The maps integrate landscape hazards related to permafrost, surficial geology and hydrology in Yukon communities. They also consider potential future risk in response to changes in climate.
The work is accomplished by gathering and mapping geoscience data in Yukon study communities, including information about local climate, geology, permafrost, and hydrology. Projections of future climate variability for each study community are used to identify potential future trajectories of change.
The project team used the geoscience data to rank hazard risks in a study community, and creates a map showing hazard risks using stoplight colours. By incorporating projections of future climate variability, hazard maps reflect both current and potential future conditions.
Hazard maps can be used by communities and First Nations as part of the adaptation planning process, and are also useful for engineers, planners, consultants, and all levels of governmental and non-governmental decision-makers.
Hazard maps have been completed for:
- Burwash Landing and Destruction Bay
- Mayo
- Pelly Crossing
- Ross River
- Faro
- Dawson City
- Old Crow
Project Lead:
Dr. Bronwyn Hancock, Associate Vice-President, Research Development, Yukon Research Centre
Surficial geology team:
Kristen Kennedy, Panya Lipovsky and Jeff Bond, Yukon Geological Survey, Energy Mines and Resources, Yukon Government
Permafrost team:
Louis-Philippe Roy and Dr. Fabrice Calmels, Northern Climate ExChange, Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College
Dr. Daniel Fortier, Isabelle de Grandpre and Kate Grandmont, Department of Geography, Universite de Montreal
Dr. Antoni Lewkowicz, Department of Geography, University of Ottawa
Dr. Sarah Laxton, Yukon Geological Survey, Energy, Mines and Resources, Yukon Government
Hydrology team:
Dr. Ian Clark, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Ottawa
Yukon Government (Site Assessment and Remediation Unit, Emergency Measures Organization)
Yukon College community campuses
CH2M HILL
Canadian Forest Service
First Nations:
First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun
Kluane First Nation
Ross River Dena Council
Selkirk First Nation
Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in First Nation
Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation
Municipal governments:
City of Dawson
Town of Faro
Town of Mayo
Research Partners:
Yukon Geological Survey, Energy, Mines and Resources, Yukon Government
University of Montreal
University of Ottawa
University of Alberta
Permafrost and Hazard Atlas
Burwash Landing
- Northern Climate ExChange, 2013. Burwash Landing and Destruction Bay Landscape Hazards: Geological Mapping for Climate Change Adaptation Planning. Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College, 111 p. and 2 maps.
- Burwash Landing and Destruction Bay Landscape Hazards: Hazards classification map
- Kennedy, Kristen E., Burwash Landing and Destruction Bay Landscape Hazards: Surficial geology map
Dawson City
- Benkert, B.E., Kennedy, K., Fortier, D., Lewkowicz, A., Roy, L.-P., Grandmont, K., de Grandpré, I., Laxton, S., McKenna, K., and Moote, K., 2015. Dawson City Landscape Hazards: Geoscience Mapping for Climate Change Adaptation Planning. Northern Climate ExChange, Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College. 166 p. and 2 maps.
- Dawson landscape hazard risk map
- M. McKenna, Karen and S. Lipovsky, Panya., Dawson surficial geology map
Faro
- Benkert, B.E., Fortier, D., Lipovsky, P., Lewkowicz, A., Roy, L.-P., de Grandpré, I., Grandmont, K., Turner, D., Laxton, S., and Moote, K., 2015. Faro Landscape Hazards: Geoscience Mapping for Climate Change Adaptation Planning. Northern Climate ExChange, Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College. 130 p. and 2 maps
- Faro Landscape Hazards classification map
- G.Turner, Derek, D .Bond, Jeffrey, and S. Lipovsky, Panya., Faro surficial Geology map
Old Crow
- Benkert, B.E., Kennedy, K., Fortier, D., Lewkowicz, A., Roy, L.-P., de Grandpré, I., Grandmont, K., Drukis, S., Colpron, M., Light, E., Williams, T. 2016. Old Crow landscape hazards: Geoscience mapping for climate change adaptation planning. Northern Climate ExChange, Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College. 136 p. and 2 maps
- Old Crow landscape hazard risk map
Pelly Crossing
- Northern Climate Exchange, 2011. Pelly Crossing Landscape Hazards: Geological Mapping for Climate Change Adaptation Planning. Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College, 48 p. and 2 maps
- Kinnea, Lacia., Pelly Crossing Landscape Hazards: Ranked Hazards Classification Map
- Kennedy, E. Kristen., Pelly Crossing Landscape Hazards: Surficial Geology Map
Ross River
- Benkert, B.E., Fortier, D., Lipovsky, P., Lewkowicz, A., de Grandpré, I., Grandmont, K., Turner, D., Laxton, S., Moote, K., and Roy, L.-P., 2015. Ross River Landscape Hazards: Geoscience Mapping for Climate Change Adaptation Planning. Northern Climate ExChange, Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College. 116 p. and 2 maps
- Ross River hazards classification map
- Turner, G. Derek., Ross River surficial geology map
Mayo
- Northern Climate Exchange, 2011. Mayo Landscape Hazards: Geological Mapping for Climate Change Adaptation Planning. Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College, 64 p. and 2 maps.
- Mayo Landscape Hazards: Ranked Hazards Classification Map
- Kennedy, E. Kristen., Mayo Landscape Hazards: Surficial Geology Map
Other
- Benkert, Bronwyn, Donohoe, Misha and Davey, Tanis., Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College, Comics, Communities and Geoscience: Creative Science Communication
- Scientist or Superhero? Hazards mapping comic