"We're concerned the procedures be established now so that in 10 to 20 years someone can monitor the water quality. If we don't establish checkpoints now, we won't have benchmarks to gauge the effects," said Kugluktuk's Red Pedersen, chair of the Environmental Impact Monitoring Agency.

"We don't know for instance, if this is going to affect Lac de Gras, which feeds the Coppermine River," Pedersen said.

In a letter to NWT Water Board chair Gord Wray, Pedersen expressed a series of concerns. First is the long-term water-monitoring program. Next is the time allotted to review the program by the water board, which limits the potential for conducting critical baseline work during the summer of 1997.

"Properly executed baseline studies are essential to the success of the long-term aquatic effects monitoring envisioned by the Board."

Graham Nicholls, spokesman for BHP Diamonds, conceded that their water-monitoring programs needs improvement. But he said BHP is now working on another version.

"A new document will be submitted to the NWT Water Board in early August," said Nicholls. "A lot of this work is already under way."

A water licence was issued to BHP in early January for the mine under construction near Lac de Gras, 300 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife. "We'll be reviewing our current plans in detail with the monitoring agency," Nicholls added.

"Our next meeting is not scheduled yet. We're waiting for a response from the water board," said Pedersen.

Nicholls said BHP plans to respond to Pedersen's letter. "BHP has the situation in-hand and it can be dealt with. They're working with older material."