CHANGING FLOWS, CHANING LIVELIHOODS: LONG-TERM CHANGES IN HYDRO-ECOLOGY AND SOCIO-ECONOMY IN THE SASKATCHEWAN RIVER DELTA, CANADA

Abstract:

The Saskatchewan River Delta is North America’s largest inland delta, covering 10,000 km2 at the interface of the Great Plains and Boreal forest. Historically, it was the most productive fish and wildlife habitat in the region [BP1] and as such, traditional livelihoods in the local Cree and Métis community were supported by a flourishing fur trade, dense moose populations, and commercial and subsistence fisheries. But water resource development upstream has truncated flood peaks and introduced hydro-peaking with adverse consequences for biological production and these livelihoods. Local science and traditional knowledge, combined with a growing wealth of western science measurements are painting a picture of long-term ecological change. Remote sensing techniques coupled with hydrometric data show strong correlations between surface water coverage area and in-channel flow, thus enabling backcasting and forecasting of inundation patterns. The implications of losses of hydrological connectivity are evaluated using environmental DNA and stable isotope markers of fish movement and avian origins, with a focus on species that are most important for the economy and culture of the delta’s people. The work aims to contribute to the setting of environmental flows and the re-licensing of major dams in 2015, as well as to support the development of a community-led water stewardship planning process that is now underway, with a goal of identifying threats to the delta and to make recommendations on threat mitigation. This presentation will describe how this community-informed, interdisciplinary approach aims to understand linkages between water, wildlife and people in this vital ecosystem.

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 [BP1]In what region? This is a redundant statement if talking about the River Delta region. Maybe just take out first half of sentence.

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