NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: North Slave Region

Tags: geochemistry, permafrost thaw, lakes, taiga

Objective(s): 1) to implement a geologically-based classification scheme to group permafrost lake types for the range of biophysical environments encountered across the NWT; and 2) to determine whether these lake types can be distinguished by their physical and water chemistry characteristics.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No. 5974. The specific research objectives are: 1) to implement a geologically-based classification scheme to group permafrost lake types for the range of biophysical environments encountered across the NWT; and 2) to determine whether these lake types can be distinguished by their physical and water chemistry characteristics. This project will included seasonal surveys of lake water quality across the Taiga Shield and Taiga Plains near Yellowknife, Dettah, and Behchoko. The lakes will be accessed by helicopter in summer and winter. Water column measurements will be made from the helicopter and water samples will be collected at each lake for a suite of chemical analytes. All water chemistry and lake attribute data will be published as NTGS Open Reports concurrent with journal publications. The iterative study design will be developed through regularly scheduled meetings, traditional and land-based workshops, or regularly scheduled planning calls with project partners. Dissemination of preliminary results and the planning of 2024-2025 fieldwork will take place through a special session on northern lakes at the Yellowknife Geoscience Forum in November 2024. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from: August 06 - December 31, 2024