Volume II NWT Diamonds Project Environmental Setting Overview - Environmental Setting Volume II summarizes the most important aspects of the physical, biological and socioeconomic environment surrounding the NWT Diamonds Project. The characteristics of the Southern Arctic tundra and the organisms and processes that interact within this northern region are described and analyzed. The communities that benefit from the resources sustained by the project area are presented. The volume begins with a description of the approach used to compile information. The Aboriginal context of the setting is discussed within this approach. The remainder of the volume summarizes the project environment according to its physical, biological and socioeconomic setting. The Environmental Setting provides a summary of the existing baseline environment as characterized before the proposed project development. Some of this baseline information was obtained during early exploration stages. The area surrounding the NWT Diamonds Project site is relatively pristine, however, and the pre-exploration environment is not deemed to be significantly different than initial baseline conditions. The description of the physical and biological setting is based largely on fieldwork conducted within the project claim block from 1993 until 1995. Other relevant studies are cited to provide background regional information for comparative purposes. Traditional knowledge has been incorporated where relevant and available. Ongoing data collection will integrate indigenous information into future environmental monitoring and planning. The description of the socioeconomic setting of the project is based on interviews and research conducted within communities in the Northwest Territories during 1994 and 1995. Traditional knowledge has been included to ensure a comprehensive assessment of the existing socioeconomic environment. i VOLUME II - ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING TABLE OF CONTENTS Overview - Environmental Setting.....................................................................i Table of Contents...............................................................................................ii List of Tables..................................................................................................... xi List of Figures ................................................................................................. xxi List of Plates................................................................................................ xxviii List of Appendices ........................................................................................ xxix Table of Conformity .................................................................................... xxxii Acknowledgments........................................................................................... xlii Disclaimer ...................................................................................................... xlix 1. Approach to Environmental Assessment ................................................... 1.1 1.1 Methods............................................................................................ 1.1 1.2 The Aboriginal Context..................................................................... 1.4 1.2.1 History of Aboriginal Land Use .......................................... 1.6 1.2.1.1 Dene Land Use ................................................. 1.6 1.2.1.2 Inuit Land Use ................................................ 1.17 1.2.2 Aboriginal Views of Ecosystem Relationships................... 1.22 1.2.2.1 Aboriginal Perspectives on Environment and Society................................................ 1.22 1.2.2.2 Importance of Maintaining Ecosystem Relationships ............................................. 1.24 1.3 Ecosystem Characteristics and Linkages.......................................... 1.25 1.3.1 Ecological Concepts Identified by the Panel as Important in Environmental Impact Assessment .......... 1.25 1.3.1.1 The Ecosystem Approach................................ 1.25 1.3.1.2 Progress Towards Achieving Sustainable Development ............................................. 1.26 1.3.1.3 Cumulative Impacts......................................... 1.28 1.3.2 Rationalization of the Study Design .................................. 1.29 NWT Diamonds Projects ii Table of Contents 1.3.3 Ecosystem Characteristics and Linkages of the NWT Diamonds Project ....................................................... 1.30 1.3.3.1 General Description of the Ecosystem of the Study Area and its Major Components....... 1.31 1.3.3.2 Spatial and Temporal Contexts........................ 1.36 1.3.4 Linkages Among Components and Scales ....................................... 1.36 1.3.4.1 Linkages Extending Beyond the Claim Block Ecosystem....................................... 1.36 1.3.4.2 Linkages Within the Claim Block Ecosystem... 1.39 1.3.5 Ecological Integrity of the Study Area .............................. 1.41 2. Physical Setting........................................................................................... 2.1 2.1 Terrain and Permafrost...................................................................... 2.2 2.1.1 Regional Terrain Conditions ............................................... 2.2 2.1.1.1 Surficial Materials ............................................. 2.6 2.1.1.2 Regional Permafrost........................................ 2.13 2.1.2 Terrain Characteristics in the Main Development Area...... 2.15 2.1.2.1 Panda and Koala Lakes ................................... 2.15 2.1.2.2 Leslie Lake...................................................... 2.16 2.1.2.3 Fox Lake......................................................... 2.16 2.1.2.4 Misery Haul Road ........................................... 2.16 2.1.2.5 Local Permafrost............................................. 2.16 2.1.3 Summary.......................................................................... 2.28 2.2 Ground Instability ........................................................................... 2.28 2.3 Hydrology....................................................................................... 2.29 2.3.1 Surface Hydrology............................................................ 2.29 2.3.1.1 Previous Research........................................... 2.31 2.3.1.2 Overview of Study Area Hydrology ................ 2.32 2.3.1.3 Methods.......................................................... 2.34 2.3.1.4 Lake Hydrology .............................................. 2.37 2.3.1.5 Mean Flows .................................................... 2.38 2.3.1.6 Low Flows...................................................... 2.44 2.3.1.7 High Flows ..................................................... 2.45 2.3.2 Groundwater Flows.......................................................... 2.46 2.3.2.1 Groundwater Modelling .................................. 2.48 2.3.2.2 Summary......................................................... 2.71 2.4 Water Quality ................................................................................. 2.72 2.4.1 Previous Research ............................................................ 2.72 2.4.2 Methods ........................................................................... 2.79 2.4.2.1 Field Methods ................................................. 2.79 2.4.2.2 Analytical Methods ......................................... 2.82 2.4.2.3 Discussion of QA/QC...................................... 2.82 2.4.2.4 Blanks............................................................. 2.84 2.4.2.5 Splits............................................................... 2.85 2.4.2.6 Replicates ....................................................... 2.85 NWT Diamonds Projects iii Table of Contents 2.4.3 Water Quality Baseline ..................................................... 2.85 2.4.3.1 Watershed Characterization and Differences.... 2.86 2.4.3.2 Water Quality Trends with Depth.................... 2.90 2.4.3.3 Downstream Trends in Water Quality.............. 2.95 2.4.4 Summary.......................................................................... 2.95 2.5 Sediments ....................................................................................... 2.96 2.5.1 Previous Research ............................................................ 2.96 2.5.2 Methods ........................................................................... 2.98 2.5.3 Sediment Characterization ................................................ 2.98 2.5.3.1 Koala Watershed............................................. 2.99 2.5.4 Summary........................................................................ 2.110 2.6 Climate ......................................................................................... 2.111 2.6.1 Previous Research .......................................................... 2.111 2.6.2 Methods ......................................................................... 2.113 2.6.2.1 Regional Climatological Stations ................... 2.113 2.6.2.2 Koala Project Area Data................................ 2.114 2.6.3 Air Temperature............................................................. 2.115 2.6.4 Precipitation ................................................................... 2.115 2.6.4.1 Regional Data ............................................... 2.118 2.6.4.2 Site-Specific Data ......................................... 2.121 2.6.5 Wind Speed and Direction .............................................