| Principal Investigator: | Holmes, R. Max (5) |
| Licence Number: | 15799 |
| Organization: | Woods Hole Research Center |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2024
2023
2022
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
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2009
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| Issued: | Dec 14, 2015 |
| Project Team: | Les Kutny, Suzanne Tank |
Objective(s): To measure how climate change is impacting Arctic rivers.
Project Description: The Arctic Great Rivers Observatory project studies the six largest rivers in the Arctic; the Mackenzie and Yukon Rivers in North America and the Ob', Yenisey, Lena, and Kolyma Rivers in Russia. The research team are interested in how climate change is impacting Arctic rivers. Measurements will be taken of the concentration of naturally-occurring chemicals (like carbon and nitrogen) and try to figure out whether or not they are changing. Water samples will be collected from the Mackenzie River near the Tsiigehtchic ferry crossing. Samples will be collected on six days per year, once every other month. Samples will be collected from boat or through the ice at the well-established site used by the Water Survey of Canada by immersing a collection bottle in the water at the water surface, or by using a water bottle that can be 'unplugged' and filled with water deeper in the water column. Samples will be filtered and frozen or refrigerated in plastic bottles. The research team will also measure water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen concentration, and water conductivity. On each sampling day, less than 16 litres of water will be collected. The research team will not be collecting any fish or invertebrates. An Inuvik resident will be overseeing the sampling, and the research team will additionally seek a local (Tsiigehtchic or Inuvik) resident to assistant for each sampling effort. The Principal Investigator has presented to the Renewable Resources Council in Tsiigehtchic and gave two presentations to the school at Tsiigehtchic. A members of the research team gave presentations to several classes at the Inuvik elementary and high schools, and took these classes to a sampling site on the East Channel in Inuvik to demonstrate some of our sampling techniques and allow the students to gain hands-on experience with water sampling methods. The research team will pursue similar opportunities in the future, and can also prepare a poster describing the project for display at the Aurora Research Institute. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016.
