Traditional Ecological Knowledge in support of an Application for a Water License for Construction of the Mackenzie Valley Winter Road Disclaimer It is recognized that the knowledge in this report is the property of the holders of the knowledge, and that it is not the property of D.o.T., the SLWB or GeoNorth. It has been gathered with the consent and cooperation of the Sahtu knowledge holders and community RRCs for the express purpose of obtaining a water licence for construction and operation of the winter road. It should not be used for other purposes without prior consent of the community RRCs. 1. Process Overview GeoNorth was contracted by D.o.T. to gather traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) as part of their requirement in preparing a Water Licence application to the SLWB for construction and operation of the Mackenzie Valley Winter Road. Due to the short time-frame available GeoNorth agreed to make a ‘best effort’ to meet requirements for the application, but stated that it could not guarantee outcomes. GeoNorth made prior arrangements through SLWB, SRRB and community RRCs, and visited the Sahtu communities27thof Tulita, Norman Wells, Fort Good Hope and Colville Lake during the week of September to October l. Interviews were held in each community with recommended holders of traditional ecological knowledge for the proposed route, and additional meetings were attended where valuable advice and information was received. Traditional ecological knowledge information gathered through interviews and meetings then was combined with other previously available TEK information, and submitted to D.o.T. in GeoNorth’s final report on “Traditional Ecological Knowledge Study in support of an Application for a Water Licence for Construction of the Mackenzie Valley Winter Road.” This report is provided to the SLWB under separate cover. The following is a summary of traditional ecological knowledge contained in the report. 1 Summary of Interviews/Meetings Held for TEK regarding the Application Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday September 27 September 28 September 29 September 30 October 1 Norman Wells: Tulita: Fort Good Weathered in Norman Wells: Ed Hodgson David Etchinelle Hope: Norm Hodgson John Hodgson Roger Boniface Larry Organized a Tourangeau meeting with: Charlie Barnaby Alexis Chinna Bart Kotchilly John Kotchilly Tulita: Fort Good Hope: Colville Lake: Sahtu Regional D.o.T. community Alexis Blancho, Resource consultation RRC Council meeting regarding Richard Meeting: the winter ice road: Kochon, RRC Charlie Kochon, Community Wilbert Kochon, Colville Lake members: Interpreter Boniface Ayah, David Cook Joe Martin Tulita RRC Joe Grandjambe Oudzi, RRC Wilfred Lennie, Scott Hardisty Tulita RRC, Everett Kakfwi Alfred Lenny, Bruno Ritias Tulita RRC Arthur Tobac Lisa McDonald, D.o.T. reps: Norman Wells Michael Brown RRC Rhonda Batchelor Winter Lennie, Don Hardisty Norman Wells RRC Michel Lafferty, Fort Good Hope RRC Harry Harris, Fort Good Hope RRC Lucy Jackson, Interpreter Fort Good Hope Tulita: Maurice Mendo Daily Total: 12 7 9* 0 2 2 Grand Total of InterviewsfMeetings held: 28 2. Summary of Traditional Ecological Knowledge Gathered 2(a) Tulita District Soils in this area are a combination of gravel, loam and a little clay. Although each creek has it’s own specific mix, conditions are much the same all along the area. Because clay is what retains the water the most, drainage should be carefully attended to whenever it is present. Global warming has had a noticeable effect on seasonal changes and is making overland access much shorter than it used to be. Blackwater River (km 784) NTS 95 N The Blackwater River is a large, fast moving river. Above the river is Blackwater Lake and this as well as little creeks feed into the Blackwater River. The water rises fast in the rain because of all the little creeks. There is no soil along the River, only rocks. It usually is about 3- 4 feet deep but it is low this year. The water is clean, kind of brown in the summertime and is used for drinking. Fishing for grayling occurs near where it meets the Mackenzie River. There are trout on Blackwater Lake, but not in the river. There are a lot of moose in the backcountry of Blackwater River and along the Mackenzie River banks. There are no beaver dams because the lake and river is too big for a dam. There are no known spills or contamination of the water. When the Mackenzie River breaks up in the spring time, the ice backs up the Blackwater River. With regard to water being extracted from this river for the