Researchers from the Northwest Territories are raising urgent alarms about the accelerating threat of coastal erosion in Canada's Arctic, warning that it is degrading land, disrupting travel, and jeopardizing community infrastructure. The findings were highlighted at the recent ArcticNet Annual Scientific Meeting in Calgary.
Monitoring a Disappearing Coastline
Dianne and Lawrence Reuben, who work with the Coastal and Trails Erosion project, have been closely monitoring the coast near Paulatuk, a community of approximately 360 people. They report witnessing a dramatic and distressing loss of land.
"We've lost so much of our land from erosion," said Dianne Reuben. "Along the hills, along the shore, there's a lot of mudslides, areas we can't go by anymore or travel by." She noted that permafrost is becoming increasingly exposed and that wind patterns are shifting, with once-predominant southerly winds now being replaced by more powerful and damaging west-northwest winds.
A Decade of Degradation
The couple pinpointed 2010 as a pivotal year when the effects of climate change became starkly noticeable in their region. "That year was quite noticeable, and it's been degrading our lands annually," Lawrence Reuben explained. The erosion has made travel for local residents increasingly difficult and unpredictable.
"Coastal erosion degraded our travelling routes... because of mudslides and moving land," he said. In some flat areas, the land itself has shifted by several yards or even hundreds of yards, creating large gashes in the ground. Their current work involves quantifying the total land mass lost since 2010 and collaborating with the federal government on potential recovery strategies for coastal areas.
Infrastructure and Future Planning at Risk
The erosion crisis is intrinsically linked to the stability of community infrastructure. Lawrence Reuben emphasized that Tuktoyaktuk, Paulatuk, Uluhaktuk, and Sachs Harbour are all built along vulnerable coastal areas.
He connected the issue directly to housing and development plans, stating that understanding the current ground conditions is critical for future planning. "That all ties in together with how future planning could be better addressed by understanding the current situation as to where and how units are built, and what kind of foundation provides the best insulation to guard against permafrost salt," he said.
Researchers plan to return to the area in the coming year to specifically study saltwater permafrost, which degrades much faster than its freshwater counterpart, posing an additional threat to coastal stability. The collective message from the North is clear and urgent: action is needed now to address the escalating environmental changes that are reshaping the land and lives of its inhabitants.
