Data from: Abrupt stream acidification and metal mobilization from permafrost degradation
Data files
May 12, 2026 version files 203.76 KB
-
Peel_Basin_SMO_ImpactedPoints.xlsx
18.50 KB
-
README.md
11 KB
-
TWO_Conductivity_Discharge_2019_2025.xlsx
73.04 KB
-
TWO_Stream_Chemistry_2018_2025.xlsx
86.84 KB
-
Vegetation_Dieback_Seepage_chemistry_-_20250828.xlsx
14.37 KB
Abstract
This dataset includes stream chemistry, stream discharge, and seepage chemistry in headwaters of the Yukon-Mackenzie river divide. It also includes a compilation of acid seeps, vegetation dieback, and "rusty streams" (defined as streams visibly impacted by iron precipitation using remote sensing). The dataset documents abrupt acidification and metal mobilization in Central Yukon. It accompanies a paper by the same authors with the same name as the dataset published in the journal Science (Skierszkan et al., 2026; science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aea2898).
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.cnp5hqcj0
Description of the data and file structure
This dataset includes observations of water chemistry, stream discharge in the Tombstone Waters Observatory, upper Peel, Ogilvie, and Klondike river basins, Yukon, Canada. Full methodological details are available in the accompanying manuscript (LINK).
The dataset also includes remotely sensed instances of vegetation dieback and acidic seepages, and “rusty” streams visibly impacted by iron precipitates.
This spatial data set contains the streams and seepages impacted by acid-rock drainage located primarily in the Peel River basin along the Yukon River - Mackenzie River divide. The features listed in this data set were identified using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery from August 2024, obtained from Copernicus(https://browser.dataspace.copernicus.eu/).
Further details regarding the spatial data analysis can be found in the preprint of a manuscript currently in revision for Science (preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.31223/X5Q44T). Recent high resolution imagery available through Google Earth software was used to supplement Sentinel-2 imagery in the assessment of the points contained in this data set where available.
Files and variables
File: TWO_Conductivity_Discharge_2019_2025.xlsx
Description: Continuous discharge and specific conductivity records in KM99 stream and KM175 stream for the 2019-2025 period, open-water seasons.
"KM99 stream" is located at 64.706523°N, 138.406098°W. Locally known as "Slavin Creek". Tributary of the East Blackstone River.
"KM175 stream" is located at 65.211602°N, 138.320239°W. Tributary of Engineer Creek.
Empty cells (with no data) are infilled with "NA".
Variables
| Variable Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Stream | Name of the stream, as described above |
| Date | month/day/year of sample collection |
| Discharge_m3_second | stream discharge in meters cubed per second |
| SpecificConductivity_uS_cm | stream specific conductivity in microsiemens per second |
File: TWO_Stream_Chemistry_2018_2025.xlsx
Description: Chemistry of stream water samples collected in Tombstone Waters Observatory streams (2019-2024). Location: refers to the approximate distance in kilometers relative to the southern limit of the Dempster Highway.
KM71: 64.505789°N, 138.219676°W. Locally known as "Black Shale Creek" or "Charcoal Creek". Tributary of the North Klondike River.
KM99: 64.706523°N, 138.406098°W. Locally known as "Slavin Creek". Tributary of the East Blackstone River.
KM175: 65.211602°N, 138.320239°W. Tributary of Engineer Creek.
Values below the analytical detection limits are indicated by the “<” symbol and the detection limit for that analysis.
Variables
| Variable Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Stream | Sampled stream, as described above and in the accompanying manuscript |
| date | Month/day/year of sample collection |
| Flow_m3S | Stream discharge in cubic meters per second |
| pH | Stream pH |
| DOC_mgL | Dissolved organic carbon in milligrams per litre |
| Temp_degreeC | Temperature in degrees Celsius |
| Ca_mgL | Dissolved calcium in milligrams per litre |
| Mg_mgL | Dissolved magnesium in milligrams per litre |
| Na_mgL | Dissolved sodium in milligrams per litre |
| K_mgL | Dissolved potassium in milligrams per litre |
| Alkalinity_mgLCaCO3 | Alkalinity, in milligrams per litre as calcium carbonate |
| Cl_mgL | Chloride, in milligrams per litre |
| SO4_mgL | Sulfate, in milligrams per litre |
| NO3_mgLasN | Nitrate, in milligrams per litre |
| NO2_mgLasN | Nitrite, in milligrams per litre |
| Li_ugL | Dissolved lithium, in micrograms per litre |
| Al_ugL | Dissolved aluminum, in micrograms per litre |
| Si_ugL | Dissolved silicon, in micrograms per litre |
| P_ugL | Dissolved phosphorus, in micrograms per litre |
| S_ugL | Dissolved sulfur, in micrograms per litre |
| Mn_ugL | Dissolved manganese, in micrograms per litre |
| Fe_ugL | Dissolved iron, in micrograms per litre |
| Co_ugL | Dissolved cobalt, in micrograms per litre |
| Ni_ugL | Dissolved nickel, in micrograms per litre |
| Cu_ugL | Dissolved copper, in micrograms per litre |
| Zn_ugL | Dissolved zinc, in micrograms per litre |
| As_ugL | Dissolved arsenic, in micrograms per litre |
