NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: South Slave Region

Tags: physical sciences, environmental monitoring, environmental baseline, fisheries

Objective(s): To monitor any potential environmental effects from the mining activities at the Gahcho Kue Mine.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.4676. The objective of the proposed studies is to implement the approved environmental monitoring and management plans to monitor any potential environmental effects from the mining activities at the Gahcho Kue Mine. The proposed studies will include the collection of air quality, geochemistry, hydrology, water and sediment quality, and fish and aquatic resources, dustfall, vegetation and soil information. The studies are designed to monitor the area around Kennady Lake and adjacent watershed areas, which has the potential to be affected by the mine. A series of lakes in the Kirk Lake watershed will be used as reference lakes to provide reference data to support future long-term monitoring programs for the Project. The air quality monitoring program will include collection and processing of meteorological data from the onsite weather station, and collection and processing of data from local sampling stations for particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The geochemical monitoring program will include site audits, and collection of supplemental samples for geochemical testing. The Aquatics Effects Monitoring Program (AEMP) will include studies on hydrology, water and sediment quality, plankton, benthic invertebrates, fish health, and a downstream flow program. These programs were designed to monitor aquatic effects of the Mine, verify and update the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) predictions, and inform management decisions made by the Mine. The hydrology component may include snow course surveys, and hydrometric surveys including water level and discharge measurement. The water and sediment quality component may include collection of seasonal water quality data, and collection of sediment quality data in the open water season. The plankton component may include collection of phytoplankton, zooplankton and chlorophyll a over three sample periods during the open water season. The benthic invertebrate component may include collection of benthic invertebrates during the open water season. The fish health component may include small-bodied fish health surveys in lakes and streams using various sampling methods, such as small-mesh gill netting, angling, baited minnow trapping and shoreline electrofishing; and fish tissues and whole-body samples of both small and large bodied fish may be collected for chemical analysis. The downstream flow component may include fish spawning, movement (including visual assessment and physical measurements of depth and velocity), and tagging studies may be conducted after ice out. The dust, vegetation, and soil monitoring program may include collection of dustfall from May to September for the analysis of total dust and metals composition; and revisiting established vegetation and soil monitoring site to record plant species composition and abundance and assess local soil microclimate conditions. De Beers has and will continue to host meetings in affected communities to provide updates on program results. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from January 17, 2020 to December 31, 2020.