Five-Year Implementation Plan November 2002
Executive Summary
In May 2002, the GVWD Board adopted the Watershed Management Plan that applies to Crown and private lands held by the GVRD within the Capilano, Seymour and Coquitlam watersheds. The overall Goal in this Plan is “Watersheds that provide clean, safe water and are managed and protected as natural assets of the highest importance to the Greater Vancouver region.”
To achieve this overall Goal, the Board adopted the following five Principles to guide the development of the Plan. 1. The primary purpose of Greater Vancouver’s watershed is to provide clean, safe water. 2. The watersheds will be managed to reflect and advance the region’s commitment to the environmental stewardship and protection of those lands and their biological diversity. 3. The region’s Management Plan will be based upon the minimum intervention absolutely necessary to achieve the Board’s objectives. 4. The Management Plan will contain policies to return areas disturbed by human activities as close as possible to the pre-disturbance state consistent with the primary goal of protecting water quality. 5. The decision making process will be transparent and open to the public.
The Plan describes nine implementation programs that are consistent with the five Principles in the area of water monitoring and forecasting, forest ecosystem management, fire management, erosion control, road network, water system infrastructure, communication and education, watershed security and emergency preparedness. The purpose of the Five-Year Implementation Plan is to provide the necessary guidance to ensure that management activities are implemented to reflect the management strategies as described in the Plan. The Five-Year Implementation Plan describes the proposed management activities over the 5-year course of the Plan. The Five-Year Implementation Plan will be updated in each successive year of the Plan.
1. Water Monitoring & Forecasting Implementation Program
Objective: Verify that the watersheds will continue to provide an adequate supply of clean safe water for the water system.
Activities: a) Maintain and operate water monitoring sites for water quantity and water quality purposes, including: four snowpack stations, three alpine reservoirs, seven hydrometric river stations, four reservoir turbidity stations, and two road surface erosion monitoring stations. b) Compile and analyze data from the stations listed above for operational and planning functions. c) Install reservoir water quality stations in the Coquitlam reservoir during 2002 and 2003.
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d) Upgrade the existing reservoir turbidity stations to include additional water quality parameters during 2003 and 2004. e) Upgrade the existing hydrometric river stations to include additional water quality monitoring starting with the Seymour stations in 2003. f) Monitor and assess the hydrometric river stations to review the effectiveness of the stations, and the analysis of data collected during storms.
2. Forest Ecosystem Management Implementation Program
Objective: Minimize the amount of human induced disturbances to the forest ecosystem.
Activities: a) Update the watershed inventory database from recent watershed activities. b) Develop and implement a biological diversity index during 2003. c) Produce habitat maps to stratify the wildlife scat sampling for the analysis of protozoan parasites during 2003-2004. d) Continue to review land use plans associated with lands adjacent to the watersheds and the potential implications of any proposed developments. e) Review the ecosystem restoration and the best management practices utilized at the sites developed for the Cleveland Dam East Abutment Seepage Control Project. f) Monitor and document trends of ecosystem health including terrestrial and aquatic communities.
3. Fire Management Implementation Program
Objective: Suppress wildfires only when necessary to ensure water quality, protect public safety and property, and maintain air quality.
Activities: a) Utilize models to assess the effects of wildfire on water quality parameters. b) Implement the wildfire management zones. c) Continue to develop and implement wildfire prevention strategies. d) Collect fire weather data and install five additional fire weather stations in the designated biogeoclimatic units. e) Calculate daily fire danger ratings for the biogeoclimatic units and the fire management zones. f) Respond to wildfires in a safe, timely and effective manner as required.
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4. Erosion Control Implementation Program
Objective: Minimize the impact of soil erosion on the quality of the water entering the water distribution system.
Activities: a) Develop a decision tool system to assist staff in determining appropriate erosion control responses in order to be proactive in preventing sources of sediment entering the water intake, the beginning of the water distribution system. b) Develop preparedness and inspection programs so that mitigation measures can be applied quickly. c) Review and monitor the effectiveness of erosion control projects completed in 2001-2002.
5. Road Network Implementation Program
Objective: Reduce the amount of roads in the watersheds to a level consistent with the Goal and Principles of the Watershed Management Plan.
Activities: a) Undertake road maintenance activities such as roadside brushing, grading and drainage structure maintenance as required. b) Conduct annual assessments of roads to identify problems that may have developed during storms. c) Utilize a risk management approach to complete the road deactivation schedule. d) Implement and further develop best management practices for the road network. e) Monitor and evaluate the road maintenance and deactivation activities.
6. Water System Infrastructure Implementation Program
Objective: Provide infrastructure for the storage, transmission, and treatment of the water supply while conserving watershed resources to the greatest extent possible.
Activities: a) Prepare the soil disposal sites in Capilano watershed for the water treatment construction projects from 2003 to 2006. b) Upgrade the log booms and related infrastructure for managing wood debris in the Capilano and the Seymour reservoirs over the next few years. c) Undertake the seismic upgrade of the Seymour Falls Dam scheduled for 2004 to 2008. d) Determine suitable soil disposal sites, aggregate sources and rock quarries for the potential seismic upgrade of the Coquitlam Dam by BC Hydro. e) Improve the access to and from the alpine reservoirs with trails and helipads. f) Monitor and evaluate the use of best management practices to protect watershed resources.
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7. Communication and Education Implementation Program
Objective: Develop and maintain confidence and trust that the GVRD is managing the watershed resources in an environmentally responsible and cost-efficient manner.
Activities: a) Implement communication and education initiatives that will foster public trust that the watersheds are being managed in accordance with the Watershed Management Plan. b) Inform consultation participants of upcoming public meetings, tours and information on the watersheds. c) Facilitate watershed stewardship groups to record biological and physical parameters within the watersheds. d) Further develop public education programs regarding the water system for the public and educators. e) Increase the content of the watershed information on the GVRD website. f) Develop a watershed research protocol to facilitate and encourage appropriate research activities in the watersheds.
8. Watershed Security Implementation Program
Objective: Reduce the risk of microbiological or chemical contamination and the risk of fire by only allowing access to persons conducting activities previously authorized by the GVRD.
