Going forward, NWT CIMP will conduct a three year project assessing the water quality of at least 30 lakes in the Daring Lake sub-basin. Sampling results can be compared against the calculated baselines from this report to determine whether exceedances are occurring. Exceedances can be used to gauge the level of cumulative effects occurring and then compared against the cumulative effect (CE) indexing tool’s predictions. Eventually, it is the hope that the CE indexing tool will be validated and capable of being used across the NWT.
Recommendations for NWT CIMP include the inclusion of traditional knowledge in water quality baseline studies in the Upper Coppermine because of the large proportion of Indigenous stakeholders. As well it is suggested that strontium, chloride, sodium, pH and conductivity are closely monitored and used as an indicator for anthropogenic disturbance, and major ions and DOC are closely examined. Finally, a permafrost slump metric should be added to the natural disturbance category of the CE indexing tool to better identify natural disturbances.
As climate change, and increased development continues to change the natural environment in the north, understanding cumulative effects is becoming more and more vital to maintaining northern ecosystems. Ultimately, the information provided in this report will help the NWT CIMP, understand cumulative effects to water quality in the Upper Coppermine and other areas of the NWT, better detect exceedances of ambient baseline thresholds, and finally, help calibrate a cumulative effect indexing tool. The better understanding of cumulative effects to water quality in the Upper Coppermine provided in this report advances progress of NWT CIMP’s inspiring vision to “watch and understand the land so it can be used respectfully forever”.