Assessing the impacts of permafrost thaw driven changes to water resources in Canadas sub-Arctic using remote sensing and hydrological modelling

Unprecedented climate warming and human disturbance in the border region of the Northwest Territories and northeastern British Columbia (NEBC) has led to widespread permafrost thaw and land cover change that has disrupted the hydrological cycle and the industrial activities that depend upon it. To address this concern, Wilfrid Laurier University in collaboration with Nexen Energy will work toward the development of the Consortium for Permafrost Ecosystems in Transition (CPET) for the purpose of reducing the uncertainty regarding the future availability of surface water resources in the economically and environmentally important NWT-NEBC border region. The Mitacs programme will bring together researchers, aboriginal communities, government agencies and an industrial partner (Nexen) for the purpose of developing and sharing new knowledge and techniques, increasing predictive capacity so that water management strategies can be improved and implemented with greater confidence, and building a community focussed on responsibly managing its shared water resource.

Faculty Supervisor:

William Quinton

Student:

Justin Adams

Partner:

Nexen Inc.

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

Oil and gas

University:

Wilfrid Laurier University