Activities: a) Maintain and further develop perimeter protection of the watersheds and facilities. b) Provide regulated access to the watersheds to authorized individuals. c) Maintain security patrols, inspections and monitor sites to enforce the watershed regulations. d) Provide communications and the means to respond to emergencies in the watersheds. e) Retain an active role in organizations and agencies that provide security warnings for infrastructure managers.
9. Emergency Preparedness Implementation Program
Objective: Execute an Emergency Management Program to minimize potential threats involving the watersheds and adjacent lands.
Activities: a) Develop a complete list of hazards, risk and consequence assessment during 2003. b) Improve the emergency response capability by conducting exercises and develop a field command/communications center during 2003 to 2004. c) Continue to develop, review and update emergency management plan.
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Introduction
In May 2002, the Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD) Board adopted the Watershed Management Plan that applies to Crown and private lands held by the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) within the Capilano, Seymour and Coquitlam watersheds. The overall Goal in this Plan is “Watersheds that provide clean, safe water and are managed and protected as natural assets of the highest importance to the Greater Vancouver region.”
The management strategy for the watersheds is an ecologically sensitive and minimum intervention approach and is based upon the Principles endorsed by the GVRD Board in November 1999 these include: 1. The primary purpose of Greater Vancouver’s watershed is to provide clean, safe water. 2. The watersheds will be managed to reflect and advance the region’s commitment to the environmental stewardship and protection of those lands and their biological diversity. 3. The region’s Management Plan will be based upon the minimum intervention absolutely necessary to achieve the Board’s objectives. 4. The Management Plan will contain policies to return areas disturbed by human activities as close as possible to the pre-disturbance state consistent with the primary goal of protecting water quality. 5. The decision making process will be transparent and open to the public.
The watersheds are comprised primarily of Crown lands leased from the Province except for portions of the valley bottoms within the Capilano and Seymour watersheds that are owned by the GVWD. The leases originate in 1927 for the Capilano and Seymour watersheds and 1942 for the Coquitlam watershed and both leases are for a 999-year term. The leases are important to the District by providing a source of protected water supply.
The purpose of the Five -Year Implementation Plan is to provide the necessary guidance to ensure that management activities are implemented reflecting the management strategies as described in the strategic Watershed Management Plan. The Five -Year Implementation Plan is a document that describes proposed management activities for each of the implementation programs, including 1. Water Monitoring & Forecasting 2. Forest Ecosystem Management 3. Fire Management 4. Erosion Control 5. Road Network 6. Water System Infrastructure 7. Communication and Education 8. Watershed Security 9. Emergency Preparedness
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Five-Year Implementation Plan November 2002
Implementation programs are conducted continuously by utilizing adaptive management, risk management and ongoing monitoring to measure the effectiveness of the implementation program. This ensures that appropriate management practices are continually employed and revised as necessary.
The Five -Year Implementation Plan is updated annually, to provide detailed maps and work schedules prioritizing the activities proposed for the next five years in the watersheds. Designs and prescriptions are included for the management activities for implementation in each year and receive input from public and advisory committees. Results of the management activities and identified issues are documented in an annual report that describes the state of the watersheds.
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary...... i Introduction...... 1
The Plan: 1. Water Monitoring & Forecasting Implementation Program ...... 3 1.1 Water Monitoring and Forecasting Strategy...... 1.1.1 Water Quality Issues...... 1.1.2 Water Quality...... 4 1.1.3 Water Monitoring Requirements...... 1.1.4 Monitoring Locations...... 9 1.2 Data Collection, Verification and Analysis ...... 13 2. Forest Ecosystem Management Implementation Program...... 14 2.1 Forest Ecosystem Management Implementation Program ...... 2.1.1 Biogeoclimatic Classification ...... 2.1.2 Inventories...... 16 2.1.3 Biological Diversity...... 2.1.4 Fish & Wildlife Strategies ...... 17 2.2 Minimize Human Disturbance...... 18 2.2.1 Integrate Strategic Plans...... 2.2.2 Maintenance and Construction Projects...... 19 2.2.3 Agency Permits...... 20 2.3 Ecosystem Health...... 2.3.1 Ecological Indicators ...... 21 2.3.2 Integrated Pest Management Strategy ...... 2.3.3 Forest Prescriptions...... 23 2.4 Research...... 3. Fire Management Implementation Program ...... 25 3.1 Fire Management Strategy...... 3.1.1 Description of the Wildfire Environment ...... 3.1.2 Values at Risk and Potential Consequences ...... 27 3.1.3 Risk and Wildfire Behavior ...... 29 3.1.4 Wildfire Management Zones ...... 30 3.2 Fire Preparedness...... 31 3.2.1 Develop Prevention Strategies...... 3.2.2 Fire Weather...... 32 3.2.3 Detect Fire Occurrences...... 33 3.3 Wildfire Response...... 3.3.1 Notification...... 3.3.2 Assessment...... 3.3.3 Suppression...... 34 3.3.4 Emergency Procedures...... 3.3.5 Public Information ......
3.4 Monitoring and Evaluation ...... 34 3.4.1 Monitoring Wildfire...... 3.4.2 Evaluate Wildfire Suppression ...... 35 3.5 Research and Development......
