Water
The NWT is renowned for its clean and abundant water resources. These water resources are made up of lakes, rivers and their deltas, wetlands, permafrost, groundwater, and glaciers.
All ecosystems and humans depend on water; therefore, there is a direct connection between ecosystem health and the state of water resources. Water resources are not limitless; there are increasing pressures on these resources through climate change and human actions. Aquatic ecosystems are made up of water, sediments, living organisms and their interactions. If one of these components is impaired, the overall health of the aquatic ecosystem is compromised. To track the integrity of the ecosystem, it is useful to establish indicators for each of the components. In this highlight report, we review the current work related to the development of indicators relating to water quality and quantity.
The vast majority of the NWT lies within the Mackenzie River Basin, land that is drained by river systems that eventually drain into the Mackenzie River and into the Beaufort Sea. This is Canada’s largest river basin and the second largest river basin in North America, with river systems draining parts of BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, Nunavut and the NWT. In 2003, the Mackenzie River Basin Board, a cooperative forum for sharing information on the Mackenzie River Basin, released a State of the Aquatic Ecosystem Report on the Mackenzie River Basin that looked at a wide range of water indicators. They reported the need for improved knowledge including both scientific monitoring and research, and traditional ecological knowledge. It was recognized that community based knowledge about land and water is critical for future state of the aquatic ecosystem assessments. The report concluded that the Mackenzie River Basin is generally healthy, while urging action on key issues and information gaps.
It is important to NWT residents that the quantity and quality of water resources within the territory are maintained. Residents of the NWT have repeatedly declared the significance of water in various water-related meetings and in reference to specific development activities within the borders of the NWT and beyond. The GNWT is developing an NWT Water Resources Management Strategy with Aboriginal and federal partners to provide guidance for the effective management of territorial water resources. Indicators for reporting on the state of water resources will be examined as part of the strategy development process.
Scientific indicators of ecosystem integrity can include physical and chemical parameters of water and sediments, as well as parameters measuring the health of the biological community. For example, some of the physical and chemical measurements in a water quality monitoring program may include pH, temperature, and concentration of dissolved oxygen, metals or contaminants in the water or sediments. A water quantity program measures hydrological indicators such as stream flows and lake levels. Ultimately, if ecosystem health is compromised, it will be reflected in the biological community. Biomonitoring enhances water quality and quantity monitoring assessments by measuring the health of the biological community, reflecting the combined effects of water chemistry, sediment chemistry, physical habitat characteristics, hydrology, nutrient levels, and food availability.
The GNWT is developing an NWT Water Resources Management Strategy with Aboriginal and federal partners. The strategy will provide guidance for the effective management of territorial water resources. Indicators for reporting on the state of water resources will be examined as part of the strategy development process.
Various agencies currently monitor aspects of the aquatic ecosystem (see links below). Indicators may be developed for future reports.
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