Status: Completed December 2022
McIntyre Creek flows just below Yukon University Ayamdigut Campus in the Traditional Territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council. It represents a perfect environment to study, monitor, and learn about cold regions hydrological processes in headwater channels. Moreover, the creek is located in Whitehorse, which means that it has been impacted by development. In addition, it is used for hydroelectric production, especially during winter months, and it is considered for the reestablishment of a fish hatchery. As a result, the creek is of significant interest for different groups and reasons. Phase 1 of the McIntyre Creek Hydrological Project started in January 2021 with observations visits and the sporadic measurement of water quality parameter performed by a student supported by SAG. The project evolved later with semi-permanent instrumentation deployed at 5 different sites to collect continuous water level, conductivity and temperature data. Trail cameras were also installed in the fall of 2021 to document ice cover formation processes. Students from GEOG101 had the chance to perform a flow measurement and to assist with the collection of water quality data during the fall of 2021. Another student supported by SAG continued to document ice processes and to collect data during winter 2021-2022. This application now emphasizes a second phase. Phase 2, starting in April 2022, will involve the collection of additional hydrological parameters on a longer stream segment by students, the installation of additional semi-permanent instruments to document groundwater-channel interaction with the support of students, and a more consistent integration of the McIntyre Creek Hydrological Project into GEOG101 and GEOG102 educational activities.
Project description
Phase 2 of project has three distinct objectives.
- The reach of McIntyre Creek extending from the Alaska Highway to Mountainview Drive will be used to improve our understanding about hydrological processes in cold region streams (e.g., annual changes in water quality parameters, annual turbidity cycle, groundwater-channel interaction during the cold season).
- The creek will be instrumented in a perspective of answering applied science questions from potential contributors (e.g., impact of hydroelectric production on winter habitats, impact of the annual turbidity cycle on aquatic life, ice processes impacting transportation infrastructure).
- The creek will be further integrated in the training of YukonU Environmental Science students for them to learn about physical cold region processes as well as to obtain trainings on different instruments that are used by practitioners to monitor aquatic habitats (which is of value for regulators and mining companies).
Methods and resources
In 2021, different instruments were deployed along McIntyre Creek: two conductivity sensors (to document different water sources in the basin), three conductivity and level loggers (to document the spatial variation in water quality and ice-affected water levels), one high resolution temperature sensor (to document supercooling events that are detrimental to aquatic species), and two trail cameras (to visualize the evolution of the ice cover and associated water level). In addition to autonomous instruments, a 2021 contribution from SAG supported the purchase of a handheld water quality probe to complement data monitored at specific sites on a continuous basis.
Phase 2 will involve the purchase, deployment, maintenance, and use of additional instruments that will be purchased with another research fund (NTCF) for a combined value of $18,000. A portion of SAG funds, if granted, will be used to purchase a portable turbidity meter (a parameter that is not of interest to the NTCF project, but of great importance to understand McIntyre Creek). The remainder of the SAG grant would be used to support two students. Their work will involve: 1. Participating in the deployment on instruments (10 days before fall 2022). 2. Contributing to the calibration, maintenance, and download of these instruments (1-2 days every 4 months). 3. Collecting water quality parameters on a weekly basis using portable and lab instruments. 4. Making observations of channel conditions at 8 locations on a weekly basis during summer months and biweekly during the ice season. 5. Producing reports, including the 2021-2022 hydrological year report.
Expected outcomes
The most impactful outcome of the project is the training of two YukonU students in 2022. Another outcome of interest is the expansion of the McIntyre Creek Hydrologycal Project and the production of high-quality hydrological data that will be used by Environmental Science students at YukonU. This data will also be used to document hydrological processes in a perspective of sharing knowledge with the community (through reports, blog posts, and meetings), to improve our understanding of cold regions hydrological processes, to answer specific research questions and therefore to promote scientific presentations and publications by the YRC. Finally, the data collected will be compared with data from other sites in order to inform flood adaptation measures for stream crossings, a project that is just beginning with the Department of Highways and Public Works (HPW) and supported by NTCF.
Project team
Benoit Turcotte, Project Lead, Senior Research Professional, Hydrology, Climate Change Research
Partners and funders
North by North, ArcticNet
Northern Trade Corridor Funds (NTCF)
YukonU Scholarly Activity Grant