GNWT – Laurier Partnership progress

Living Laboratories Centre for Cold Regions and Water Science on The Laurier Campus

Partnership is focussed on: - Providing new knowledge through focussed research programs - Addressing decreases in environmental monitoring in the north - Providing training and expertise to the GNWT and communities

- Of special importance with devolution of federal powers to the GNWT on April 1, 2014

GNWT-Laurier Science Committee Secretariate

Chair: David Livingstone WLU Liaison: Bruce Hanna

there is a need to improve our understanding of these past to assist in our ability to predict future changes

1. What is the impact of a rapidly changing climate on water and ecosystems?

Changes in climate have,are and will have significant impacts on the cryosphere, lakes, rivers, boreal forest and tundra, with local, regional, and global implications - browning of the boreal forest - shrubbing of arctic tundra - Decreased period of snowcover - permafrost melt - some lakes draining - other lakes growing larger - complex changes to streamflow - changes to surface water chemistry - changes to stream and lake ecosystems

2.In an era of changing climate how will we ensure sustainable resource development in the coming decades?

How will northern governments and communities assess resource development plans and issue appropriate water licences; consider the allocation of impact between, resource development, climate change and “natural” variability? How will the GNWT and other northern governments and communities meet their goal of ensuring that “The waters of the NWT will remain clean, abundant, and productive for all time”

3. Do we have the required knowledge to address the interactions between climate, water, ecosystems and resource

development - “Canada’s North is undergoing significant change driven by a number of complex factors, some global in nature” - “If research is to successfully address the challenges of Canada’s North, it must reflect the elegant complexity inherent in that North”

This report outlined significant knowledge gaps: - climate-vegetation-hydrology-permafrost relationships,

feedback loops, and the broader ecosystem implications of warming permafrost

- permafrost change and terrain instability through improved mapping and modeling to facilitate the development of adaptive management plans for communities

- changing ecosystem structure, including its nature, rate of change and associated implications. This includes changes in tundra vegetation and soil community composition, the boreal to tundra transition

- environmental baseline research for a range of ecosystem components through geographically broad

The Challenge: “The waters of the NWT will remain clean, abundant, and productive for all time”

2010

“The natural environment is one of the NWT’s most valued features. Its water resources are particularly significant”

“NWT communities rely on surface water”

“The waters of the NWT also contribute to the economic well-being of residents”

Water is “important for the efficient transport of goods, services and people, both in the winter (ice roads) and summer (barge and other boat traffic).

“Mining is a significant aspect of the NWT economy. All mines require substantial amounts of water”

“Water is needed for oil and gas developments” “Rivers are a source of energy that can be used to create electrical power”

Numerous uncertainties make this an extremely difficult target to meet:

1. What is the impact of a rapidly changing climate on water and ecosystems? 2. How will we ensure sustainable resource development in the coming years? 3. Do we have the required knowledge to address the interactions between climate, water,

ecosystems and resource development

How do we continue to close the knowledge and training gap?

1. Improved knowledge and predictive abilities • Addressing through building partnerships with other universities and key groups in

the NWT • Improved modelling • Fully utilize remote sensing (satellite and UAV) and the GNWT satellite receiving

station in Inuvik

2. Limited infrastructure in the NWT • Living laboratories

• Require infrastructure investment • Modern communication, internet, computer infrastructure • Power

• Continued investment in state of the art Laboratory

3. Training

• No University in northern Canada • In partnership with the GNWT, how do we enhance training in the NWT?

CFI: The Changing Arctic Network (CANet)

Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) proposal submitted June 2014 - Multi-million dollar proposal to

enhance research in the NWT - WLU submission, with GNWT

support to enhance partnership research in the NWT

- Decision in March or April 2015

This funding, if approved, will: - Increase science infrastructure

at field sites across the NWT (colour coded circles on the map

- Improve remote field camp infrastructure at Daring Lake (Yamba R), Scotty Creek, and Trail Valley Creek

- Further develop laboratory facilities at ENR labs in Ft. Simpson, Yellowknife, Norman Wells, and Inuvik

Laurier: Addressing Canada’s Northern Knowledge and Training Gaps

Since 1987 – Cold Regions Research Centre

2010 to 2020: Government of the NWT – Laurier Partnership

The purpose of the Partnership is to provide new infrastructure and expertise to the GNWT for environmental research and education in order to expand the Territories’ capacity to conduct environmental research and monitoring, and to train the new expertise needed to manage its natural resources for future generations in face of emerging challenges from climate change and the impacts of growth and development. http://nwtwlu.com/

Jim McGeer Scott Smith

Major knowledge gaps: - bioaccumulation and toxicity of rare earth elements.