4. Erosion Control Implementation Program ...... 37 4.1 Erosion Control...... 4.1.1 Preparedness Strategy ...... 38 4.2 Response Strategies ...... 4.2.1 Assess Source of Erosion...... 4.2.2 Erosion Control Treatments...... 40 4.2.3 Permitting...... 42 4.3 Monitoring Strategy...... 4.3.2 Assess the Effectiveness of the Prescription...... 43 5. Road Network Implementation Program...... 44 5.1 Essential Roads...... 5.1.1 Maintenance of Essential Roads ...... 5.2 Non-Essential Roads...... 47 5.2.1 Overview of Road Deactivation...... 5.2.2 A Risk Management Approach to Road Deactivation...... 50 5.2.3 Deactivation Schedule ...... 52 5.2.4 Road Deactivation Costs...... 5.2.5 Road Deactivation Prescriptions...... 5.2.6 Best Management Practices...... 53 5.3 Monitoring...... 5.4 Program Success ...... 6. Water System Infrastructure Implementation Program ...... 54 6.1 Infrastructure Requirements...... 6.1.1 Existing Infrastructure ...... 56 6.1.2 Proposed Infrastructure...... 59 6.2 Access Water System Infrastructure...... 60 6.2.1 Existing Access...... 6.3 Staging and Resource Development Areas...... 61 6.3.1 Environmental Assessment...... 62 6.3.2 Best Management Practices...... 6.3.3 Permits...... 63 6.3.4 Monitoring...... 6.3.5 Evaluation...... 7. Communication and Education Implementation Program ...... 64 7.1 Background...... 7.2 Program Initiatives...... 7.3 Target Audiences ...... 65 7.4 Communications and Education Activities...... 66 7.4.1 Consultation...... 7.4.2 Community Relations and Stewardship...... 7.4.3 Education...... 67
7.4.4 Media Relations and Corporate Communications ...... 68 7.4.5 GVRD Website ...... 7.4.6 Supporting Communications Activities...... 7.5 Research Activities in the GVRD Watersheds ...... 69 8. Watershed Security Implementation Program...... 70 8.1 Perimeter Protection...... 8.2 Access...... 8.3 Security Patrols...... 71 8.4 Enforcement...... 8.5 Public Education...... 8.6 Inspection and Monitoring...... 8.7 Communication...... 8.8 Threat Identification...... 9. Emergency Preparedness Implementation Program ...... 72 9.1 Hazard or Threats...... 9.2 Consequences...... 9.3 Preparedness ...... 73 9.4 Response...... 9.5 Recovery ......
Appendices: 1. Water Monitoring and Forecasting Implementation Program ...... 74 2. Forest Ecosystem Implementation Program ...... 76 3. Fire Management Implementation Program ...... 78 4. Erosion Control Implementation Program...... 80 5. Road Network Implementation Program...... 84 6. Water System Infrastructure Implementation Program ...... 89
Glossary ...... 118
Five-Year Implementation Plan November 2002
1. Water Monitoring and Forecasting Implementation Program
Water monitoring and forecasting is an essential component of managing the watersheds because it is used to: • determine water quality to protect public health; • forecast water supply quantities; • assist with the assessment of chemical, biological and physical processes in the watersheds and the effectiveness of management practices.
Objective: Verify that the watersheds will continue to provide an adequate supply of clean safe water for the water system.
A series of weather, hydrometric, biological, and sediment monitoring stations and sites within the watersheds provide valuable information for watershed management decision- making. Weather stations measure rainfall and snow accumulations. The maintenance of weather data is important to determine the fire danger rating and to evaluate potential impacts from climate change. Climate change in this region may create warmer annual temperatures that could reduce the snow pack and extend the dry summer conditions resulting in lower water levels in the reservoir. Hydrometric stations provide information on water inflow to reservoirs, sediment input from various sub-drainages within the watersheds, and early warning of high turbidity events. Sediment stations characterize water quality conditions and assist in determining if mitigation measures are warranted. Chemical and biological monitoring measure parameters important for public health purposes.
1.1 Water Monitoring and Forecasting Strategy
1.1.1 Water Quality Issues
The GVRD watersheds generally provide safe, high quality raw water. This is largely due to the risk management approach to protecting water for GVRD residents by using a multi-barrier strategy. Source water protection is the backbone of this strategy because it prevents or minimizes contamination due to human, agricultural, and industrial sources. When combined with other strategies, namely appropriate water treatment, a sound, well- maintained, and safe distribution system to prevent water from being contaminated when delivered, and effective monitoring of water quality, it is a very effective approach to reducing risks to water quality. However, even with this closed watershed policy the GVRD watersheds are susceptible to water quality risks from time to time. It should be pointed out that when water from Capilano and Seymour is filtrated in 2007 some of these risks would be reduced to a level consistent with the current drinking water standards. Nonetheless, continuous monitoring of the source water is necessary to ensure optimum operation of the filtration plant.
The risks to water are discussed in Appendix 1.
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1.1.2 Water Quantity
Water supply is monitored for short term and long term purposes. Over the short term, issues surrounding water quantity deal with water inflows and outflows, reservoir levels and recovery, snow pack levels, and amount of water in the alpine reservoirs to ensure adequate supplies for GVRD residents on an annual basis (Photo 1-1). These factors guide how GVRD staff operate the water system and determine what water restrictions will be imposed if necessary.
Photo 1-1: Loch Lomond Alpine Reservoir in Seymour Watershed
Over the long term, predicting and understanding climate and hydrological changes will improve water supply planning for the future. Recent climate models for the region indicate that springs are occurring earlier and summers are drawing out longer. As a result, uncertainty exists regarding future snow pack levels and reservoir inflows that can reduce water storage capacities. Water supply capacity is being analyzed in the Drinking Water Management Plan that is being drafted in 2003.
1.1.3 Water Monitoring Requirements
Water system monitoring within the watersheds provides information to: • document extreme physical and biological processes in the watersheds; • guide watershed maintenance activities and projects; • analyze trends in water quantity and quality; • assist water system operations such as the use of the Westerly transfer during periods of high turbidity and implementing water shortage response plan stages; • aid reservoir management including reservoir turnover and spillage to remove turbid water; • support the use of disinfection strategies and other water treatment technologies.
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Existing monitoring programs are reviewed annually to ensure that data gathered is reliable and relevant. New programs are being added as required to meet short term and long term needs. Staff are undertaking a number of data collection initiatives to monitor and assess trends, detect changes from upstream activities, determine whether present mitigation strategies are effective, and to provide an early warning detection system from turbidity and other events. Monitoring to provide an early warning of turbidity events has become increasingly important as the water quality standards are moving towards a maximum 1 NTU level of turbidity. Monitoring locations are situated along rivers, in the reservoirs, and on the land base as illustrated on Map 1.1.
River Stations
Hydrometric stations are positioned at critical sites along rivers within the GVRD watersheds to measure turbidity, discharge, water level, temperature, and precipitation (Photo 1-2). When used in conjunction with the watershed database and the ecological and hydrodynamic models, the hydrometric stations provide a valuable tool to identify and quantify sediment sources within the watersheds. This also allows for prompt response to clean-up landslide debris, repair roads, or undertake erosion control measures where required. In addition, the hydrometric stations provide data that characterize water quality from different sub-watersheds.
