Concerned About Discoloration of Snow Along North Slope Roads

Observation by Eunice Brower:

Oil and gas explorations and developments that are happening here on the North Slope of Alaska are changing the climate at a more accelerating rate than normal in the Arctic with deposition of dirt and dust from roads and soot or exhaust from equipment, these are aerial pictures from SkyTruth and how it impacts those specific areas where development or exploration is occurring and how it melts snow around these areas first because of the rapid absorption from the suns rays and the snow usually reflects the suns rays but when there is dirt and soot it creates an absorption rate to melt the snow much more quicker. I wonder if there is a way to get more current imagery. I am also wondering with oil and gas development expanding and more ice roads how the diesel exhaust could impact the snow, permafrost,vegetation, wildlife and people? I don't know if the impacts of the ice roads have been studied.

John Amos with SkyTruth writes:

The issue here (with the photo) isn't pollution; it's decreasing the albedo of the snow cover by making it darker, through soot and/or dust deposition. That increases absorption of infrared energy from the sun, which accelerates melting, and has been tapped in the scientific literature as one of the factors exacerbating warming in the Arctic. See our old (2010) blog post here

Melissa Head with Department of Natural Resources Manager of the Northern Region Oil and Gas Team, writes:

There is an extensive network of gravel roads within the oil field district. Most of these roads have been in place for over 20 years and were established during the early years of oil exploration and development. Most become covered with packed snow during the winter months, but snow removal activities by the companies and increasing solar gain often cause the roads to be snow-free by late March or early April. Snow removal and road traffic may also remove the snow at times throughout the winter. These snow-free gravel roads are heavily traveled by vehicles and equipment resulting in significant road dust being deposited on the downwind sides of the roads depending on the wind direction. In turn, the dust accumulation erodes the snow pack much more quickly than areas that are not adjacent to gravel roads.

Because ice and snow roads are made with ice chips, snow, and water, we do not observe the same issues. There is some dirt and dust associated with transporting gravel along ice/snow roads and sometimes dirty vehicles that may be travelling the roads, but we do not see the large dust shadows that are clearly evident adjacent to gravel roads. Ice road operators tend to be sticklers for clean ice roads as any dirt deposited during a season of use will reduce the length of ice road use in the spring. Ice/snow roads are designed to be less impactful to the environment overall. If constructed correctly, they can support vehicle and equipment travel without damaging the underlying tundra. This has been the focus of the work of our office and was the purpose behind the Tundra Travel Model study. That study resulted in our standards for allowing vehicular travel on the tundra without causing unacceptable levels of tundra damage. Our standard criteria for allowing travel on the tundra is when soil temperatures reach -5C at 30cm below the tundra surface and 6” or 9” of snow cover (6” in the coastal areas, 9” in the Brooks Range foothills). We maintain monitoring stations located throughout state land on the North Slope where we collect this data starting in the late fall. Permitted entities are not allowed to begin ice/snow road construction until these criteria have been met in their operating area or within their ice/snow road corridor.

I understand that more recent research has pointed to atmospheric pollutants from fossil fuel combustion worldwide creating dirtier snow and thus reducing albedo of snow overall. There could be localized pollution contributing to dirty snow. However, in this case, I would hypothesize that the primary culprit is windblown dirt and dust from gravel roads.

Mike Brubaker with ANTHC Community Environment and Health writes:

We performed a climate change health impact assessment in 2014, with the North Slope Borough, and the Native Village of Nuiqsut. The report entitled Climate Change in Nuiqsut, Strategies for Community Health can be found here. The topic of albedo and increased thaw or melting was not specifically discussed in the report. As described by John Amos of SkyTruth (above), the darkening of snow by dust or pollution can increase thaw. The North Slope Borough Health Department has conducted a series of community health forums about health impacts in eight communities. The reports are available on the North Slope Borough's Health Department website. Air and other pollution from industrial and residential sources were some of the topics discussed in the Nuiqsut Report. For a discussion on community health and some of the information used as indicators for development impacts see the 2014 report: Health Indicators in the North Slope Borough - Monitoring the Effects of Resource Development.

Raphaela Stimmelmayr Wildlife Veterinarian/Research Biologist with the Department of Wildlife Management for the North Slope Borough, writes:

We have recently completed some contaminant work on Caribou from the Teshekpuk Herd and are in the process of analyzing the data. Preliminary findings suggest that exposure to petroleum products is of no concern (extremely low to non-detect levels) in Caribou from this herd.

Resources:

SkyTruth is an organization that uses satellite imagery to monitor and raise awareness about environmental conditions.

Stephen R. Braund and Associates were contracted by the North Sloe Borough in 2007 to document the impacts and benefits of oil and gas development as percieved by residents of Nuiqsut, Barrow, Atqasuk, and Wainwright. Personal experiences of impacts, how those impacts have changes, and ways in which impacts can be mitigated and benefits enhanced are included in the report, Impacts and Benefits of Oil and Gas Development to Barrow, Nuiqsut, Wainwright, and Atqasuk Harvesters

The Department of Natural Resources conducted the Tundra Travel Modeling Project to better understand the impact of ice road construction on tundra as the winter exploration season shortens.