i i © Minister of Supply and Services Canada 1981 Cat. no. Fs 97-6/966 ISSN 0706-6457 Correct citation for this publication: Lindsey, C. C., K. Patalas, R. A. Bodaly, and C. P. Archibald. 1981. Glaciation and the physical, chemical and biological limnology of Yukon ·lakes. Can. Tech·. Rep. Fish. Aquat Sri. 966: v·i + 37 p. iii I TABLE OF CONTENTS .Iohle. Page g Temperature (temp) (°C) and oxygen (mg/L) profiles for lakes of the ABSTRACT/RESUME v Stewart, Takhini, Tatchun, Teslin, ·and White subdrainages of tile INTRODUCTION . 1 Yukon River drainage system 18 10 Water chemistry of lal~es of the Alsek, SOURCES AND METHODS 1 Liard, Peel, and Porcupine River drainage systems • . 19 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 11 Water chemistry of lakes of the Atlin, Physical Limnology Lewe~. Mandanna, Nordenskiold, Lake area 2 Pelly;·Big Salmon, and Little Maximum depth 2 Salmon subdrainages of the Yukon Elevation 2 River drainage system 20 Temperature . 2 12 Water chemistry of lakes of the Stewart, Chemical Limnology Takhini, Tatchun, Teslin, and White Total dissolved solids (TDS) 2 subdrainages of the Yukon River Major ions, chlorophyll a, and Secchi 2 drainage system 21 disc visibility • 13 Absolute abundance of crustaceans, Oxygen content . 2 rotifers. and total zooplankton Glaciological Background 2 (crustaceans plus rotifers) and Zooplankton Abundance and Distribution 3 relative abundance (% by number) Glacial History and Fish Distributions 4 of crustacean species for lakes Alsek and White River drainages 4 of the Alsek, Liard, Peel and Por- Yukon River drainages 4 cupine River drainage systems 22 Liard River drainages . 6 14 Absolute abundance of crustaceans, Peel and Porcupine River drainages 6 rotifers, and total zooplankton (crustaceans plus rotifers) and ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 7 relative abundance (% by number) of crustacean species for lakes REFERENCES 8 of the Atlin, Lewes, Mandanna, Nordenskiold, Pelly, Big Salmon, and Little Salmon subdrainages of the Yukon River drainage LIST OF TABLES system . 24 15 Absolute abundance of crustaceans, Table Page rotifers, and total zooplankton (crustaceans plus rotifers) and 1 List of lakes sampled (A-K), their relative abundance (% by number) location. present drainage and of crustacean species for lakes associated comments . 10 of the Stewart, Takhini, Tatchun, 2 List of lakes sampled (L-Z), their Teslin, and White subdrainages of location, present drainage and the Yukon River drainage system 26 associ a ted conunents • . 11 16 Frequency of occurrence of the 32 3 List of scientific and common names species of crustacean zooplankton of fish species referred to in found in 70 Yukon lakes . 28 text . • . 12 17 Known presence of fish species in 4 Elevation, surface area, length, width, lakes of the Alsek, Liard, Peel, and maximum known depth for lakes of and Porcupine River drainage the Alsek, Liard, Peel and Porcupine systems . 29 River drainage systems . 13 18 Known presence of fish species in 5 Elevation, surface area, length, width, lakes of the Atlin, Lewes, Mandanna, and maximum known depth for lakes Nordenskiold, Pelly, Big Salmon, of the Atlin, Lewes, ~1andanna, and Little Salmon subdrainages of Nordenskiold, Pelly, Big Salmon the Yukon River drainage system 30 and Little Salmon subdrainages of 1g Known presence of fish species in the Yukon River drainage system 14 lakes of the Stewart, Takhini, 6 Elevation, surface area, length, width, Tatchun, Teslin, and White subdrain­ and maximum known depth for lakes ages of the Yukon River drainage of the Stewart, Takhini, Tatchun, system 31 Teslin, and White subdrainages of 20 Presence/absence data for fish species the Yukon River drainage system 15 in the different drainage and sub­ 7 Temperature (temp) (C) and oxygen drainage basins in Yukon Territory. 32 (mg/L) profiles for lakes of the Alsek, Liard, Peel and Porcupine River drainage systems . 16 8 Temperature (temp) (C) and oxygen LIST OF FIGURES (mg/L) profiles for lakes of the Atlin, Lewes, Mandanna, Norden­ skiold, Pelly, Big Salmon, and Little Salmon subdrainages of 1 Map of southern and central Yukon the Yukon River drainage system 17 Territory indicating lakes sampled 33 iv Figure Page 2 Frequency distributions of total dissolved solids (TDS), major ions, chlorophyll a values. and Secchi disc transparencies in Yukon lakes . 34 3 The geographic distribution of total dissolved solid (TDS) values in Yukon lakes and isopleths of volcanic ash thickness . 35 4 Glacial map of Yukon Territory showing maximum extent of advance of last (Wisconsin) ice sheet (about 14,000 years ago) . 36 5 Glacial map of Yukon Territory showing position of ice margin 9,500 years ago, and major glacial lakes and meltwater drainage channels 37 v ABSTRACT RESUME Lindsey, C. C., K. Patalas, R. A. Bodaly, and lindsey, C. C., K. Patalas, R. A. Bodaly, and c. P. Archibald. 1g81. Glaciation and the c. P. Archibald. 