Ernest Cockney surveys the raised possible midden location at cache site NhTp-1.

On behalf of KAVIK-AXYS Inc., as agents for Devon Canada Corporation (Devon), FMA Heritage Resources Consultants Inc. conducted an archaeological investigation for a proposed production facility and three alternative pipeline routes on the Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula. The potential production facility will lie adjacent to the existing Tuk2 M-18 well, 12 kilometres southeast of Tuktoyaktuk. The pipeline will be used to connect the proposed facility to a different proposed facility at Parsons Lake.

The archaeological investigation was part of a larger program of biophysical study that was designed to provide background data to aid in planning for future exploration and development activities. The specific purpose of the archaeological assessment was to help identify the heritage resource sensitivity of a 20-kilometre wide corridor between the two proposed production facilities, and to provide recommendations regarding the need for mitigation and further work.

To conduct the assessment, archaeologists Wendy Unfreed and Alan Youell were assisted by wildlife monitor Ernest Cockney of Tuktoyaktuk. Field reconnaissance consisted of pedestrian traverse, surface examination and shovel testing to determine the presence of unrecorded archaeological or cultural sites. Fifty shovel tests were excavated in 12 Target Areas within the proposed development corridor.

View of Eastern Route alternative, along winter road alignment.

Although no new archaeological sites were identified during the assessment of the development corridor, two previously recorded sites (prehistoric Inuvialuit cache site NhTp-1 and precontact artifact scatter NgTq-1) were revisited as the result of the assessment. These sites were identified in the Western and Central Route alternatives, respectively, which were found to cross more hummocky ground than the Eastern Route alternative. Of these, NhTp-1 is significant, as previous investigations in 1991 and 1993 revealed that it contained artifacts representative of the Arctic Small Tools Tradition. At that time, however, a discrete component of this period could not be isolated.

Based on the results of the assessment, including the ground inspection and shovel testing of the Target Areas and the aerial overflight of all three routes, it was found that the Eastern Route alternative was the most preferable for avoiding impact to archaeological resources. This was based on three criteria: (1) the lack of previously identified archaeological sites within the general footprint area; (2) the fact that the majority of the route follows intermediate and lower lying ground with lower archaeological site potential and (3) the fact that large parts of the Eastern Route alternative follow or will parallel apparent winter road disturbance. It was felt that use of this area would result in fewer additional impacts to archaeological sites in the region. The area of the M-18 production facility was considered to have low archaeological site potential, due to the fact that it lies in low wet terrain that has been previously impacted through wellsite development. Likewise, the area of the tie-in to the proposed Parsons Lake facility is also of low archaeological site potential, even though it is located in slightly higher and more hummocky terrain. In this case, the low potential is the result of the fact that it has already been subject to large-scale industrial impact.
If it proves impossible to use to the Eastern Route alternative, it was strongly recommended that the final routing of the Tuk2 pipeline be designed to avoid impact to the previously known sites. This is particularly important with respect to site NhTp-1, which is considered to have regional significance due to the occurrence of materials representing the Arctic Small Tools tradition, and the potential that undisturbed components with this Tradition may be found at this site or in its immediate area.

As the plans for the Devon Tuk2 Gas Development project are still very preliminary, and no final routing of the pipeline between the M-18 production facility and the proposed Parsons Lake facility have been finalized, it is recommended that the work conducted under this assessment be considered as part of a preliminary field overview that can be used to narrow down the selection of important archaeological areas that could be recommended for use. As a result, once the final routing for the Devon Tuk2 Gas Development project has been selected, it is recommended that a full and final archaeological assessment of the route be conducted to ensure that all locations containing cultural deposits can be fairly and accurately evaluated and mitigated relative to potential development impacts. This investigation will include the evaluation of a location identified during the 2006 vegetation survey for this project, which requires verification as to whether it contains significant cultural information.