building of the winter road, responses ranged from no concern, to not knowing how the river will be impacted by taking water out to deep concern that there wasn’t enough water to be found anywhere as water levels all over the Valley have been dropping so drastically over the past years. In the 1950s Maurice Mendo used to travel to this area for trapping. There is a trail on the side of the Balckwater River which goes up to Blackwater Lake. At the Lake there used to be a camp of 5-6 houses. It was stifi there in 1953, but people moved into Deline and Tulita in the 1960’s. Traditionally, people used to go from Blackwater Lake down to the Mackenzie River. As well, people came from Wrigley to trap in the area. The area around Blackwater Lake is still used by people from Wrigley to trap for: • Marten • Beaver • Wolverine •Mink • Lynx Steep Creek (km 816-NTS) 96C The habitat is suitable for geese, diving ducks and moose. Harvesting of moose and beaver occur mostly along the Mackenzie River in the vicinity of the outlet from Steep Creek. The area along the shore of the Mackenzie River near Steep Creek is a traditional fishing area. Being located about 300m from the Mackenzie River, the winter road stream crossing is an area of traditional travel routes. There is also a cabin located about 500 m northwest of the crossing. The winter road crossing is only about 300 m from the outlet. Water is low but never freezes, kind of like hot springs. Moose are hunted below the creek on an island. This is where people 3 hunt. There are trails toward Blackwater Lake from Steep Creek going over the mountain. There used to be an old cabin right beside the winter road, but it is torn down now. Mackenzie River (near Saline River) (km 832) NTC 96C There is natural salt in the Saline river area, traditionally people would use it for medicine. The area is suitable for geese and diving ducks travelling through the area, and hawks and eagles live in the area. There is a lot of moose hunting. Caribou just move around, they do not stay in the area. Sometimes caribou and moose lick the salt. There are no fish in Saline River but there are Grayling where it enters the Mackenzie, and they lay their eggs in the fall. The River is not very fast moving except in the spring time when in might be 3’ deep with the water melting and running from the hills. Water levels are low this year and you cannot travel up the river by boat. Threre is a lot of gravel. The river does freeze but it always gets overflow. There are birds that travel through the area. Hawks and eagles live in the area. Trails used for travel and use of land and wildlife resources pass through the region around the crossing. There used to be a cabin right on the Mackenize River. Three people are buried on the hill above the river bank and the crypt can still be seen. On the other side of the river, Maurice Mendo’s uncle is buried. There are trails on this side that go up to Blackwater Lake. People used to go up the trails to hunt beaver in the 1960’s. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, people still trapped there. Even today people are still trapping in the area. Little Smith Creek (km 853) NTS 96C This area has good habitat for geese, diving ducks and moose. Sometimes there are woodland caribou in the area, but not many. Ducks rest in the area but do not stay. Immediately north of the winter road stream crossing there is beaver habitat. Moose are the major wildlife resource in the area that is harvested. It only rained a few times this summer and water levels are similar to the Saline River. When snow melts, it is gone. At this time of year, the creek is still moving but there is not much water. All the creeks are drying up, this summer is the worst. Maurice Mendo thought that this could be attributed to the permafrost melting. People used to fish for grayling in the area and they lay their eggs in the area in the fall. A long time ago, people used to paddle up the creek, but now it is too low. No one has paddled up it for about fifty years. Traditional trails traverse the region but none apparently cross at the location of the winter road stream crossing. There is a cabin located several hundred metres west of the Little Smith Creek crossing, near the outlet to the Mackenzie River. There is a trail from Little Smith Creek that goes up to Clark Mountain. Maurice Mendo used it in 1955. He walked up from the creek in the summer up to a big high mountain and from there he could see Deline and Tulita. People used this trail to hunt moose. There is a cabin down by the Mackenzie River bank.