-
Technical Presentation to the Northwest Territories Water Board
Water Licence Application N7-1-1835 October 2013
-
Presentation Outline • DOT as a Developer • Construction Activities • Environmental Management Plan • Scope of Application • Project Water Use, Watercourse Crossings, and Waste
Management • Effects to Water Quality and Quantity, including
Monitoring • Consultation • Compensation
2
-
The DOT as a Developer
• The mandate of the Department of Transportation, Government of the Northwest Territories is to plan, design, construct or reconstruct, acquire, operate and maintain public transportation infrastructure
• The proposed construction of the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway falls within this mandate
3
-
The DOT as a Developer
• The Department is responsible for a transportation system that consists of 2,200 km of all-weather highway, 1,450 km of publicly constructed winter roads, four ferry and ice crossings and 27 community airports
• In the 2013/14 FY the Department had $117 million available for Operations and Maintenance Expenditures
4
-
The Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway Project
• The ITH project comprises construction and operation of a 140-km all-season highway between the communities of Inuvik (end of Navy Road) and Tuktoyaktuk, in the ISR
5
-
Scope of Development
• The Construction of the ITH project includes: – Winter development and operation of borrow sources – Summer maintenance and stockpiling at borrow sources – Winter construction of new embankment – Construction of permanent watercourse crossing and
drainage structures – Summer embankment compaction, surfacing and grading – Construction and operation of winter roads and access trails – Winter and summer operation of temporary camps,
maintenance and storage areas (continued…)
6
-
Scope of Development
7
-
Scope of Development
(… continued) – Transportation of fuel,
waste, equipment and personnel
– Storage of fuel
8
-
Environmental Effects and Mitigation
• The ITH project underwent a Substituted Panel Review by the Environmental Impact Review Board
9
-
Environmental Effects and Mitigation
• The EIRB concluded that the Project will have significant effects on the environment, but that these can be mitigated through the implementation of recommended measures and the developer’s commitments
• The Government of Canada accepted, or accepted the intent of most of the recommendations with modifications, and decided that the development should proceed
• The developer has implemented all of the recommendations related to water and waste in its application
10
-
Project Environmental Management Plan
• Environmental Management Plan includes: – Sedimentation and Erosion Control Plan – Waste Management Plan – Explosives Management Plan – Spill Response Procedure – Spill Contingency Management Plan – Safe Work Practice – Fueling Equipment – Safe Work Practice – Handling Petroleum – Emergency Response Plan – Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Plan – Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat Protection Plan
12
-
Construction Plan
14
-
Construction Plan
• 3 year embankment construction; 4th year surfacing • 40 km constructed each year: 20 km per spread • Most construction activities in winter
Winter 2013-14
Summer 2014
Winter 2014-15
Summer 2015
Winter 2015-16
Summer 2016
Embankment and Crossings Construction
Year 1-N
Year 1-S
Year 2-N
Year 2-S
Year 3-N
Year 3-S Borrow Pit Development 4 Limited 6 Limited 6 Limited Access Road Construction Year 1-N
Year 1-S
Year 2-N
Year 2-S
Year 3-N
Year 3-S
Camps and Supporting Infrastructure
42 2 4 2 4 2
Surfacing/Grading/Railings Year 1-N
Year 1-S
Year 2-N
Year 2-S
Year 3-N
Year 3-S 15
-
Watercourse Crossing Structures
• 68 crossing structures required at 66 crossings
• Meet DFO requirements for fish passage in streams where fish are present
• 8 bridges • 19 bridge-sized culverts (≥ 1.6 m diameter) • 41 culverts (≥1.2 m diameter)
16
-
Example Structure
17
-
Crossing Construction
• In-stream construction planned for winter • Excavate to prepare culvert alignment for installation • Place woven geotextile and bedding gravel below the culvert • Install culvert to grade and alignment • Backfill culvert in thin lifts
18
-
Crossing Construction
19
-
Crossing Construction
20
-
Crossing Construction
• Sedimentation and erosion control will be applied in accordance with Sedimentation and Erosion Control Plan (SECP) and best management practices
21
-
Embankment Construction
• The embankment fill will be placed in winter • Snow will be cleared ahead of the construction • Place geotextile on outer edges of the embankment • Place fill material on 600 mm maximum lifts compacting
