The Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes usually sends a representative to test water in the Haines Borough each month. As Covid-19 cases mount and hospital capacity dwindles in Alaska, they’re suspending that travel. They’re contracting with local biologists to keep the program running.
The bad news is the biologists at the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida can’t come to the Haines area to do water testing for awhile. The good news is the water’s fine.
“I would say that the water here is pristine,” said Stacey Evans is a staff biologist for the Takshanuk Watershed Council.
“We do see some spikes and things like aluminum during periods when the glaciers are melting, but other than that, the there are no pollutants or contaminants in the water.”
The organization already tests local waters at several sites, so Tlingit and Haida is contracting it to continue the partnership project with local tribes Chilkat Indian Village and Chilkoot Indian Association.
They will continue collecting samples monthly at the Wells Bridge and the 26 mile bridge. That’s to get a set of baseline data for the Chilkat and Klehini Rivers and monitor for changes as a result of upstream industrial projects.
“There are several current and proposed large scale mines located in British Columbia. And these mines are on the headwaters and tributaries of transboundary rivers. Those are rivers that start in Canada and end up in Alaska. So it makes it kind of complicated to those mines are governed by Canada laws,” Evans said.
Raymond Paddock is the Environmental Coordinator for the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida’s Native Lands and Resource Department. He says his department is interested in getting the best data possible and doing the highest quality science they can. They make those resources available to regional tribes.
“We were able to still conduct our sampling to ensure that we’re providing safety to our subsistence users, providing well being to our economy in Southeast Alaska, which of course is clean water and fish and to ensure the safety of our citizens, tribal citizens and the residents of Southeast Alaska,” he said.
The department uses money from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to finance testing at transboundary waters around Southeast Alaska including the Alsek, Taku, and Stikine rivers.
Takshanuk Watershed Council will continue water testing in collaboration with Chilkat Indian Village of Klukwan and Chilkoot Indian Association through next June.
