Yukon River Basin Study: Research Program Overview

1. Yukon River Basin Study National Stream Quality Accounting Network National Research Program Alaska Science Center

2. NASQAN Yukon River Project Participants OWQ Steve Sorenson NRP Eastern Region Tom Kraemer Mary Voytek Lisa Fogarty Western Region Carol Kendall Bob Michel Dan Doctor Central Region George Aiken Kenna Butler Mark Dornblaser Dennis Eberl Doug Halm Bob Meade Mike Reddy Paul Schuster Rob Striegl Howard Taylor Kim Wickland District AK Steve Frenzel Tim Brabets Mat Schellekens Dustin Langley Gary Solin Zan Frederick Randy Host Ed Neal Ca Brian Bergamaschi TX Pete Van Metre Barb Mahler WI Dave Krabbenhoft Mark Olson John DeWild UMN Jacques Finlay FSU Jeff Chanton Yale Pete Raymond USM Alan Shiller GA Art Horowitz OR Valerie Kelly Inter-tribal Council: Rob Rosenfeld Contract Observers

3. Investigators Aiken: DOC characterization; carbon cycling Striegl: CO2 fluxes; carbon cycling Krabbenhoft: Hg cycling Reddy/Schuster: Hg-DOC interactions, major ions Kendall: POM isotopes Horowitz: Trace metals in sediments Eberl: Sediment mineralogy Shiller: Trace metal cycling Taylor: Major cations, trace metals, nutrients, rare earths Michel: Tritium Kraemer: U isotopes Brabets: River hydrology/sediments Host/Neal (AK): Discharge (ADCP)

4. Safety Concerns Safety Training Motorboat Operation Certification Class: swift water training In water PFD training Wilderness survival, 1st aid/CPR Firearms/pepper spray training: bears Inoculations: Hepatitis

5. 2002 (completed) between Eagle and Stevens Village 2003 (proposed) between Stevens Village and Pilot Station 2004 between Whitehorse, Canada, and Eagle 2002 (completed) between Eagle and Stevens Village 2003 (proposed) between Stevens Village and Pilot Station 2004 between Whitehorse, Canada, and Eagle 2002 (completed) between Eagle and Stevens Village 2003 (proposed) between Stevens Village and Pilot Station 2004 between Whitehorse, Canada, and Eagle Fixed Site Network: Baseline data The five fixed sites will be sampled for a variety of organic and inorganic constituents over a five year period to establish a baseline database. Each year, these sites will be sampled approximately seven times, including one under-ice measurement. Mass fluxes calculated for the fixed sites will be used to identify source areas of contaminants, and to estimate delivery of these contaminants to the Bering Sea. Intensive Sampling: Process-based data Scientists will conduct intensive boat-based sampling of the Yukon river twice per year, once near peak flow conditions in early June and once near base flow conditions in August/September. The entire Yukon River will be sampled by this method over a three year period. The intensive sampling will increase the interpretability of the flux measurements, and will provide an alternate data set that may be a more sensitive indicator of change. Fixed Site Network: Baseline data The five fixed sites will be sampled for a variety of organic and inorganic constituents over a five year period to establish a baseline database. Each year, these sites will be sampled approximately seven times, including one under-ice measurement. Mass fluxes calculated for the fixed sites will be used to identify source areas of contaminants, and to estimate delivery of these contaminants to the Bering Sea. Intensive Sampling: Process-based data Scientists will conduct intensive boat-based sampling of the Yukon river twice per year, once near peak flow conditions in early June and once near base flow conditions in August/September. The entire Yukon River will be sampled by this method over a three year period. The intensive sampling will increase the interpretability of the flux measurements, and will provide an alternate data set that may be a more sensitive indicator of change. Fixed Site Network: Baseline data The five fixed sites will be sampled for a variety of organic and inorganic constituents over a five year period to establish a baseline database. Each year, these sites will be sampled approximately seven times, including one under-ice measurement. Mass fluxes calculated for the fixed sites will be used to identify source areas of contaminants, and to estimate delivery of these contaminants to the Bering Sea. Intensive Sampling: Process-based data Scientists will conduct intensive boat-based sampling of the Yukon river twice per year, once near peak flow conditions in early June and once near base flow conditions in August/September. The entire Yukon River will be sampled by this method over a three year period. The intensive sampling will increase the interpretability of the flux measurements, and will provide an alternate data set that may be a more sensitive indicator of change. 4 Sampling the Tanana River 4 Sampling the Tanana River 4 Sampling the Tanana River

