Utilizing Traditional Ecological Knowledge, A Case Study from the

Lower Athabasca Region James A. Light

SNC-Lavalin Environment

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CEMA Mike Brewster

Kim Dertien Melanie Dubois

Community Liaison Research Team Ora Campbell - Fort Chipewyan Métis Local #125 Alice Martin (Lead) - Nistawoyou Friendship Centre Sherri McKenzie - Mikisew Cree First Nation Glenda McNeilly - Fort McMurray Métis Local #2020 Melina Scoville - MNA Region One Samantha Tremblay - Fort McMurray Métis Local #2021

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

SNC-Lavalin Environment

Clement Agboma, MSc, PhD Project Hydrologist & Water Resources Engineer

Wayne Howse, B.A., B.A. Tech(GIS) GIS Lead, EIAM

TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF SURFACE WATER–GROUNDWATER INTERACTIONS

IN THE LOWER ATHABASCA REGION

James A. Light SNC-Lavalin Environment

A project supported by the

Cumulative Environmental Management Association

Communities in the Study

Fort Chipewyan Métis Local #125

Mikisew Cree First Nation

Fort McKay First Nation

Fort McKay Métis Local #63

Fort McMurray Métis Local #2020

Nistawoyou Association Friendship Centre

Métis Nation of Alberta Region 1

Willow Lake Métis Local #780

The Study Area

Smith, Jeremy 2006 Traditional environmental knowledge research guidelines. A report on file with CEMA. Tobias, Terry N 2000 Chief Kerry’s Moose, a guidebook to land use mapping, research design and data collection. A joint publication of the union of BC Indian Chiefs and Ecotrust Canada. 2010a Living Proof – The Essential Data Collection Guide for Indigenous Use and Occupancy Map Surveys. A joint publication of the union of BC Indian Chiefs and Ecotrust Canada. 2010b Data collection methodology report, Mikisew Cree First Nation 2009- 2010 use-and-occupancy map survey. A report on file with the Mikisew Cree First Nation.

SLE Data Collection Manual

BIOGRAPHICAL FEATURE CODES

Part 2 The Athabasca River Part 6 Biography

AR Parts of the river used by participant PL Places lived

AC Areas showing changes FH First hunt by participant

SA Cultural/Spiritual use site LH Last hunt by participant

CP Camp on the river FT First area trapped by participant

LT Last area trapped by participant

Part 3 Important water bodies FF First place fished by participant

WA Important waterbody (first) LF Last place fished by participant

WB Important waterbody (second) NM Native medicine collection

WC Important waterbody (third)

CP Camp on waterbody Added Codes

BP Birthplace

Part 4 Other water bodies BR Burial

OA Other important waterbody (first)

OB Other important waterbody (second)

OC Other important waterbody (third)

SW-GW Examples

McClelland Lake Fen. Photo Credit: Jiri Rezac

Map Biography

Part 5 SW-GW Interactions

SH Sink hole

MK Muskeg

LK Lake

SP Spring

SE Seep

RB River boil

DR Disappearing creek

SL Salt lick or salt pan

VG Unusual vegetation

FS Fish spawning

SB Salty or bad smelling water

WW Warm water

CW Cold water

DF Drunken forest

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

19 20 22 25 33 35 37 38 42 45 46 47 48 49 51 54 55 56 57 59 60 61 63 64 65 67 69 70 71 73 74 75 76 78 80 82 92

Frequency

Age in years

Age of Participants

The Study Area

Code Code Description Count % Code Code Description Count %

Type 1 Important Water Bodies 286 23.8 Type 3 SW-GW Interactions 296 24.6

AR Athabasca River use area 37 3.1 CW Cold water 8 0.7

AC Athabasca Changes 21 1.7 DF Drunken forest 11 0.9

WA First important water body 58 4.8 DR Disappearing creek 4 0.3

WB Second important water body 52 4.3 FS Fish spawning location 38 3.2

WC Third important water body 41 3.4 LK Lake with notable changes 24 2.0

OA Other water body 37 3.1 MK Muskeg with notable changes 21 1.7

OB Other water body 20 1.7 RB River boil 10 0.8

OC Other water body 10 0.8 SB Salty or bad smelling water 17 1.4

SA Cultural/spiritual use site 10 0.8 SE Seep 14 1.2

Type 2 Biographical 620 51.6 SH Sink hole 12 1.0

BP Birthplace 1 0.1 SL Salt lick or salt pan 31 2.6

BR Burial location 3 0.2 SP Spring 76 6.3

CP Camp site/home 195 16.2 VG Unusual vegetation 8 0.7

FF First fishing experience 51 4.2 WW Warm water 22 1.8

FH First hunting experience 53 4.4 Total 1202 100.0

FT First trapping experience 48 4.0

LF Last fishing experience 42 3.5

LH Last hunting experience 48 4.0

LT Last trapping experience 43 3.6

NM Native medicine collection site 66 5.5

PL Place lived 70 5.8

All Identified SW-GW Interaction Sites Code Code Description Count %

Type 3 SW-GW Interactions

CW Cold water 8 2.7

DF Drunken forest 11 3.7

DR Disappearing creek 4 1.4

FS Fish spawning location 38 12.8

LK Lake with notable changes 24 8.1

MK Muskeg with notable changes 21 7.1

RB River boil 10 3.4

SB Salty or bad smelling water 17 5.7

SE Seep 14 4.7

SH Sink hole 12 4.1

SL Salt lick or salt pan 31 10.5

SP Spring 76 25.7

VG Unusual vegetation 8 2.7

WW Warm water 22 7.4

Total 296 100.0

Feature No.

Disappearing creek 4

Fish spawning site 38

River boil 10

Smelly water 17

Seep 14

Sink hole 12

Salt lick 31

Spring 76

Warm water 22

Total: 224

Potential SW-GW Interaction Sites

High Priority SW-GW Interaction Sites Priority rating: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Total

Disappearing creek 1 1 1 1 4

Fish spawning 10 9 1 18 38

River boil 3 1 6 10

Bad smell 2 1 7 2 4 1 17

Seep 3 2 3 3 3 14

Sinkhole 1 2 1 4 3 1 12

Salt lick 7 2 4 12 1 5 31

Spring 16 13 12 14 7 14 76

Warm water 11 2 9 22

Total 9 3 32 56 34 29 46 15 224

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