NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area

Tags: physical sciences, permafrost, water sampling, marine ecosystem, coastline

Objective(s): To updated assessment of the state of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region coastline; to gain a better understanding of coastal permafrost; and to gain a better understanding of coastal dynamics with respect to unique marine ecosystems and communities.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.4991. The primary objectives are to provide the means to improve the knowledge of physical conditions in the Arctic coastal zone in order to help government agencies, corporations and local residents understand mitigate and reduce the impacts of climate driven changes work taking place in 2021 is critical to better our understanding of sediment dynamics in the coastal region. The objectives below take into consideration that the research and data collection on coastal change assessment, knowledge enhancement and nearshore impacts are all interlinked together. The following high level objectives will be met with this research: 1. to update assessment of the state of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) coastline; 2. to gain a better understanding of coastal permafrost; and, 3. to gain a better understanding of coastal dynamics with respect to unique marine ecosystems and communities. Updated assessment of the state of the ISR coastline involves visitation of several coastal sites such as Tibjak, Toker Point, Warren Point, Atkinson South and Cape Dalhousie. At each site aerial drones (flying at max 130 ft.) will be used to map the coastal region. No more than 1 day will be spent at each location. The team will conduct flying aerial photography (helicopter based surveys) of the outer Mackenzie Delta and Yukon coast from Shallow Bay to Shingle Point. The work would encompass continuous flying (just one pass) using a high resolution optical and thermal camera that is able to acquire geo-tagged photo at a rapid interval (every 1-2 seconds). To gain a better understanding of coastal permafrost the research team will visit and download/maintain several instruments that are located throughout the coastal region. Several ocean moorings will be picked up and deployed throughout the project. For this work (in conjunction with DFO - Lisa Loseto) the team will exclusively use Aurora Research Institute and local community members to deploy and recover the instruments. This will require the use of 1-2 small boats to deploy the instruments. In addition to this, the team would like to download, maintain or collect a number of land-based instruments. This varies from weather stations, time-lapse cameras, shallow temperatures stings, accelerometers, and carbon sensors. Most are strategically located at the Pingo Canadian Landmark (PCL), with other instruments placed at sites are East WhiteFish, Drift Point, Crumbling Point, Kendal Island and Shingle Point. Each site could be visited very briefly by helicopter or boat and the instrument (or camera or weather station) will be downloaded and left in place. In most cases the study of impacts (carbon flux, methane, radon, sedimentation, thermal reduction, subsistence) will be paired with all of the sites (mentioned above) that hopefully will also have up to date information. The work uses small sampling instruments (push core, grab samples chisels) to sample the seabed and exposed cliff. In total less than 500g of material is required at each site. The research team hope to sample at 10-12 sites with priority given to PCL, Pelly and Shingle and Atkinson Point. Access to the sites will be by helicopter or boat. A small zodiac will be used to collect samples in the nearshore (within 500m of shore). To gain a better understanding of coastal dynamics with respect to unique ecosystems and communities the research team will conduct several visits to the eastern side of Tuktoyaktuk Harbour to help to gain information on baseline science directly related to the long term adaptation needs (or relocation) of the town due to climate change. The team would require mobilization of several teams over several days throughout the summer to this site. Drones will be used to acquire digital elevation models for flooding analysis. (i.e. dedicated wildlife monitor). Small samples (500g) will be taken for ice content and soil properties throughout the area. This work is part of the partnership with the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk (year 2 of 4 year Polar Knowledge Canada Funded Project) and involves research partners from UCalgary, Northumbria, GNWT. This is a multidisciplinary project, portions of this work have been presented through on-site consultation and results reporting to all communities and to the Inuvialuit Game Council, Inuvialuit Land Administration, Hunters and Trappers Committee and the Fisheries Joint Management Committee by the Geological Survey of Canada (Dustin Whalen), and project collaborators from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (Loseto) at various times over the past several years. Project participants will be available to present past results and future project plans to the local communities of Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik during the field campaigns. In 2019 (before COVID-19), the project was presented as a public research talk, school presentations and to Hunters and Trappers Committee (HTC’s) boards across Inuvik, Aklavik, Tuktoyaktuk and Paulatuk. Since then several virtual meetings have been held with HTCs and the Tuktoyaktuk Hamlet Council. This updated project will be presented to the Inuvialuit Game Council. The Spring Break-up reporting through the newsletter and or public Facebook page provides an excellent resource on current conditions and ongoing research in that area. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from September 15, 2021 to December 31, 2021.