| Br_ugL | Dissolved bromide, in micrograms per litre |
| Se_ugL | Dissolved selenium, in micrograms per litre |
| Sr_ugL | Dissolved strontium, in micrograms per litre |
| Mo_ugL | Dissolved molybdenum, in micrograms per litre |
| Cd_ugL | Dissolved cadmium, in micrograms per litre |
| Ba_ugL | Dissolved barium, in micrograms per litre |
| U_ugL | Dissolved uranium, in micrograms per litre |
File: Vegetation_Dieback_Seepage_chemistry_-_20250828.xlsx
Description: Geochemical Analyses of Acidic Seepages Around Vegetation Dieback, Dempster Highway, Yukon (2024-2025)
Variables
| Variable Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| SampleID | Sample identity | |
| Date | Month/day/year of sample collection | |
| Latitude | Latitude in decimal degrees | |
| Longitude | Longitude in decimal degrees | |
| Description | Brief field description of sample | |
| pH | Water pH measured in the field | |
| SpecificConductivity_uScm | Water specific conductivity measured in the field | |
| Sulfate_mgL | Dissolved sulfate concentration in milligrams per litre | |
| Al_mgL | Dissolved aluminum concentration in milligrams per litre | |
| Co_mgL | Dissolved cobalt concentration in milligrams per litre | |
| Cd_mgL | Dissolved cadmium concentration in milligrams per litre | |
| Fe_mgL | Dissolved iron concentration in milligrams per litre | |
| Mn_mgL | Dissolved manganese concentration in milligrams per litre | |
| Ni_mgL | Dissolved nickel concentration in milligrams per litre | |
| Se_mgL | Dissolved selenium concentration in milligrams per litre | |
| Zn_mgL | Dissolved zinc concentration in milligrams per litre |
File: Peel_Basin_SMO_ImpactedPoints.xlsx
Description: Compilation of remotely sensed acidic seepages, vegetation dieback, and rusty streams in the Tombstone Waters Observatory (upper Ogilvie, upper Peel, and Klondike River basins), Yukon.
Variables:
-
latitude; latitude in decimal degrees
-
longitude; longitude in decimal degrees
-
area_km2; basin area upstream of rust-impacted stream of river, in km2
The 'area' column provides the drainage area of the rusty stream, which was manually delineated to the downstream visible extent of each ARD-impacted stream reach, typically coinciding with a confluence but occasionally attributed to suspected dilution due to flow accumulation. Features with area = 0 represent drainage areas < 1 km^2. Drainage areas were not delineated for acid seep and/or vegetation dieback features as they were nearly always point source or localized landscape features.
-
feature; description of feature as either: rusty stream, or acidic seepage/vegetation dieback as defined below:
Acid seeps: these are locations where an acidic seepage was identified as determined by visual comparison to known acidic seepages along the Dempster Highway south of the Eagle Plains plateau. These points did not have patches of dead vegetation, i.e., vegetation diebacks, associated with them.
Vegetation dieback: these document areas of dead vegetation suspected to be induced by acidic seepage. The vegetation dieback observed in KM99 watershed and others observed in-person along the Dempster Highway were used to assess and identify these features. Vegetation dieback and seep: these points describe locations where both an acid seepage and vegetation dieback are present and distinguishable.
Rusty stream: these points describe streams which are subject to acid-rock drainage (ARD), which frequently produces a 'rusty' orange appearance to either or both the stream, the streambanks, and in-stream bars. It should be noted that some ARD-impacted streams present different visual appearances, with some streams identified as ARD-impacted through chemical analysis of stream water samples appear white, greenish white, and varying tints of ochre.
Empty cells (with no data) are infilled with "NA".
Code/software
N/A
Water chemistry includes spot field measurements of pH and specific conductivity using a multiparameter sonde (YSI ProPlus or ProDSS) that was calibrated daily (for pH) and weekly (for specific conductivity) using certified commercial calibration solutions. Laboratory analyses include anions (chloride, sulfate) by ion chromatography and dissolved (<0.45 µm) metals by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Dissolved metals samples were field preserved in trace-metal grade HNO3 to pH <2. Dissolved organic carbon was also quantified by wet oxidation followed by infrared detection of evolved CO2. Alkalinity was determined on filtered (<0.45 µm) samples by titration with H2SO4 to the bromocresol green/methyl red color indicator endpoint.
Hydrological measurements were performed using manual discharge measurements with a flow-tracker or salt-dilution gauging, or extracted from ratings curves developed for studied streams. Field measurements of stream stage and discharge were made approximately bi-weekly during the open-water period. Site-specific rating curves were developed to derive continuous discharge from stream stage and pressure-transducer measurements. Mean daily values of discharge were computed from continuous records. Hydrometric stations were also equipped with continuous specific conductivity loggers to obtain continuous conductivity records. Field spot measurements of conductivity were used to drift-correct continuous conductivity sensors.