the lake bottom at three locations around the sample stations in up to five lakes. Sediment samples will be analyzed for total metals, total organic carbon, total phosphorus, total kjeldahl nitrogen, radionuclides, rare earth elements, and particle size distribution. Benthic invertebrate samples will be collected with a Petite Ponar grab at the same sample stations as sediment. Grabs will be sieved in the field and specimens will be collected and preserved; samples will be examined for species composition and abundance. Phytoplankton samples will be collected during late summer at up to 8 sample stations; species composition, abundance, and biomass (chlorophyll a) will be assessed. Zooplankton samples will be collected concurrently with phytoplankton samples with a standard zooplankton net in a horizontal or vertical tow, depending on lake depth. Samples will be examined for species composition and abundance. Information including data and analysis on surface water quality in and around Thor Lake will be available to locals and communities for review through Avalon's Environmental Assessment. The information may provide locals with a more thorough scientific overview of the local surface water quality which can be used for various purposes (e.g., land use planning, economic development). Results of Stantec's 2008-2010 baseline studies at Thor Lake were communicated to members of affected communities in a baseline research update session in early 2011. Results from Det'on Cho Stantec's 2011 and 2012 baseline programs will be provided to affected communities through Avalon as it proceeds through the regulatory, environment assessment, and licensing processes. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from September 24, 2012 to October 26, 2012.