Objectives: - understand geochemical speciation & links to toxicity - how water chemistry alters REE toxicity - to develop rare earth toxicity prediction models - tools for application to water quality criteria and risk assessment. sensitivity of northern aquatic species - applicability of guidelines to NWT

Toxicity of rare earth elements to northern aquatic biota

Collaborations: Avalon Rare Metals Inc., Environment Canada (funding), NRCan (CANMET Mining & Mineral Sciences Laboratory), INRS, U Montréal. Potential Collaborations: NWT Government, agencies & communities

MSc students - Alexandria Loveridge

- Alexandrea Carvajal

- Che Lu

- Oliver Vukov

Jim McGeer .

The potential impacts of thermokarst on the Peel Plateau on water quality in relation to the sublethal effects on fish.

Objective: Improved understanding of the potential impacts of water turbidity and chemistry changes downstream of mega-slumps on fish.

A lab-based subproject within the CIMP funded project led by Steve Kokelj which is investigating the cumulative impacts of mega-slump disturbances on ecosystems of the Peel Plateau

Collaborator: Project leader – Dr. S Kokelj

Steve Kokelj

NWT CIMP

Fulvic Acid (%)

Blue is the distribution of % fulvic Acid in NWT samples and green is for Temperate samples (mostly S. ON). The fact that the two overlap so much is Good news. It suggests that risk assessment And regulatory tools developed for more Southern environments will work in the NWT when DOC reactivity is important (i.e., biotic ligand model for determining Toxic effects of metals depending on Water chemistry of the receiving water)

Scott Smith, Assoc. Prof, Chemistry

Pieter Aukes PhD candidate UWaterloo

Jennifer Hickman MSc candidate, Laurier

Assessing changes in dissolved organic carbon chemistry along flowpathways in the subarctic Taiga Shield Relating peat plateau degradation to changes in DOC chemistry These changes in chemistry are linked to metal solubility and toxicity and disinfection byproducts when the water in chlorinated

Mike English Prof, Laurier

Sherry Schiff Prof., UWaterloo

Dissolved organic carbon chemistry; biogeochemical transition in Taiga Shield ground and surface water

Contemporary and paleoenvironmental perspectives

on northern hydroecology to inform ecosystem management

Peace-Athabasca Delta, AB

(research conducted since 2000)

Slave River Delta, NWT

(research conducted since 2002)

Brent Wolfe Professor, GES

This research has involved 4 PhD and 10 MSc students

Brent Wolfe, Prof. Geography & Environmental Studies, WLU

We have been analyzing lake sediment cores from the Slave River Delta to

address community concerns that contaminants may be increasing in the

Slave River. Here are our latest results…

Brent Wolfe Professor, GES

• Lithium is a common metal in natural rocks,

is associated with clay-sized minerals and is

not influenced by human activities. Vanadium

is a naturally occurring metal, but can also

serve as an indicator of oil contamination.

• The lithium and vanadium profiles co-vary

suggesting the vanadium is largely natural.

Further analyses show that vanadium levels

are not elevated above background in the

post oil-sands period. These findings agree

with research on bitumen-associated PAHs

in the same sediment core, which show no

increase since onset of oil sands

development (Elmes et al. in review).

• Unusually high concentrations of arsenic

occurred during the 1950s, which are likely

due to emissions from Giant Mine

(MacDonald et al. in prep.).

