Multi-year water quality analysis of surface water from Yukon River watershed
Abstract
The Yukon River has been monitored for water quality by the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council (YRITWC) for the ongoing Indigenous Observation Network (ION) project (NSF Award Number 1753389) since 2006. Other studies have dated back even further, allowing researchers to see trends in tested analytes over time. The newest available data obtained in recent years has allowed researchers to look at the Yukon River Basin (YRB) comparatively to previously assumed trends with larger sample sizes per year and in a more modern view with updated knowledge of the data collected. In addition to previously tested parameters (hardness, sulfate, and dissolved organic carbon), the ratio of stable isotopes ²H and ¹⁸O have been measured, adding a new dimension to analysis of Yukon River surface water. Research and analysis on trends of Yukon River surface water constituents are important for local communities living in the YRB that are dependent upon it for both direct and indirect subsistence. For more remote villages that do not have access to more rigorous methods of water treatment, it is imperative to understand how various constituents in the Yukon River are changing over time and how changes in specific analytes may affect them. This study presents data in a way that is easily digestible for local communities and shows current trends that may have effects in the future.Description
Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2024Date
2024-05Type
ThesisCollections
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