Photo 1-2: East Capilano Hydrometric Station
When autumn and winter precipitation falls on the steep slopes found throughout the watersheds, it frequently routs sediment containing inorganic and organic debris from many sources of erosion as described in Section 4.2.1 Assess Sources of Erosion. Often this debris enters rivers and streams where the resulting turbidity is tracked as it moves past the hydrometric stations and then on to the reservoirs. This series of stations
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Map 1.1
6 Five-Year Implementation Plan November 2002 provide advance warning of a potential water quality issue at the intake. It allows staff to make operational changes to the system and adjust water flows from one reservoir to an alternate reservoir, thereby avoiding the transmission of turbid water. At the same time, additional disinfection can be added to the system if required.
In addition to the permanent stations, staff sample selected streams and rivers periodically to measure physical and chemical parameters. Water quality analysis at the permanent stations will be used to measure chemical or biological concentrations for estimating nutrient loading in the reservoirs or determining potential source of pathogens.
Reservoir Stations
Sensors are located at the water intake sites of all three watersheds to measure turbidity. Turbidity sensors are also sited in the Capilano and Seymour reservoirs and act as an early warning as a sediment plume moves towards the intake. These stations are on the SCADA system which supplies real time data to make quick and informed decisions. Besides the turbidity measurements, water samples are taken in the intake system to check chemical and bacteriological parameters to ensure that delivered water is safe.
Land –Based Stations
Monitoring sites on the watershed lands have both long term and short term objectives. Short term monitoring stations are located at selected research sites to measure erosion from roads and landslide scars, to measure fire weather parameters, or determine chemical changes from fire or forest pests. These stations are useful to improve management practices and staff preparedness for wildfire and erosion events. Long term weather data collection is used to assess trends or changes to climate such as temperature, precipitation, or snow pack levels (Photo 1-3). Changes can put stress on ecosystems with the result being alteration to water quality and water supply. How we adapt to those changes will be critically important to how we manage the watersheds.
Photo 1-3: Snow Station Instrumentation at Orchid Lake, Seymour Watershed
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Future Water Monitoring Requirements
The network of water monitoring stations is comprised of short and long-term stations to provide the basis for water quality data at the source and can be used for supporting management decisions. The existing network requires more aquatic data from streams and reservoirs to understand land/water interactions more thoroughly. This can be achieved by the following initiatives:
1. Reservoir stations in Coquitlam Lake to measure turbidity, total organic carbon, florescence, temperature, wind, dissolved oxygen and colour to understand the lake ecology relationships of phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish. In addition, the turbidity measurements will document the flow pattern of sediment concentrations associated with each seasonal pattern of inflows and outflows that will assist in determining a new water intake location. As well, the reservoir stations will provide early warning of turbidity events allowing water operations to take action to avoid or minimize the transmission of inferior water quality. The installation of the reservoir stations is scheduled for 2002 and 2003.
2. The existing reservoir stations in Capilano and Seymour that only measure turbidity need to be supplemented with additional sensors that collect the water quality parameters as described above. The locations of the existing reservoir stations need to be reviewed with the outputs from the recent reservoir modeling. Upgrading the monitoring stations on the Seymour reservoir is scheduled in 2003 and on the Capilano reservoir in 2004.
3. The existing hydrometric stations on the rivers that are used to calculate discharge and sediment budgets need to be supplemented with the collection of chemical and pathogen source data to quantify the nutrient loading and determine source areas for pathogens. This additional water quality monitoring is scheduled for Seymour in 2003, Capilano in 2004 and Coquitlam in 2005.
4. Periodic water monitoring requirements that will be ongoing, include: a) monitoring benthic communities at hydrometric sites seasonally to measure changes to the aquatic community; b) examining whether additional hydrometric sites are necessary or if any of the existing stations are redundant; c) analyzing storm events that generate reservoir turbidity that can be used to test assumptions and calibrate watershed models; d) monitoring best management practices to assess their effectiveness and improve watershed activities.
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1.1.4 Monitoring Locations
Monitoring locations are selected at strategic positions in the watershed based upon: ! discharge ! sediment delivery; ! watershed cross-sectional coverage; ! proximity to the intake; ! existing records (e.g. Water Surveys of Canada stations) ! climate and precipitation factors; ! accessibility; ! safety considerations for personnel and equipment; and ! ecosystem type.
Table 1-1 lists the existing and future water monitoring stations and correspond to the locations illustrated on Map 1.1. The location of these sites is determined by the specific objective of the monitoring station as per the above point.
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1.2 Data Collection, Verification, and Analysis
To maintain and monitor hydrometric stations, GVRD staff visit sites approximately every two weeks on average depending on weather conditions and maintenance requirements. Because many of these stations are connected on-line, staff are able to respond quickly to emergencies and technical abnormalities when necessary.
Many of the sensors at these stations are calibrated on an annual basis or as required based on standards and verification requirements from GVRD Water Quality Control, Water Surveys of Canada, BC Hydro, equipment manufacturers, and consultants. Periodically, equipment upgrades are undertaken to improve the accuracy of the data collected. As an example, recent advancements in technology have improved self-wiping turbidity sensors that should lead to more reliable, accurate turbidity readings and reduce periodic maintenance requirements of the sensors.
In addition to the data collection and maintenance undertaken by GVRD staff, Water Surveys of Canada (WSC) staff visit the seven hydrometric stations approximately six times per year. They are responsible for undertaking discharge measurements and cross- sectional sediment surveys. WSC certifies and publishes the daily mean discharge for these seven stations.
As stated, data from the hydrometric stations and the reservoir sensors are used as an early warning system to alert GVRD staff of a potential turbidity event reaching the intake and impairing water quality. Turbidity sensors and discharge measurements aid the monitoring of suspended sediment concentration. The data assists the calculation of annual, episodic, and persistent turbidity and can be used to denote large scale and small scale changes to the watershed. From this, graphs and reports are prepared which are used to benefit the planning, operations, and maintenance of the watersheds and related water system infrastructure.
In addition, data from land and water based monitoring sites are used (or can be used) to support or adjust forecasting models related to water supply, snow packs, climate change, fire, and pests. Finally, the data supports the Environment Canada Technical User Interface (TUI) Model used to simulate the hydrologic and hydraulic routing of sediment through the watershed and reservoir. This TUI allows GVRD staff to evaluate water quality consequences of proposed management strategies prior to implementation.
