In the remote and beautiful Williston Reservoir, dust storms are a major problem and a health concern for the community of Tsay Keh Dene. For the past eight years, Chu Chu Environmental has been leading the project to monitor and mitigate the airborne dust that blows off the beaches of the reservoir.

Every spring, Chu Chu Environmental embarks on a difficult and challenging mission to deploy monitoring machines in the harsh terrain and weather conditions of the Williston Reservoir. The monitoring stations are strategically placed in difficult-to-reach areas to provide the best unbiased sample of airshed conditions in the local area.

This year, the team is using an argo to transport equipment and personnel to the monitoring sites, where they face obstacles like snow and fallen trees. Once on site, the team sets up solar-powered equipment, including air monitors that use forward laser light scattering to measure the concentration of dust in the air. The monitoring sites also include meteorology equipment that is mounted on a small pole.

The harsh conditions of the Williston Reservoir make it a challenging environment for environmental scientists. But with the right safety gear, equipment, and preparation, Chu Chu Environmental is able to monitor the long-term dust levels in the valley and evaluate the effectiveness of the mitigation efforts of Chu Cho Industries. The team is deploying 14 monitoring sites around the reservoir this year to gather the data needed to address the ongoing problem of airborne dust.