The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) Department of Environment and Climate Change (ECC) has initiated a collaborative research and monitoring program for Great Slave Lake, focusing on water quality. This program aims to coordinate efforts, improve communication to reduce duplication, and opportunistically initiate projects that address shared priorities when funding opportunities become available.
Since 2021, the Water Monitoring and Stewardship Division (WMSD) has engaged with Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations around the lake to understand their current research and monitoring efforts, concerns, and priorities. This engagement has included virtual community-specific workshops, annual sessions at the Water Stewardship Strategy Implementation Workshop, and an in-person workshop featuring an Elders panel. These efforts have brought together representatives from Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations to shape the program's development.
Results of the survey indicate that communities are observing a wide variety of changes to the health of the Great Slave Lake ecosystem. Climate change was identified as the main cause of the observed changes. Respondents noted several changes including the temperature, appearance, taste, and smell of the water, algae growth, water levels, timing of ice break-up and freeze-up and ice quality.