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2. Forest Ecosystem Management Implementation Program
Forest ecosystem management is applied to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems within the watersheds recognizing the inter-connective aspects of these ecosystems and the holistic nature of watershed management.
Objective: Minimize the amount of human induced disturbances to the forest ecosystem.
2.1 Ecosystem Conservation
A key management strategy stated in the watershed Management Plan is “Support for natural processes consistent with water quality, safety and environmental quality.” Therefore, ecosystems are conserved to ensure that the complexities, interactions and functions are sustained in the future that will maintain biodiversity and provide for ecosystem services. As an example, an intact forest ecosystem will help to regulate runoff and minimize soil disturbance that assists the water supply and quality in the watershed reservoirs (Photo 2-1).
2.1.1 Biogeoclimatic Classification
The watersheds contain six biogeoclimatic zones, subzones and variants as illustrated on Map 2.1. These ecosystem units characterize the vegetation and climate due to variation in topography throughout the watershed. Management strategies and activities are designed in conjunction with these ecosystem units. Appendix 2 provides a description of the ecosystem characteristics.
Photo 2-1: Intact Old-Growth Forest
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Map 2.1
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2.1.2 Inventories
Inventories utilize the biogeoclimatic classification to categorize the ecosystems. The zones listed above are further broken down into site series. Over time and by disturbances the vegetation characteristics change in each site series, the smallest ecosystem unit. Site series also include a range of riparian and aquatic ecosystems. The streams are inventoried by width categories and for fish habitat. The inventories are maintained in GVRD’s geographic information system with Arc-info software. The type of inventory information that is required to be maintained includes: • disturbances from human activity, weather conditions, erosion, wildfire, insects and disease; • forest cover including species, age, size and stocking; • landform, seral stages and site series; • fish and wildlife data.
Water quality data will be collected to develop base line information from different sub- watersheds (see Section 1.0 Water Monitoring and Forecasting) that are characterized by specific ecosystems that are well documented in the current inventory. This will further identify differences in water quality between watersheds and sub-watersheds.
The collection of additional inventory data will occur in association with detailed plans or prescriptions for specific sites. The GIS information is accessed initially in developing a prescription and additional information is collected on site, as required for the project.
Updates of the GIS database are completed on an annual basis. The Annual Report is used to provide a record of the changes that occur in the watersheds.
2.1.3 Biological Diversity
Conserving forest ecosystems is consistent with the principle of advancing the region’s commitment to the environmental stewardship and protection of those lands and their biodiversity.
In order to protect the biological diversity of the watershed lands, a form of measurement is required to assess the existing level and determine trends in the level of biological diversity. A number of methods are documented in the ecological inventory (Acres 1999), including: • the proportion of each forest seral stage contained within each biogeoclimatic subzone or variant; • stand level biodiversity index; • suitable habitat for indicator and keystone species.
During 2003 a biological diversity index will be further developed and implemented to support the protection and reporting the state of biological diversity that is integral to well functioning ecosystems and healthy watersheds for future generations.
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GVRD’s GIS database will be further supplemented to increase the ability to assess biological diversity. In both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems this will be achieved by collecting data from detailed site plans, research initiatives and watershed stakeholders. Section 7.0 Communication and Education describes initiatives that will involve watershed stakeholder groups.
2.1.4 Fish & Wildlife Strategies
The natural state of the watersheds compliments the conservation of many species. There are existing wildlife strategies that are administered by the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management and the Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection. In addition, threatened and endangered species designated by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada may be utilized by future legislation. There are no wildlife strategies that currently require any management activity other than maintaining minimum human intervention and assisting provincial biologists with population assessments. The provincial wildlife management strategies applicable to the watersheds include: ! northern spotted owl ! marbled murrelet ! mountain goat ! black tail deer ! black bear ! raptors
The diverse biological and physical parameters of the watershed lands provide a wide variety of habitats for wildlife (Photo 2-2). The watershed database can be utilized to develop wildlife habitat maps for specific species that can be used for determining wildlife populations that reflect biodiversity and potential water quality issues. Mammal and bird populations are recognized to be hosts of protozoan parasites such as giardia and cryptosporidium that pose a risk to water quality. A grab-sampling program will be continued throughout the watersheds, whereby scat samples are analyzed for the presence of these parasites.
Photo 2-2: Black Bear in Old Forest
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Scat samples have been analyzed from black bear, black tail deer, beaver, muskrat, cougar and geese. During 2003 –2004, habitat maps of these species will be developed with existing inventory parameters that will assist in stratifying the random scat sampling. This program will assist in identifying areas in the watersheds that pose the highest incidence of parasites and areas that create the highest risk of influencing water quality at the intake.
The stream network within the watersheds provides diverse habitat for fish. Department of Fisheries and Oceans is expressing an increasing level of interest in the role of the watersheds relative to salmon habitat. In Capilano watershed, an average of 135,000 Coho and Steelhead fry and 1500 adult Coho salmon have been trapped and transported annually around the Cleveland Dam to utilize the spawning and rearing habitat in the watershed during the 1990’s. In Seymour watershed, approximately 40,000 fry are annually transported above the Seymour Falls Dam. In the Coquitlam watershed, no fish are transported above the Coquitlam Dam as escapement is difficult due to BC Hydro power generation, although the feasibility to install a fish ladder at the Coquitlam Dam was frequently discussed during the Coquitlam Water Use Planning Process. The risk to water quality must be fully assessed before increases in salmon are transported into the watersheds. Nutrient studies associated with increased fish numbers affecting the nutrient load and the aquatic ecology in the reservoir have been initiated in 2001 with the Chair of the Environmental Management of Drinking Water to assist in determining the effects of fish populations on water quality and the presence of existing and historical fish species. Additional studies within the reservoirs are being proposed for 2003.
The estimated lengths of streams providing fish habitat in Capilano, Seymour and Coquitlam watersheds are approximately100 km, 40 km and 80 km, respectively. In addition, the area of fish habitat in the Capilano, Seymour and Coquitlam reservoirs are approximately 310 ha, 260 ha and 1200 ha, respectively. In Appendix 2, Map 2.2 identifies the confirmed fish-bearing streams. The only activities planned for habitat enhancement in the watersheds at this time is for some erosion control in Or Creek that flows into the Coquitlam River below the Coquitlam Dam.