6. Intensive Sampling Campaigns: NRP Process-based studies • Tributary/main stem sampling point selection based on: • Logistics (Can we measure discharge?) • QW data (Kayaker; identify end members) • Research interests • Basin characteristics • Permafrost coverage • Size • Land use (mining) • Veg classification • Physiography • Source area

7. BRR-CR Intensive sampling: Progress to date 2002 Eagle to bridge (2 trips) 2100 river miles 22 sampling sites ~1500 WQ samples 2003 Bridge to Pilot (1st trip) 930 river miles 17 sampling sites ~570 WQ samples

8. Fixed Station Sampling: AK SC Baseline data Five Stations: Yukon @Eagle (at Canadian border) Porcupine River (major trib) Yukon @ Bridge (this photo) Tanana River (major trib) Yukon @ Pilot Station (“outlet”) Sampling schedule (2001-2005) One under ice sampling in March Every two weeks after ice out (June to Oct) approx 7 samples from each Station

9. AK Science Center Fixed Station sampling: Progress to date 5 stations sampled 2001: 7 times 2002: 7 times 2003: 3 times to date Confluence of the Yukon and Tanana Rivers showing the mixing zone

10. Outreach: Eagle, Alaska, American Creek Grades K6-12 Water quality sampling CO2 sampling

12. Carbon Cycling George Aiken motoring up a trib to collect DOC and other samples Distinct hydrologic connection to the transport of carbon Consistent SUVAs suggest a common source of carbon

13. Carbon dioxide and Methane emissions Where and when are the sources and sinks? Rob Striegl collects a sample for CO2 and methane Preliminary data: Main stem and tribs between Eagle and Bridge 2.5x to 10x > atm CO2 What is the role of carbon dioxide and methane emissions in the carbon cycle of the Yukon River Drainage Basin? Where and when are the sources and sinks? In June 2002, all locations on the Yukon River main stem sampled between Eagle and Stevens Village, and major tributaries, had above atmospheric concentrations of CO2, ranging from ~2.5 to 7 times atmospheric concentration (~370 uatmospheres CO2). In June 2002, all locations on the Yukon River main stem sampled between Eagle and Stevens Village, and major tributaries, had above atmospheric concentrations of CO2, ranging from ~2.5 to 7 times atmospheric concentration (~370 uatmospheres CO2).

14. Terrestrial C Cycling and Permafrost Melting Black spruce forests underlain by permafrost may be converted to wetlands when the permafrost melts. Results from lab incubations of soils collected from a black spruce forest and a collapse bog indicate that potential CO2 loss through respiration and potential DOC loss decrease after a forest collapses and becomes a wetland. This is probably in part due to vegetation changes. Field and lab studies are currently underway to further investigate the effects of permafrost melting on C cycling. Black Spruce Forest Permafrost Collapse Bogs

15. Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) Randy Host, AK SC setting up ADCP for a discharge measurement on the Yukon River

16. Process-based research Do the relations hold as we move up in stream order (scale) from very small to very large? Will climate-change (i.e. melting permafrost) affect the ecology of the Yukon basin across scales?

17. Characterizing a river system as large as the Yukon and understanding carbon cycling and metals interactions in the Yukon River Drainage Basin will be as challenging as navigating the twisted channels of the Yukon Flats