NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: North Slave Region

Tags: physical sciences, water quality, climate change, surface water, cumulative effects, human disturbance

Objective(s): To collect water quality data from regionally-representative lakes that can inform resource management decisions on cumulative impacts within the Northwest Territories.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.5328. The objective of this project is to collect water quality data from regionally-representative lakes that can inform resource management decisions on cumulative impacts within the Northwest Territories (NWT). Using a computer program the research team will select 30 lakes within the Daring Lake area based on expected impacts of human and natural disturbances. The team will access these lakes with a float plane, and collect water samples in the center of the lake off the floats of the plane. As well as taking water samples, at each site the team will measure key water quality properties such as pH, dissolved oxygen and conductivity. Each site will be sampled three times per year, in approximately March, July and September. The water samples will be delivered to the Taiga Environmental Laboratory so that they can be analyzed. The research team discussed this project with its stakeholders. Discussions addressed the rationale behind monitoring cumulative impacts to water quality, the proposed project plans, whether this monitoring is of interest to the stakeholders, opportunities for involvement in developing and conducting the monitoring program, how different organizations can use the results of this monitoring, and how the results need to be shared with the stakeholders. The stakeholders with whom we are communicating are: Tlicho Government, Yellowknives Dene First Nation, North Slave Metis Alliance, NWT Metis Nation, Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board. During the monitoring program, the research team will have regular discussions and updates with the stakeholders to discuss project progress, preliminary findings and any questions or concerns. In November 2021, the research team provided a summary (via PowerPoint presentation) of the first year of monitoring to the stakeholders. In June 2022, the research team will provide another update to the project to the stakeholders. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from August 8, 2022 to October 1, 2022