2.2 Minimize Human Disturbance Another key management strategy in the Watershed Management Plan is the “Restoration of natural systems”.
2.2.1 Integrate Strategic Plans Ecosystems function in isolation of the administrative boundaries, which is the height of land around the watersheds. The adjacent lands form an integral part of the ecosystems that are found within the watersheds. Land use initiatives and plans for these adjacent areas need to be reviewed to determine potential conflicts and opportunities where management strategies can be implemented in collaboration with other organizations. The adjacent lands include the following: ! Cypress Bowl – Howe Sound Crest Provincial Park; ! Lynn Headwaters Regional Park ! Mount Seymour Provincial Park ! Stawamus Integrated Watershed Management Plan 18 Five-Year Implementation Plan November 2002
! SooTimber Supply Area ! Fraser Timber Supply Area ! Pinecone Burke Mountain Provincial Park ! Grouse Mountain Resorts ! Municipal and Regional Parks
The Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve Management Plan has several objectives and strategies that can be implemented in conjunction with the activities associated with this plan.
During 2003, staff will contact the personnel at the various organizations that have jurisdiction over these areas to present and provide a copy of the Watershed Management Plan and to receive any plans that cover their management area.
2.2.2 Maintenance and Construction Projects
Many of the activities listed in the other implementation programs, for example, rock armoring of streambanks, may influence or disturb ecosystems. During the planning and design of these activities, efforts will be made to avoid or minimize the impact to sensitive ecosystems and restore the ecosystem as close as possible to the pre-disturbance state. Areas that are surveyed for development are setback appropriately from riparian management zones with special attention to maintaining the natural hydrology of the area, when ever possible. To minimize impacts to the ecosystem, the following operating windows will be adhered to whenever possible, including: ! bird nesting periods from March through July ! fish spawning periods prior to October 1st ! critical seasonal habitat used by wildlife (ungulate winter range, bear dens)
To restore ecosystems to their pre-disturbance condition, the sites involving soil storage, aggregate development and road decommissioning will be re-vegetated to native species or seeded that are appropriate to the ecosystem. Forests that are cleared will have the boundaries wind firmed and incorporate any habitat creation (snags and coarse woody debris) that may have been lost during clearing.
The areas to be reviewed for ecosystem restoration during 2003 are associated with Cleveland Dam East Abutment Seepage Control Project and include: ! seven soil disposal sites in Capilano watershed ! one gravel pit in Capilano watershed ! one rock quarry in Capilano watershed ! Cleveland Dam East Abutment
In Appendix 2, site plans for these areas illustrate the amount of disturbance and restoration activities.
Section 6 Water System Infrastructure describes construction activities that may require the use of additional soil disposal sites or the use of existing sites. Section 5 Road Network will describe the roads that will receive maintenance and deactivation activities.
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Maintenance of monitoring sites, helipads and trails may require some brushing activities.
Best management practices are to be employed in activities associated with maintenance and construction sites as described in Section 6.0 Water System Infrastructure. The appropriate best management practices will be based upon the Forest Practices Code Guidebooks, Stormwater Best Management Practices, and Urban Development Guidelines and GVRD BMP’s Guide for Stormwater. During 2002, an initial list of the best management practices applicable to the watersheds will be documented.
2.2.3 Agency Permits
The cutting of trees on Crown lease lands with the exception of danger trees, require authorization from the Board and the Ministry of Forests. The authorization for tree cutting is achieved by applying for a licence to cut as described under the Forest Act. An appraisal of the timber forms part of the application and results in a calculated stumpage rate that is applied to the volume of timber cut and paid to the Province. During the spring of 2003, a licence to cut will be requested for the cutting of trees associated with the upgrade of the Seymour Falls Dam, part of Seymour Capilano Filtration Project and the salvage of logs from danger tree removal and road maintenance projects. Beyond 2003, additional infrastructure projects will require tree cutting for areas associated with the upgrade of Coquitlam Dam and the Seymour - Capilano Filtration Project.
The cutting of trees on the District owned lands only require authorization from the Board and the existing private designated timber marks can be used for logs transported out of the watersheds. Some of the maintenance and construction projects require tree cutting to remove danger trees and to complete restoration works for biodiversity values.
Activities in a stream or in the adjacent riparian area require authorization from the Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The authorization for works in and about a stream can be obtained through a request for approval under the Water Act.
2.3 Ecosystem Health
Ecosystems evolve over time and are influenced by a wide range of disturbances. The forests within the watersheds reflect a legacy of natural and human induced disturbances. During the past century, forest disturbances from logging activities have dominated the watershed landscape. A more widespread disturbance of the forest in the watersheds is from small-scale gap dynamics that are important to the functions of old forests. Landslides have created long lasting scars on the watersheds slope and over a longer period, wildfire has also influenced the structure and composition of the forests.
Disturbances associated with forest health are comprised of biotic and abiotic factors. Forest health and water quality monitoring evaluates any impacts to the watershed with the intent to allow natural processes to prevail. Disturbances are monitored as to their extent and impact to watershed resources.
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2.3.1 Ecological Indicators
Ecosystems evolve naturally over time with the influences of regional climate, local topography and by disturbances. Ecosystem indicators are monitored to gauge the health of the ecosystem and determine if there are trends that may stress the ecosystem. Monitoring criteria will be developed to generate information for the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Over time, this base line information will be valuable in the assessment of existing implementation programs and the development of new implementation programs.
There is a historical record of information from the watersheds that can be used initially as ecological indicators, these include: ! Acid Rain National Early Warning System (ARNEWS) ! Forest Insect and Disease Surveys ! Disturbance Inventory ! Forest Inventories ! Air Quality Data ! Canadian Forest Fire Weather Danger Rating Data ! Fish Inventories ! Studies of invertebrate and bethnic organisms
During 2003, these indicators will be reviewed for any emerging trends that may be beneficial or detrimental to the implementation program objectives. The reporting of these trends will be documented in the annual report for the watersheds.
