Environmental Studies

Studies conducted for the Arctic Project include:

• Aquatics monitoring

  • Ongoing since 2016

  • Conducted by ADF&G

  • Sampling include both fish and macroinvertebrates (the bugs fish eat)

• Avian survey

  • Aerial bird nests survey

• Habitat survey

  • In conjunction with the wetlands delineation

• Wetlands delineation mapping

  • Study of plant species as well as telltale signs of wetlands

  • Spanning several years and submitted to the U.S. Corps of Engineers for review

  • Preliminary Jurisdictional Determination (PJD) received

• Surface water sampling

  • More than 10 years of water quality and creek data in the Project area

  • Full suite analysis including low level metals detection

• Stream sediment analysis

• Groundwater quality

  • Wells installed around the Project area are used to test groundwater quality

  • Ongoing work with more than five years of data

• Surface hydrology

  • Hydrologic gauging stations installed in 2012

  • Frequent wading rod measurements to develop ratings curves for the Shungnak River and Subarctic Creek

• Archaeological site investigations

  • Completed in 2016, 2017, and 2019 to look for evidence of cultural sites in or near the project area

    • None found.

• Threatened and endangered species analysis

  • None reported in or near the Project area

• Meteorological analysis

  • A meteorological station installed at the Arctic Airstrip in 2011

  • A permitting grade station installed near the Arctic mine in 2018

  • The data will be used in engineering and permitting

• Precipitation

  • Three rain gauges installed in 2016 to measure the annual precipitation on the Project

• Geochemical analysis

  • Study of the Project rock types ongoing since 2015

  • Analysis includes onsite test barrels, as well as off-site humidity cells