1981. Glaciation and the physical, chemical and biological limnology physical, chemical and biological limnology of Yukon lakes. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. of Yukon lakes. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. g66: vi+ 37 p. Sci. g66: vi+ 37 p. A preliminary limnological characterization of L1 etude presente des caractEristiques limnolo­ 91 Yukon lakes is presented with data on lake mor­ giques preliminaires pour 91 lacs du Yukon, avec phometry, temperature, chemical composition, zoo­ donnees sur la morphometrie, la temperature, la plankton species presence and abundance, and fish composition chimique des lacs, la prEsente et 1 1 species presence. Most of the lakes sampled are abondance des espBces de zooplancton et la prEsente situated in glaciated terrain. Summer epilimnion des especes de poisson. La plupart des lacs Echantil­ temperatures ranged from 8 to 18.5 C and were lonnes sont situes en terrain moutonne. Les fempE!ra­ affected mainly by lake elevation and surface area tures de l*Epilimnion en ete variaient de 8 a 18.5 c, (wind action). Total dissolved solids (TDS) surtout en fonction de l'altitude des lacs et de leur ranged from about 50 to g1o mg/L. A distinct belt superficie (action du vent). Le total des solides of lakes with TDS greater than 200 mg/L was evident dissous (TSD) variait de 50 a g1o mg/L. On a pu in the upper Yukon River valley, centered at about observer une ceinture distincte de lacs dans la Frenchman Lake, and this belt corresponds to an va11ee supErieure du Yukon River, aU le TSD Etait area over which a volcanic ash layer thicker than supErieur a 200 mg/L, centree aux environs du about 5 em was laid down 1,400 years ago. In most Frenchman Lake, cette ceinture correspondant a une lakes, major cations followed the patterns of con­ rEgion aU la couche de cendre volcanique dEposee centration ca+2 > Mg+2 > Na+ > K+. il y a 1400 ans dEpasse 5 centimetres d'Epaisseur. Dans la plupart des lacs, on trouvait les principaux Thirty-two species of crustacean zooplankton cations dans 1 'ordre de concentration suivant: were recorded; Cyalops sautifer and Diaptomus ca+2 > Mg+2 > Na+ > K+. pribilofensis were present in almost all lakes and were dominant in most. The most common cladocerans On a observe 32 espBces de zooplancton srustaceen, were Daphnia Zongiremis~ Eubosmina Zongispina and cyclops scutifer et Diaptormw pribilofensis etant Daphnia middendorf~w<a. Most zooplankton spe~ies prEsents dans presque taus les lacs et dominants dans were widely distributed throughout all the dra1nage la plupart. Les cladocBres les plus communs etaient basins but some of the species were restricted to Daphnia Zongiremis, Eubosmina Zongispina et Daphnia a particular area only. Aaanthodiaptomus denti­ middendOrffiana. La plupart des especes de zooplanc­ ao~1is was found in only three shallow unglaciated ton ~taient largement distribuEes dans taus les bassins lakes. Seneaella aalanoides was found in only four de drainage, mais certaines des especes Etaient lakes in the southwestern corner of the Yukon limitees a une zone particuliBre seulement. Aaantho­ Territory in lakes presently or formerly part of diaptomus dentiao~tis a ete observe dans seulement the Alsek drainage area. Gyalaps biauspidatus trois lacs non glaciaires peu prafond. Seneaella thomasi occurred only in southern-most part of the caLanoides a ete observ~ dans seulement quatre lacs Yukon Territory {Upper Teslin drainage). Li~zoaal­ de la partie sud-ouest du Territoire du Yukon, dans anus macrtwus~ a common northern species, was not des lacs qui font au qui ant fait partie du bassin found in any of the Yukon lakes. de drainage de l 1 Alsek. On a trouve Cycl.ops biczls­ pida~~s thomaai uniquement dans la partie la plus Twenty-three fish species were found, the most septentrionale du Territoire du Yukon {bassin de common being 1ake whitefish Caregonus alupeaformis~ drainage superieur de la Teslin). Limnoaal.wiua lake trout Salvelinus namaycush~ and northern pike maci'UrUS, espE!ce commune du nord, n1 a ete observe Esox Ztwius. Post-glacial alterations in drainage dans aucun des lacs du Yukon. patterns have profoundly affected the distribution of fish species in Yukon lakes. Parts of the On a trouve vingt-trois espE!ces de poisson, les drainage basins of the Alsek, Upper Liard and Peel plus communes Etant le grand coregane (Coregonus Rivers all drained into the Yukon basin during cl.upeaformis). le toul adi (Salvel.inus namayc.u.sh), deglaciation and these three areas have received et le brochet (Esox Zuaiua). Les modifications much of their fish fauna directly from the Yukon post-glaciaires des bassins de drainage ant grande­ River basin (Bering refugium). Lake whitefish ment influe sur la distribution des especes de poisson electrophoretic patterns in Alsek, Upper Liard and dans les lacs du Yukon. Certaines parties des bassins Peel basin populations are very similar to Yukon de drainage de 1 1 Alsek, de la partie supErieure de la basin populations.