Arsenic in Lake Water Around Yellowknife

News Type: 
Advisories

YELLOWKNIFE (July 5, 2019) – The NWT Chief Public Health Officer is updating the advice provided to residents and visitors about precautions they can take to avoid exposure to elevated arsenic levels found in some of the lakes located around Yellowknife.

This public health advice is based on the most current environmental and human health data available and may be adjusted as more information becomes available from ongoing or future monitoring or research activities.

A number of lakes that are considered safe for swimming and fishing have been added to the map. These include Prelude Lake, Pickerel Lake, Banting Lake, and River Lake.

People should continue to avoid swimming, fishing and harvesting berries, mushrooms and other edible plants around David Lake, Fox Lake, Frame Lake, Gar Lake, Handle Lake, Jackfish Lake, Kam Lake, Niven Lake, Peg Lake, Meg Lake, and Rat Lake. 

Map of Arsenic Concentrations Measured in Water Bodies in the Yellowknife Area (July 5, 2019)

(Click here for PDF Version)

View Larger Map

Lakes with green points:

Arsenic levels are below Health Canada’s drinking guidelines. It is recommended not to drink untreated water from any lake. However, these lakes are considered safe for swimming and fishing.

Lakes with yellow points:

Arsenic levels are above Health Canada’s drinking water guidelines; however, occasional exposure does not pose a significant risk for arsenic-related health effects. It is recommended not to drink untreated water from any lake. These lakes are considered safe for swimming and fishing.

Lakes with orange, red or purple points:

Arsenic levels are elevated (52 parts per billion and above). Water should not be consumed from these lakes. It is also recommended to avoid fishing, swimming, and harvesting berries, mushrooms and other edible plants within this zone. However, walking through this area does not pose a health hazard. 

Yellowknife River and Cameron River have been regularly tested for arsenic for many years and have always been shown to be well below drinking water guidelines. It is safe to swim and fish in these rivers; however it is recommended not to drink untreated water anywhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

Data Sources:

  1. Canada North Environmental Services. (2018). Giant Mine Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment, Final Report. Prepared for: Public Services and Procurement Canada – Western Region, Project No. 2385.
  2. Cheney, C. (2017). University of Ottawa. Unpublished data.

  3. Environment & Climate Change Canada. (2017). Unpublished data.

  4. GNWT Environment & Natural Resources. (2017). Unpublished data.

  5. Houben, A.J., D’Onofio, R., Kokelj, S.V. and J.M. Blais. (2016). Factors affecting elevated arsenic and methyl mercury concentrations in small shield lakes surrounding gold mines near the Yellowknife, NT, (Canada) region; PLOSOne, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0150960.

  6. Jamieson, H.E., Maitland, K.M., Oliver, J.T. and M.J. Palmer. (2017). Regional distribution of arsenic in near-surface soils in the Yellowknife area; Northwest Territories Geological Survey, NWT Open File 2017-03 28p.

  7. Palmer, M.J., Galloway, J.M., Jamieson, H.E., Patterson, R.T., Falck, H. and S.V. Kokelj. (2015). The concentration of arsenic in the lake waters of the Yellowknife area; Northwest Territories Geological Survey, NWT Open File 2015-06 25p.

  8. Palmer, M.J. (2018). Carleton University. Unpublished data. 

  9. Thienpont, J. (2017). University of Ottawa. Unpublished data.

  10. NWT Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program CIMP 174 “Using the past to inform the future: A paleological perspective of the impacts of drought and fire” by Michael Pisaric, Brock University (2018).

  11. NWT Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program CIMP 177 “The influence of forest fires on metal deposition to lakes and peatlands in the North Slave Region” by John Chételat, Environment and Climate Change Canada (2018).

  12. GNWT Environment & Natural Resources. (2018). Unpublished data.

     

Resources

For more information contact:

Umesh Sutendra
Communications
Health and Social Services
(867) 767-9052 ext. 49036