NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area

Tags: physical sciences, contaminants, water sampling, hydrology, geochemistry, metal concentrations

Objective(s): To determine the environmental chemistry of the elevated metal concentrations, which will in turn determine the environmental risk that these measured concentrations pose (i.e. will answer, at least in part, the questions: do these sites require remediation, and in what timeframe?).

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.5551. The overall objective of the research is to eventually determine the environmental chemistry of the elevated metal concentrations, which will in turn determine the environmental risk that these measured concentrations pose (i.e. will answer, at least in part, the questions: do these sites require remediation, and in what timeframe?). Since the environmental chemistry of metals in permafrost regions remains poorly understood, a full understanding of the environmental chemistry of these sites will be difficult to accomplish in the proposed 3-year timeframe. Nonetheless, the project aims to generate enough data and interpretation for stakeholders to be able to generate value judgements on the environmental risk. The larger concept surrounding this research concerns infrastructure development in permafrost terrains; i.e. Are there issues that are important but insufficiently understood concerning contaminant generation and movement in permafrost terrains during infrastructure development; issues which could or should lead to policy or regulatory revision? This study will use the following methods: 1) Water and solid phase sampling: this will include both surface and subsurface waters and solids. Subsurface samples will be collected using low-impact augering techniques. Solid phase includes mineral, organic humus and ice sampling. Water sampling procedures include pumping, filtering and measurement of thermodynamic parameters. 2) Hydrogeology: water movement will be measured using standard monitoring techniques (dataloggers, water level, electrical conductivity instruments) that will be input into general hydrogeological models (at this stage the research team only intend to generate basic hydrogeological models - detailed models for permafrost terrains are very difficult and time-consuming to generate. However, if necessary the team does have the expertise and equipment to generate such detailed models). 3) Geochemistry: The water and solid phase samples will be analysed by standard mass spectrometric techniques to determine their metal chemistry. This chemical data will be modeled to determine the controlling processes. The research team will start with basic geochemical thermodynamic models and progress to more complex models if the data permits. The modeling will also indicate where data deficiencies lie, which can then be addressed in subsequent fieldwork. 4) Environmental chemistry: the combined hydrogeological and geochemical components will provide an From the project start in 2019 the research team have engaged with various Inuvialuit, Gwich’in and NTGO stakeholders. The research team has consulted with, applied for, and were granted access to research sites from the Inuvialuit Land Administration (ILA). That access consultation phase is now complete, and the team have removed all instrumentation from those lands. The research team are in the process of finalizing a report on our findings. The report will be circulated to ILA, Hunters and Trappers organizations, NWT Department of Infrastructure and other stakeholders who may be interested. The research team have since been in touch with the Gwich’in Tribal Council, Gwich'in Renewable Resource Board, Nihtat Gwich’in Council, Nihtat Gwich’in Renewable Resource Council, Gwichya Gwich’in Council, and Gwichya Gwich’in Renewable Resource Council, information that was then shared with the ARI for renewal of ARI Licence No. 16912 and resulted in issuance of ARI Licence No. 17137. The team are also in the process of initiating discussions to hire a Wildlife Monitor for the proposed work in 2023. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from May 10, 2023 to December 31, 2023.