each lift to final elevation • Dress and compact side slopes • Dry, grade and compact the top 400 mm of the embankment
in summer • Install guardrail and signage • Following stabilization of the top of the embankment, place
and compact topping gravel in summer
22
-
Embankment Construction
23
-
Embankment Construction
24
-
Borrow Sources
• Up to 11 borrow sources to be used during 3-4 year construction
• 1-2 year use of each during construction
25
-
Borrow Sources
• 500,000 – 800,000 m3 of material to be removed from each source per year
• Operation guided by Pit Development Plans
• Blasting, ripping and hauling in winter; minimal late summer activity
• Re-contouring and natural revegetation of used areas at end of operation
26
-
Camps
• 4 x 60 man camps each winter (2 per spread); 2 x 20 man camps in summer (1 per spread)
• Located at borrow sources or next to embankment (winter) and on embankment (summer)
• Modular construction, transported in winter on access trails
• Bottled drinking water
27
-
Winter Roads and Access Trails
• Access trails built of compacted snow; used to mobilize/de-mobilize equipment early and late in season
• Winter roads built of snow and ice; used for hauling borrow material
• Routing over lakes (rather than overland) has been maximized
• Winter road alongside embankment will be constructed along new embankment only
• Winter road to borrow sources will be required for 1-2 years during construction 28
-
Project’s Use of Water
• Construction and maintenance of overland winter roads
• Camp washing and cooking
• Summer embankment compaction and surfacing
• Greatest use of water is for winter roads
29
-
Project’s Use of Water • Water use greatest
for about 6 weeks during early winter (600 - 800 m3/day) per spread
• Water use is considerably lower during rest of year
(20 -120 m3/day) per spread
30
-
Water Sources
• Less than 10% of unfrozen volume to be withdrawn in any year according to DFO Protocol
• Water withdrawal volume will typically be much less than 10% allowable
31
-
Water Sources
• Available lake volumes supported by bathymetric studies • Lakes to be used for winter road construction will only be
used 1-2 years • Certain lakes will be used during all four years to support
camps and summer construction
32
-
Waste Management
• Waste Management Plan: – describes the types of waste generated by
the project, its storage, handling and disposal
• Spill Contingency Management Plan: – describes procedures to prevent and
manage spills of deleterious substances • Explosives Management Plan:
– describes procedures to store, handle and use explosives
33
-
Domestic Waste
• Sewage and greywater will be temporarily stored at camp and removed using vacuum trucks to Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik
• Non-hazardous solid waste will be incinerated or brought to landfills in Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk (agreements in place)
• Recyclables will be disposed of in accordance with the Waste Management Plan
• Water quality and effluent standards do not
apply to project domestic waste, as it will be disposed of in licenced facilities able to accept such waste
34
-
Hazardous Waste
• Hazardous materials have been identified and will be disposed of in accordance with the Waste Management Plan
• Water quality and effluent standards do not apply to project hazardous waste, as it will be disposed of in licenced facilities able to accept such waste
35
-
Wastewater
• There are no planned effluent sources associated with the project - no discharges of waste where treatment is required prior to discharge to the environment [NWTWA 14(4)(c)]
• Construction methods and
mitigations are intended to prevent entry of wastewater to waterbodies and watercourses so as to maintain existing water quality [NWTWA 14(4)(c)]
36
-
Wastewater
• Inadvertent or unplanned entry of wastewater to waterbodies and watercourses may occur: – During construction of watercourse crossings – During borrow source development – During blasting – During camp operation – During embankment construction
37
-
Wastewater • Methods to prevent wastewater from entering waterbodies
and watercourses are included in the: – Sedimentation and Erosion Control Plan – Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Plan – Spill Contingency Management Plan – Pit Development Plans
38
-
Changes to Water Quality and Quantity
• Any changes to water quality due to inadvertent discharge of waste to water will be identified using methods identified in the Aquatic Effects Monitoring Plan (AEMP)
39
-
Changes to Water Quality and Quantity
• Changes to water quantity due to planned withdrawal of water will be monitored using methods identified in the AEMP