2.3.2 Integrated Pest Management Strategy
There are exotic and endemic forest pests that have been monitored in the watersheds. This data is evaluated to implement the most appropriate integrated pest management strategy. An integrated management strategy is a process where combinations of techniques are used to suppress pests.
The exotic pests are ones that have been introduced to the region and generally do not have any natural predators, allowing the pest to create significant impacts to native vegetation. Exotic pests that are of concern in the region and the associated management strategy include: ! White Pine Blister Rust affects the western white pine and only a scattering of residual western white pine exist in the watersheds. ! Balsam Wolley Adelgid affects amabilis fir and has damaged most of the older amabilis fir in the watersheds. This adelgid population is currently very small in the watershed and only occasional monitoring is warranted. ! Asian Gypsy moths affect all coniferous tree species and the European Gypsy Moth affects all deciduous species. A monitoring program using pheromone traps have not detected any gypsy moths in the watersheds. This information has been used in the past to avoid aerial insecticide spraying of Baccillus thuringensis K. (Btk) in the watersheds when a regional spraying program is implemented for the European Gypsy Moth.
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Photo 2-4: Western Hemlock Looper Larvae
There are a large number of endemic forest pests in the watersheds and the populations are generally kept in balance by a wide range of predators, disease and climatic conditions. The pests that cause significant impacts are the forest defoliators, species that have been collected from the watersheds, include: ! Western Hemlock Looper ! Greenstriped Hemlock Looper ! Phantom Hemlock Looper ! Rusty Tussock Moth
A large population of western hemlock looper has developed in the Coquitlam watershed in the last couple of years and to a lesser extent in the Seymour and Capilano watersheds Photo 2.5). Visible forest defoliation mapped from aerial surveys has increased from 381 hectares in 2000 to 1435 hectares in 2001. The forest defoliation resulted in approximately 3000 tonnes of insect excrement reaching the forest floor. Every September aerial surveys are conducted to update the extent of any defoliation or other forest health issues. The results from pheromone traps indicate a large number of adult moths are present in new areas that are currently not showing visible signs of defoliation. Map 2.3 illustrates the extent of the current defoliation and pheromone trap locations.
Photo 2-5: High Defoliation in Coquitlam Due to the Western Hemlock Looper
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Invasive vegetation such as Scottish Broom, Japanese Knotweed and species of non- native grasses can also be a concern to ecosystems within the region. Avoiding the introduction of these plants is strategy that is easily implemented in the watersheds. The clearing of brush along water, electrical and gas utility right of ways utilizes manual brushing techniques as no herbicide use is permitted within the watersheds.
2.3.3 Forest Prescriptions
As a result of the forest defoliation in the Coquitlam watershed caused by the western hemlock looper, a planting trial was initiated in 2002 for an area with severe defoliation as shown on Map 2-3. The objective of the planting trial is to assist in the natural recovery of the forest, reduce fire hazards and create a forest more resilient to large insect populations. The methodology of the trial consists of evaluating the survival of the seedlings planted in the understory of a defoliated forest. The species to be planted include: broadleaf maple, vine maple, red alder, cottonwood, Sitka spruce and western red cedar. These species will be planted in plots located every 50 meters along a transect line in the severely defoliated area. Each plot center will be gauged for canopy openness and the light level reaching the forest floor. Each year data will be collected from these plots to assist in developing regeneration strategies consistent with the Watershed Management Plan.
2.4 Research
Research projects carried out in the watersheds are opportunities for education institutions to study ecosystems in a relatively natural condition within close proximity to Vancouver. Information from these projects increases GVRD’s knowledge of how these ecosystems function that can be applied to strategies for managing the watersheds. Currently the research projects being conducted within the watersheds include: ! The Effects of the Hemlock Looper on Water Quality, Danika Affleck, Chad Day; Simon Fraser University. ! Gap Dynamics: A Template For Managing Old-Growth Forests, Lori Daniels, University of British Columbia and Ken Lertzman, Simon Fraser University. ! Effects of Salmon on GVRD Drinking Water Quality, Asit Mudzumber, Chair, Environmental Management of Drinking Water in the GVRD Watersheds: Environmental Management for Drinking Water Quality, National Science Environmental Research Center. ! Planting Trial of Western White Pine Resistant to White Pine Blister Rust, Research Branch, and Ministry of Forests.
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Map 2.3
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3. Fire Management Implementation Program
Objective: Suppress wildfires only when necessary to ensure water quality, protect public safety and property, and maintain air quality.
3.1 Fire Management Strategy
A key management strategy stated in the Watershed Management Plan is, “Support for natural processes consistent with water quality, safety and environmental quality.”
3.1.1 Description of the Wildfire Environment
To meet the objective of the fire management program, strategies must consider the wide range of conditions within the wildfire environment and the values associated within and adjacent to the watersheds.
Ecosystems Topography plays an important role in affecting the watershed’s maritime climate by producing local weather conditions. In turn, these conditions enhance the occurrence of biotic and abiotic forest disturbances such as insect and disease, wind, wildfire and flooding. These disturbances in addition to physical site conditions as well as past logging and slash burning activities have produced a mosaic of forest types over the landscape that influence the level of fire hazards in the watersheds. The watersheds contain six biogeoclimatic (BEC) units that classify the ecosystems by vegetation and climate attributes throughout the watersheds, as described in Section 2.1, Biogeoclimatic Units.
Natural Disturbance Types Identification of Natural Disturbance Types (NDT) is a planning tool used to maintain desirable levels of biodiversity. (Forest Practices Code, Biodiversity Guidebook, 1997). The NDT characterize areas with different natural disturbance regimes under which ecosystems or BEC units have evolved. The NDT is used in this implementation plan to describe the different wildfire frequencies within the watersheds (Appendix 3) compared to the higher wildfire frequencies associated with some BC interior forests.
Photo 3-1: Natural Fire in the Seymour Watershed Wildfire History Historical watershed records show wildfires initiating from human and natural (lightning) causes (Photo 3-1). The recent wildfire history over the past 20 years has been well documented in the watersheds (see Table 1). There have been a total of 60 wildfires over
25 Five-Year Implementation Plan November 2002 this period, of which, 35 were caused by lightning and 25 were caused by humans. The human-caused wildfires include trespass and industrial activities resulting in 14 and 11 wildfires, respectively.
