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“All the rivers we used to travel by”: Indigenous knowledge of hydrological change and its impacts in the Mackenzie Delta Region, Canada

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Abstract

Climate change is causing widespread impacts to hydrological systems and altering ecosystems across the circumpolar north. Indigenous peoples have a rich knowledge of environmental changes in their territories and the social-ecological impacts of shifting conditions, which can inform our understanding of how these systems are changing. In this study, we used a participatory, mixed methods approach (29 interviews, 32 questionnaires) to synthesize Gwich’in and Inuvialuit knowledge of hydrological changes observed in the Mackenzie Delta Region. There was a strong consensus among Indigenous knowledge holders that an observed reduction in water levels is linked to increases in permafrost mass wasting, riverbank erosion, and sandbar formation. Indigenous knowledge holders also noted that shifting hydrology has disrupted travel and fishing activities in ways that are likely to impact the health and well-being of Indigenous communities in the region. These findings demonstrate that collaborative partnerships with Indigenous knowledge holders are critical to effectively identify regional-scale environmental change, understand its socioecological impacts, and support local and regional decision-making. Interview participants also highlighted the importance of on-the-land education and intergenerational knowledge sharing to ensure youth can continue to care for the land in the face of rapid socio-ecological change.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all of the interview and questionnaire participants and youth assistants involved in this project. Mahsi’ choo and Quyannaini to the communities of Aklavik, Inuvik, Fort McPherson, and Tsiigehtchic for their warmth and generosity. Thank you to the local organizations and community members who were essential in planning this project, helping with logistics, and assisting with participant selection. We would also like to thank Édouard Bélanger, Cheryl Greenland, Rachel Hovel, Vanessa Cunningham, Emma Hodgson, Jennifer Galloway, Kiyo Campbell, Kristin Hayes, and Steve Kokelj for their assistance with this project, as well as all past and present members of the Arctic Landscape Ecology Lab at UVic, especially those who assisted with this project in the field and the lab: Kiyo Campbell, Zander Chila, Mike Newton, and Chanda Turner.

Funding

This research was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada through the Tracking Change project (grant number 895–2015-1024), ArcticNet (2019-P51), Polar Knowledge Canada (Northern Scientific Training Program), and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (RGPIN 06210–2018).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2, Canada

    Jackie A. Ziegler, Trevor C. Lantz, Tait Overeem & Tracey A. Proverbs

  2. Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board, Inuvik, NT, Canada

    Sarah Lord

  3. Present Address: Fisheries Management, Arctic Region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Inuvik, NT, Canada

    Sarah Lord

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  1. Jackie A. Ziegler
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Aklavik Hunters and Trappers Committee

Gwich’in Tribal Council Department of Culture and Heritage

Inuvik Hunters and Trappers Committee

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Correspondence to Trevor C. Lantz.

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Communicated by Angus Naylor.

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Ziegler, J.A., Lantz, T.C., Overeem, T. et al. “All the rivers we used to travel by”: Indigenous knowledge of hydrological change and its impacts in the Mackenzie Delta Region, Canada. Reg Environ Change 24, 66 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-024-02209-4

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