Reports of this research have been provided to the Slave River and Delta Partnership. Research

funded by: NWT Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern

Development Canada Northern Scientific Training Program. Staff at Deninu School in Fort

Resolution provided space to section our sediment cores and the opportunity to share our

research with students. Gaby Lafferty provided field assistance

Deb MacLatchy VPA Academic & Provost

Biology Professor

• Identification of source and effects of contaminants and environmental change on fish reproduction, growth and development

• Use of endogenous and standardized model fish species

• Field and lab studies; both large (commercial and culturally important) species and small bodied fish for biomonitoring studies

CFI/GNWT Supported

Mobile Trailer &

Truck For Bioassays

CFI//GNWT/WLU Supported

SmithRoot Electrofishing

Units for Small Fish Collections

Andrea Lister Research Coordinator

Project: Investigating the impact of environmental change on the health and reproduction of fish (walleye and whitefish) in Tathlina Lake, NT

• Multiple collaborations involving WLU, Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation (Kakisa), GNWT & CIMP

Deb MacLatchy VPA Academic & Provost

Biology Professor

Andrea Lister Research Coordinator

Melaine Simba (Environmental Coordinator, KTFN) – instrumental to planning & sample assistance GNWT (CIMP): Mike Palmer (co-lead on CIMP proposal with Melaine), Peter Cott KTFN Field assistance (fishing and logistics): Darcy Simba, Chris Chicot, Chief Lloyd Chicot, George Simba, Fred Bonnetrouge AAROM: Mike and George Low Environment Canada: Gerald Tetreault

Lauren Jones Hons. BSc Grant Harrison MSc

Beneficial fungi are components of healthy soils. This study asks how remediation efforts affect beneficial fungi in two remediation sites, Truck Lake Channel and Steeve’s Lake Shoreline at the Colomac Mine

Collaborations: Flat River Consulting, NSERC ENGAGE, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC)

Assessment of Mycorrhizal Load in Sediments and Soils Associated with the Colomac Mine Remediation Efforts

Kevin

Stevens

Rebekah Hamp MSc student

Colomac Mine Overview

Kevin Stevens Assoc. Prof Biology

Wes Erenfel MSc student

Canada Research Chair in Cold Regions Water Science

Current Research 1) Long term environmental Monitoring at the Trail Valley and Havikpak Creek Research Watersheds at the Forest-Tundra Transition Zone near Inuvik, NWT 2) The integrated impact of a changing climate, tundra shrubbing, snow, soil moisture, and permafrost on streamflow and lake levels 3) Vulnerability of the Mackenzie Delta to changes in Mackenzie River hydrology, local climate change, rising sea level, delta subsidence, and increasing storm surges

Collaborators Steve Kokelj, GNWT Geoscience Office Francis Jackson, GNWT, ENR Brian Sieben, GNWT, ENR, Climate Change Bob Reid, Water Survey Canada Western Arctic Research Centre, Inuvik Jenn Baltzer, CRC, WLU Bill Quinton, CRC, WLU Aaron Berg, CRC, University of Guelph Lance Lesack, Simon Fraser University Daqing Yang, Env. Canada, Water S&T Chris Derksen, Env. Canada, Atmospheric S&T

Philip Marsh, Prof, Geography & Environmental Stidies

Tyler deJong – Research Associate

Phil Mann – MSc student

Brandon Walker Hons. student

mineral

organic (saturated)

active layer

permafrost open water

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water table

frost table

unsaturated zone

Bill Quinton CRC, WLU – Scotty Creek – Taiga Plains

42 m

38 m2004

33 m2006

26 m2008

1999

Channel Fen Flat Bog

Fen edge in 1999

Bog edge in 1999

Ryan Connon, PhD Geography & Environmental Studies

Emily Haughton, MSc Geography & Environmental Studies Michael Braverman, MSc Geography & Environmental Studies Tyler Veness, MSc Geography & Environmental Studies

Jennifer Baltzer - CRC Biology, WLU – Taiga Plains

Alison McManus, MSc Biology WLU Impact of pests on shrub energy balance

Dr. Katie Marshall PDF Latitudinal species richness gradient

Dr. Gordon McNickle Banting PDF Vegetation Modeling ; climate change

Alison Blay-Palmer, Assoc. Prof. Geography & Environmental Studies, WLU

Andrew Spring, PhD candidate Geography and Environmental Studies, WLU

Food security in the Sahtu

Develop a community-based monitoring program that will aim to produce a community food map of where harvesting and land use patters exist in the landscape in conjunction With the Sahtu Settlement Harvest Study

Colin Robertson, Assoc. Prof Geography & Environmental Studies WLU

Influences of snow on caribou herd decline

Mike English,. Prof Geography & Environmental Studies WLU

Jennifer Hickman, MSc student WLU

Sarantia Katsaras, Hons. Student, WLU; Dr. Jan Adamczewski, ENR; Dr.Libo Wang and Dr. Chris Derksen, Environment Canada