• Planned discharge of waste to the environment includes the channeling of meltwater from borrow sources to surrounding vegetation to prevent entry into waterbodies or watercourses
40
-
Aquatic Effects Monitoring
• The objective of the AEMP are: – to monitor and report on the effectiveness of mitigations
that are designed to prevent discharge of waste to the environment
– to measure and report on the effects of water withdrawal on lake water quantity
– to identify improvements in mitigations techniques that will make them more effective
に Visual monitoring of all work areas will be conducted daily by project personnel and Environmental Monitors
に Frequency and location of sampling has been proposed in AEMP, and will be discussed further with regulators
41
-
Aquatic Effects Monitoring • Additionally, the following quantitative monitoring is proposed:
Residual Effect to be Monitored Indicators
Effect to water quality from watercourse crossing construction
pH, turbidity, conductivity, TSS
Effect to water quality from borrow source development pH, turbidity, conductivity, TSS, ammonia, nitrates, oil and grease
Effect to water quality from camp operation pH, turbidity, conductivity, oil and grease
Effect to water quality from embankment construction pH, turbidity, conductivity, TSS
Effect to water quality from use of explosives pH, ammonia, nitrates, oil and grease
Effects on hydrology from water withdrawal Lake level
Effects on fish habitat from water withdrawal Dissolved oxygen
Effects on hydrology and fish habitat from water withdrawal Daily withdrawal volume
42
-
Consultation
Consultation / Meeting Topics Participants Sediment and Erosion Control Plan, including monitoring IHTC, THTC, FJMC, DFO
Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Plan DFO Fisheries Plan IHTC, THTC, FJMC, DFO Pit Development Plans IHTC, THTC, ILA, AANDC Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat Protection Plan IHTC, THTC, WMAC, ENR, EC Wildlife Effects Monitoring Program IHTC, THTC, WMAC, ENR Construction Plan, including water withdrawal locations,
camp locations, winter roads, storage and maintenance
areas
IHTC, THTC
Navigable watercourses IHTC, THTC Crossing locations and designs, impacts to fisheries IHTC, THTC, FJMC, DFO Pre-construction bathymetric surveys, wildlife surveys,
fisheries assessments
IHTC, THTC, ENR, DFO
44
-
Other Users
The DOT has not entered into any compensation agreements pursuant to section 14(4)(a) of the Act:
• There are no existing licencees who
will be adversely affected, in a significant way by the project’s use of water or deposit of waste
ふIラミデキミ┌WSぐぶ
45
-
Other Users
(…continued) • All non-hazardous solid waste and sewage and greywater
will be deposited at licenced facilities • Project mitigations are intended to prevent other deposit
of waste to water • Use of water from the Mackenzie River will not affect other
licence holders
46
-
Other Users
The DOT has not entered into any compensation agreements pursuant to section 14(4)(b) of the Act: • There are no other licencees, users, or
other rights holders might be adversely affected by the project’s use of waters or deposit of waste
• There are no planned deposits of waste, other than at licenced municipal facilities; discharge of waste will be inadvertent
(continued…)
47
-
Other Users
• Mitigations in the project’s Environmental Management Plan (EMP) are intended to minimize waste and to prevent this waste from entering water
• The EMP provides response actions to address inadvertent or accidental discharges
48
-
Other Users
• The EIRB’s recommendations for preventing significant adverse effects to muskrats are included in the Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat Protection Plan
• Concerns have been raised regarding the project’s potential impacts to muskrat from water withdrawal
• Not all lakes proposed for water withdrawal will contain muskrat pushups
49
-
Other Users
• The specific location and harvest data pertaining to muskrats in this area is unknown
• The magnitude of adverse impact to muskrat harvest from project water withdrawal is expected to be low to none
50
-
Other Users
• DOT will conduct pre-construction muskrat surveys each year
• DOT will implement the monitoring program as outlined in the framework AEMP
51
-
Other Users
• DOT will review the results of the monitoring with regulators and the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Corridor Working Group to determine whether any mitigations need to be revised prior to each years’ winter construction
52
-
Concluding Remarks
• DOT is seeking a 5 year licence
• DOT has met all of the conditions of 14(4) of the Act
• DOT commits to conducting an annual review of the AEMP and other management plans
53
-
Quyanainni – Thank You
54