NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Sahtu Settlement Area, Dehcho Region

Tags: water quality, fish habitat, aquatic environment, aquatic biology, infrastructure

Objective(s): To collect baseline fish and fish habitat data for two sections of the proposed Mackenzie Valley Highway; Prohibition Creek Access Road (PCAR) and Mount Gadet Access Road (MGAR).

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.4822. The goal is to collect baseline fish and fish habitat data for two sections of the proposed Mackenzie Valley Highway; Prohibition Creek Access Road (PCAR) and Mount Gadet Access Road (MGAR). Data collected will support engineering design and regulatory process to construct these segments of the highway. A desktop survey will be conducted prior to the field program to identify likely watercourses along the proposed PCAR and MGAR routes. An ATV survey along the alignment will be conducted to determine if any other watercourse crossings exist and if so these will also be sampled. Fish habitat will be assessed along 100 m reaches upstream and downstream of each potential crossing. The following data will be collected along each transect: general channel morphology; channel width; wetted width; water depth; substrate composition; bank description (i.e., height, slope, and stability); functional cover type and abundance; riparian vegetation composition; and, global positioning system (GPS) recordings and photographs . Habitat quality will be rated using habitat quality classes based on four habitat types: migration, overwintering, rearing, and spawning. Field personnel will rate habitat for each of the four categories as nil, poor, moderate, or good for each of three fish species categories: forage fish (small bodied species such as sticklebacks), and harvested fish (large bodied species characterized by their importance in local fisheries). The channel will also be assessed for potential seasonal and permanent barriers to migration. This qualitative assessment of a watercourse’s effectiveness as fish habitat will be used in conjunction with quantitative data collected on site to achieve a comprehensive assessment of fish habitat. Fish sampling will be conducted along each reach assessed. Fish will be collected using a backpack electrofisher and minnow traps. Minnow traps are non-destructive methods of capturing. Fish sampling methods will include the collection of the following: Species ID; length; weight; visual inspection for parasites; Deformities, erosion of fins, lesions, and tumors (DELT). Two ponds one each at PCAR and MGAR will be assessed for fish habitat including depth, shore line features and substrate, water quality and presence of any inlets or outlets. Fishing will include backpack electrofishing and deployment of minnow traps in each pond. Sampling of fish will be identical as for watercourses. In addition the field crew will also make casual observations while conducting the aquatics work for the potential presence of western toad at the unnamed pond near Hodgson Creek along the MGAR route. A formal toad survey is not planned. The Department of Infrastructure has had multiple meetings with the community RRCs, band councils and other community groups over the proposed MGAR and PCAR sections of the highway. Data collected from this aquatics program will be shared by the Department of Infrastructure during their ongoing communications and consultations with these communities. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from September 9, 2020 to December 31, 2020.