NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Tags: bathymetry, transportation, lake drainage

Objective(s): To gather lake bathymetry data in support of estimating water volumes required for regulatory approval for winter water extraction.

Project Description: The objective of the survey is to gather lake bathymetry data in support of estimating water volumes required for regulatory approval for winter water extraction. This work will be completed following the commitments of the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, Town of Inuvik, and the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT), as found in the Environmental Impact Statement for Construction of the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway, NWT, and the recommendations made by the Environmental Impact Review Board (EIRB) Review Panel in their approval of the Highway. IMG-Golder Corporation proposes to carry out the Lake Bathymetry Survey throughout August 2013 and parts of September 2013. A field crew of two plus one Wildlife Monitor will collect bathymetry data from approximately 35 lakes identified to serve as potential water sources for the construction of the winter access. The crew will perform an aerial survey of each lake and collect aerial photographs from the helicopter before landing. Observations such as inflow or outflow streams, islands, etc. will be recorded on a map of each lake. The bathymetry data will be collected from a boat with continuous depth recordings (i.e., at one or two second intervals). The depth recordings will be geo-referenced with a GPS inside the bathymetry recorder. The spacing of the bathymetric transects will be dependent on the size of each lake and the irregularity of the lake bottom. In general, one longitudinal transect connecting the two farthest shorelines will be surveyed. Subsequent cross transects (i.e., perpendicular to the longitudinal transect) will then be evenly spaced along the longitudinal transect. A one page summary of all project activities will be submitted to the Inuvik Hunters’ and Trappers’ Committees and the Tuktoyaktuk Hunters’ and Trappers’ Committee. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from August 15, 2013 to September 30, 2013.