Running Head: AISHIHIK DRAINAGE BASIN CONCEPTUAL MODELING USING CONCEPTUAL MODELING TO ADVANCE AN INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT APPROACH IN THE AISHIHIK DRAINAGE BASIN By NADIA F. JOE B.Sc., University of British Columbia, 2004 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in ENVIRONMENT AND MANAGEMENT We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard ------------------------------- Dr. Glenn Brown, Thesis Supervisor Royal Roads University ------------------------------ Thesis Coordinator School of Environment and Sustainability ------------------------------ Director School of Environment and Sustainability ROYAL ROADS UNIVERSITY September 2014 © Nadia Joe, 2014 AISHIHIK DRAINAGE BASIN CONCEPTUAL MODELING 2 Abstract Changing conditions, increased, and at times competing, demands on water resources, and relatively new requirements for shared and sustainable management of water resources indicate the need for an updated water management approach in the Aishihik Drainage Basin. Ideas from Integrated Watershed Management appear to be well suited to the regional context but additional tools are needed to synthesize data from two distinct systems: western scientific methods and traditional knowledge. This study showed the tools and techniques of conceptual modeling advance integrated watershed management in a manner that considers local values and is consistent with newer legal requirements in the southwest Yukon. Conceptual modeling techniques helped to identify critical links between activities and valued ecosystem components. These models can facilitate the development of management priorities which lay the foundation for the future development of an integrated watershed management plan. AISHIHIK DRAINAGE BASIN CONCEPTUAL MODELING 3 Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 2 Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ 3 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. 7 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 8 Literature Review.............................................................................................................. 11 Integrated Approach to Water Management ................................................................. 11 Key drivers of an integrated approach. ..................................................................... 11 Defining integrated watershed management. ............................................................ 12 Traditional Knowledge ................................................................................................. 16 Understanding traditional knowledge. ...................................................................... 16 Integration of traditional knowledge with science. ................................................... 16 Conceptual Modeling .................................................................................................... 18 Research Approach and Methods ..................................................................................... 20 Research Question ........................................................................................................ 21 Research Context .......................................................................................................... 22 Research Methods ......................................................................................................... 24 Data gathering. .......................................................................................................... 24 Analytical methods. .................................................................................................. 27 Synthesis of data. ...................................................................................................... 29 Results and Analysis of the Watershed Inventory Data.................................................... 31 Watershed Inventory of the Bio-physical Features of the Aishihik Drainage .............. 31 Physical description of Aishihik Drainage. .............................................................. 31 Plant and animal communities. ................................................................................. 34 Climate. ..................................................................................................................... 36 Inventory of water resources. .................................................................................... 37 Watershed Inventory of Social and Economic Systems in the Aishihik Drainage ....... 72 Human history of the Aishihik Drainage. ................................................................. 72 Current land use. ....................................................................................................... 74 Summary of Observations............................................................................................. 81 General observations. ................................................................................................ 81 Water use. ................................................................................................................. 82 Water use impairments. ............................................................................................ 83 Quality of data........................................................................................................... 84 Data gaps. .................................................................................................................. 84 Considerations to Advance Integrated Watershed Management .................................. 84 Results from Documenting Traditional Knowledge ......................................................... 85 Cultural Significance of Features and Activities in the Aishihik Drainage .................. 85 Traditional land and water use in Aishihik. .............................................................. 86 Traditional resource management. ............................................................................ 91 Observing Change in Aishihik Drainage ...................................................................... 94 Changes observed to environmental conditions. ...................................................... 95 Changes observed to land use and occupancy. ......................................................... 99 Changes in land and resource management. ........................................................... 102 AISHIHIK DRAINAGE BASIN CONCEPTUAL MODELING 4 Concerns and resource objectives for the Aishihik Drainage. ................................ 104 Summary of Observations........................................................................................... 107 General observations. .............................................................................................. 107 Water use. ............................................................................................................... 108 Valued features identified in the watershed. ........................................................... 110 Water impairments. ................................................................................................. 112 Water conflicts. ....................................................................................................... 113 Knowledge gaps. ..................................................................................................... 113 Considerations to Advance Integrated Watershed Management ................................ 113 Results of Knowledge Synthesis through Modeling ....................................................... 114 Application of Conceptual Models ............................................................................. 115 Impacts to cultural heritage sites and features. ....................................................... 117 Impacts to cultural pursuits. .................................................................................... 119 Impacts to wildlife. ................................................................................................. 121 Impacts to traditional food fishery. ......................................................................... 123 Impacts to drinking water. ...................................................................................... 125 Impacts to personal property. .................................................................................. 127 Summary of Observations........................................................................................... 128 General observations. .............................................................................................. 128 Management priorities. ........................................................................................... 128 Knowledge and data gaps. ...................................................................................... 130 Discussion ....................................................................................................................... 130 Are the Different Sources of Data Well Integrated? ................................................... 130 Is There Clear Identification