NWT-wide Community-based Water Quality Program Workshop highlights!
The NWT-wide Community Based Monitoring (CBM) program, established in 2012, continues to empower residents in water stewardship activities. Now in its 12th field season, CBM has grown to include 40 long-term monitoring stations across the Northwest Territories. On May 28th and 29th, over 40 monitors from 21 communities gathered in Dettah for a workshop that focused on capacity and skill-building, and knowledge exchange. Interactive sessions covered various monitoring methods, data sharing using Mackenzie DataStream, and hands-on demonstrations involving fish health, algae inspections, monitoring water levels, and kick-netting for benthic invertebrates.
Watershed Partnership Scientist and CBM program Lead, Guylaine Ross highlighted the workshop's significance: “The workshop allows everyone to connect with a ‘two eyed seeing’ approach to community-based water quality monitoring. The workshop presents opportunities to bring traditional knowledge and modern science together.” The event also included participation from St. Patrick High School’s grade 11 biology class, whose teacher, Chris Silzer, praised the experience as an ideal blend of indigenous and scientific learning, stating “it was probably one of the best experiences I have had with grade 11 students”. Joseph Gionet of the North Slave Métis Alliance emphasized the value of the sessions, noting that “[The sessions] gave me a well-rounded understanding of technical and modern sampling techniques as well as the importance of northern communities coming together to reach overall goal[s].”
The workshop was an overall success and the CBM program anticipates another safe and prosperous field season ahead.
For more information or questions, please send an email at nwtwaterstrategy@gov.nt.ca or contact directly the Program Lead at Guylaine_ross@gov.nt.ca
