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REPORT on the YUKON RIVER BASIN STUDY September 1984

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REPORT on the YUKON RIVER BASIN STUDY September 1984 Little Atlin Lake in the Yukon. Part of the Yukon River Headwater Lakes. Photo courtesy of the Yukon Government. 17 0' 160' 150' 110' 70' 60' 60' ......nI <­ ell .0 :: 03le.l,26,666,700 <{ 160' 150' 140' 130' 20' REPORT ON THE YUKON RIVER BASIN STUDY September 1984 Yukon British Columbia Canada YIJNfJN RIVER 811$IN CfJMMITTEE BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA YUKON J . O ' R/ORDAN E. M . CLARK (Chairman) G. L/V/NGSTON M . J . MOR/SON September 30, 1984 The Honourable Suzanne Blais-Grenier The Honourable David Crombie Minister of the Environment Minister of Indian Affairs and Ottawa, Canada Northern Development ottawa, Canada The Honourable Anthony J. Brummet The Honourable Howard Tracey Minister of Environment Minister of Renewable Resources Victoria, British Columbia Whitehorse, Yukon Commissioner D. Bell Whitehorse, Yukon Dear Madame Minister, Messieurs Ministers, and Mr. Commissioner: On November 24, 1980 the Governments of Canada, British Columbia and Yukon entered into An Agreement Respecting Studies and Planning of the Water Resources in the Yukon River Basin. The Agreement scheduled to terminate on December 30, 1983 was extended to September 30, 1984. The Committee established under this Agreement has completed its assignment and is pleased to submit the Report on the Yukon River Basin Study. The report includes a recommendation for a formal agreement to continue the coordination of planning and management of the water resources of the Yukon River Basin started by this Agreement. The Committee appreciates the support received during the study from the Governments and their respective agencies and from representatives of the public. Respectfully sUbmitted, E.M. Clark . Morison Regional Director Director General Inland Waters Directorate Northern Affairs Program Environment Canada Indian and Northern Affairs Canada J. O'Riordan G.R. Livingston Director Deputy Minister Planning & Assessment Branch Department of Renewable Resources Ministry of Environment Yukon British Columbia IV EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Yukon Territory experienced a surge of study programs. The programs dealt with the resource development proposals in the late Basin as a whole and are described below: 1970's. Expectations were high for economic development and the resulting development A hydrology program was undertaken to proposals and investigations were creating a stir improve the knowledge of the Basin's hydrology of excitement and intense speculation. It seemed for water management purposes. A daily apparent that a boom economy was again on the hydrologic flow model was developed and was horizon. Amidst the increasing pressures for used to simulate the effects of hydroelectric development, countervailing forces were striving developments on downstream flows. An to protect Yukon's environment, its heritage and assessment of the Basin's hydrometric, wilderness resources and to gain proprietary meteorological and snow pack networks was rights. completed and future needs were identified. A flood risk study described flooding and flood As a result of these initiatives, residents and prone areas and studies were undertaken to officials responsible for resource management improve understanding of the causes of flooding expressed concern over potential water use in the Basin, winter ice formation and break-up. conflicts in the Yukon River Basin. In response to these concerns the Governments of Canada, Little was known about the water quality of Yukon and British Columbia established the the Basin or the processes which influence it. A Yukon River Basin Preplanning Task Force to water quality program was initiated and 21 water assess the potential for conflicts in water use. The quality stations on the Basin's major streams were Task Force found that there was an imbalance of established and monitored. Results were information on proposed developments and analyzed to establish a network and determine their potential effects on the resource base. This optimum future sampling needs. Also, a project imbalance of information created a situation was completed to determine why low oxygen where an evaluation of the result of choosing one concentrations are observed in some of the course of action over another could not be made Basin's rivers during the period of ice cover. on a knowledgeable basis. A fisheries program improved information In response to the Task Force recommend­ and knowledge on the Basin's fisheries resource ations, an agreement was signed on behalf of the so that the potential effects of water resource governments of Canada, British Columbia and development could be evaluated. The number of Yukon on November 24, 1980. This report salmon entering the Basin, their distribution describes the analysis of the water and related within the major tributaries and the location of resources of the Yukon River Basin. Work under their spawning grounds were determined. the agreement was designed to increase our Selected areas of potential conflicts between understanding of these resources and to fisheries and placer mining were identified and undertake projects and programs that could lead i'nventories of fish habitat were completed. to the formulation of a framework for water Productivity and species abundance of fish in a planning under which potential developments in number of the Basin's lakes were examined. the Basin could be evaluated. Laboratory and field work were undertaken to investigate the short-term effects of sediment on The resources of the Yukon River Basin are of grayling. A creel census on a headwater lake was importance to all Canadians, and to the residents also carried out. of the Basin in particular. The management challenges that have been identified and the A wildlife program provided data and resulting recommendations are based on an information on species most dependent on overview of the Basin and on results of nine main aquatic and riparian habitat. An inventory of vi aquatic and furbearer populations was made and extending the economic information for Yukon habitat mapped to identify sensitive areas. The was established and a model of the economy was wetland system of the Nisutlin Delta area of Teslin developed which c01Jld be used to evaluate Lake was studied and components of the influences of many factors on the economy. The ecosystem critical for the fall staging of migratory model was used to simulate growth in the Yukon waterfowl were identified and described. In economy between 1983 and 2003. An in-depth addition, the identification and description of description and assessment of institutional physical and biological characteristics of early arrangements in the Basin was also completed. open water areas used by waterfowl for spring staging was completed. Areas important to An information exchange program was Canada geese and other waterfowl and riparian undertaken that involved the public and other raptor nest sites were identified on selected rivers government agencies and promoted public in the Basin. Finally, moose populations were awareness of the Yukon River Basin Study and identified in selected areas and late winter habitat provided an avenue for public feedback. A characteristics were identified. community tour was completed for introducing the Study at a series of public meetings. Meetings A placer mining program concentrated on were held with interest groups and service clubs examining the socio-economic and environ­ and a public display was created by a high school mental aspects of water use in the placer industry. class. An Independent Review Group was Information was developed on a history of the formed to actively involve selected members of industry, a listing of placer operations and a the public in the final phase of the Study. The description of the general legislation, regulations Group provided comments on the overall Study, and mining practices. Information on placer reviewed this committee report and prepared a mining was also gathered through the fisheries report on its findings and conclusions. and socio-economic programs. Water is the one essential natural resource in The tourism, parks and recreational the Yukon River Basin. The survival of every other program helped to identify the interrelationship renewable natural resource in the Basin depends between the water resource and its use for on the availability of specified quantities of water recreation and tourism. A physical description of with an established quality. This Study has the Basin's rivers and lakes was completed and identified several areas where there is, or may be, the recreational capability of the Basin was competition for the water resource. In order to evaluated. make informed decisions as to the best use for water, the managers of the water resource must An energy program was completed to rely on information supplied by the users. provide an overall appraisal of energy supply and Knowledge of fish and wildlife distribution and demand in the Basin. A demand study that abundance, habitat requirements, the potential described and compared different approaches recreational use of a river or lake, and an area's for forecasting electrical energy requirements importance to other water users such as placer and a preliminary evaluation of hydroelectric mining are all required for planning water use. Of energy supply options in the Basin were particular importance to the planning of water completed. Evaluations of the existing management in the Basin is the potential hydroelectric inventory and the cost of providing hydroelectric use. If the
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