Great Bear Lake Surface Water Temperature Monitoring 2012-2019

Surface water temperature data was collected from Great Bear Lake between 2012 and 2019 using a Hydrolab Series 5 Data Sonde at depths of 0.1 to 1.0 meters. The dataset supports research on climate change impacts on lake trout and northern lake ecosystems, with strong community involvement through the Guardian Program. It extends baseline water quality data for the Sahtú Settlement Area.

Use Cases

• Analyze surface water temperature trends from 2012 to 2019 to model climate change impacts on lake trout habitat.
• Use temperature data at 0.1-1.0 meter depths to assess thermal niche constraints for cold-adapted fish species.
• Integrate temperature records with fisheries data to evaluate sustainable harvest levels for lake trout.
• Employ time-series data to establish benchmarks for community-led long-term monitoring of aquatic ecosystem change.

Strengths

• Data collection spans 8 consecutive years (2012-2019), providing a multi-year time series.
• Measurements were taken using a standardized Hydrolab Series 5 Data Sonde instrument.
• Project features strong community and multi-institutional collaboration, including the Guardian Program for youth involvement.
• Dataset is part of a two-decade research series aimed at synthesizing environmental and harvest effects.

Limitations

• The specific number of data rows, columns, and file sizes are unknown.
• Data is limited to surface water temperature; other water quality parameters are not detailed in this description.
• Geographic coverage is specific to Great Bear Lake, limiting broader regional analysis.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, in collaboration with the Community of Délı̨nę, Délı̨nę Renewable Resource Council, and multiple universities.

Collection Method

Data collected using a Hydrolab Series 5 Data Sonde Multiparameter instrument at depths of 0.1 to 1.0 meters through community-led and collaborative sampling.

Time Range

2012 to 2019

Freshness

Data covers up to 2019; metadata was last updated in March 2026.

Geography

Great Bear Lake, located in the sub-Arctic/Arctic Circle within the Sahtú Settlement Area, Canada.