Table 3-1: Causes of Recent (20 years) Fire Occurrences
Biogeoclimatic Lighting Trespass Slashburn Logging Hydro/ Total Unit RCMP CWH-Dry 1 6 0 0 1 8 Maritime CWH- 10 5 3 1 1 20 Submontaine Very Wet CWH-Montane 11 3 4 0 0 18 Very Wet MH Forested 11 0 0 1 0 12 MH Parkland 2 0 0 0 0 2 Alpine 0 0 0 0 0 Total 35 14 7 2 2 60 Percentage 58% 24% 12% 3% 3% 100%
In Table 3-1, the recent fire occurrences have predominantly been located in the Coastal Western Hemlock Submontane Very Wet unit that covers 32 percent of the watershed lands. The trespass fires are predominantly located in the Coastal Western Hemlock Dry Maritime unit that covers one percent of watershed lands and represents the greatest number of wildfires per unit area. The locations of the recent wildfires are illustrated on Map 3.1. Generally, fires do not become larger than a spot fire (less than 0.1 hectare) before becoming extinguished. The largest wildfire over this period of time was 5.0 hectares in the Coastal Western Hemlock Submontane Very Wet unit and was caused by lightning.
Table 3-2: Forest Fire Danger Rating during Recent (20 years) Wildfire Occurrences Caused by Lightning
Biogeoclimatic Very Low Moderate High Extreme Total Percent Unit Low CWH Dry 0 1 0 0 0 1 3% Maritime CWH 2 1 3 4 0 10 29% Submontane CWH Montane 1 3 3 4 0 11 31% Very Wet MH Forested 1 8 2 0 0 11 31% MH Parkland 1 0 0 1 0 2 6% Alpine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0% Total 5 13 8 9 0 35 Percent 14% 37% 23% 26% 0% 100%
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Table 3-2 lists the forest fire danger rating at the time of the recent wildfire occurrences caused by lightning. Generally half of the wildfire occurrences are during a moderate to high rating and the other half occur during a low to very low forest fire danger rating. Typically, during most of the fire season, April to October, the forest fire danger rating is in the very low, forest fire danger rating. During the mid summer the fire danger rating can change over a few days, in response to a change in weather pattern. Section 3.2.2 Fire Weather describes the method of calculating the forest fire danger rating. A summary of the pre-1984 wildfire occurrences is described in Appendix 3.
Data collected in the three watersheds regarding the presence of wildfire was documented in the ecological inventory (Acres, 1999). In Appendix 3, Map 3.2 illustrates the types of disturbances in the three watersheds. Lightning caused wildfires have occurred on 10 percent of the watershed lands and human caused wildfires have occurred on 4 percent of the watershed lands.
3.1.2 Values at Risk and Potential Consequences
There are numerous values at risk in the event of a wildfire occurring within or adjacent to the watersheds. Map 3.1 illustrates the location of different values at risk.
Human Safety The southern portions of the watersheds that are in close proximity to the watershed boundary are a priority in the event of a wildfire. People in this vicinity are potentially at risk from wildfire. In addition, high use recreation areas such as Cypress Bowl, Mount Seymour and Pinecone/ Burke Provincial Parks, Lynn Headwaters Regional Park and Grouse Mountain are adjacent to the southern portions of the watersheds.
Public Property Residential properties near the forest/urban interface are an area of concern for the potential impacts to property values (Photo 3-2). In addition, recreation facilities such as Grouse Mt. Resorts, Cypress Bowl Developments and Mount Seymour Resorts are identified. Facilities for utilities owned by Centra Gas, BC Hydro, and GVRD could potentially be at risk from wildfire. Photo 3-2: Interface between North Vancouver and the Capilano Watershed Water Quality There are potential impacts to drinking water quality from increased erosion. The increased erosion following a wildfire was assessed for the Capilano watershed, in relation to storms that generally produce turbid water conditions (Environment Canada, 1998). The assessment concluded that there would be increased sediment loads in the reservoir, but would not necessarily change the number of days of turbidity greater than 5 NTU at the intake. During 2003, an assessment of wildfire impacts on water quality will
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Map 3.1
28 Five-Year Implementation Plan November 2002 be completed on the three watersheds using the number of days of turbidity greater than 1 NTU at the intake.
Other potential risks to water quality from wildfire include increased delivery of organic material and dissolved nutrients to the reservoir that create taste and odour issues and influence the aquatic ecology and ultimately drinking water quality. In addition, fire suppression techniques that include the use of chemical fire retardant and surfactants have the potential to enter the stream network.
Air Quality Wildfires generate smoke and air borne particles that have the potential to effect air quality in urban areas. During diurnal airflow and atmospheric inversions the smoke has the potential to travel from the watersheds to the urban areas. Wind data from within the watersheds will be analyzed in conjunction with the air quality data from the region. GVRD’s Air Quality Index is used to describe the air quality conditions that are available in real time from the network of air quality monitoring stations throughout the region.
Special Ecosystems Special ecosystems are areas that provide a range of environmental values, including habitat for endangered species such as northern spotted owl; rare ecosystems that are comprised of old growth forests; and riparian vegetation that stabilize stream banks.
Cultural and Heritage The probability of cultural sites being found in the watersheds is identified in the Cultural Overview Assessment (Arcas, 2001). Heritage values from previous logging, mining and homesteading activities are included in a GVRD database.
Visual There are areas in the GVRD that provide views of the southern parts of the watersheds. A wildfire could scar some of the forested viewscape in some areas. A visual landscape inventory identifies those areas.
3.1.3 Risk and Wildfire Behavior
Watershed values will be protected from wildfire in areas that have evidence of wildfire, have sources of ignition and hazardous forest fuel types. Climate change will be monitored since there is potential for the historical pattern and frequency of wildfires to change.
Evidence of Wildfire The evidence of past wildfire illustrates the risk of future wildfire occurring in the watersheds. This evidence of wildfires consists of charcoal remains in the soil horizons and fire scars on trees. This evidence was documented in the ecological inventory (Acres 1998) and provides very good site-specific information on the watersheds. The ecological inventory found minimal evidence of wildfire occurring in the Mountain Hemlock Zone and in the Coastal Western Hemlock mountain variant since wildfires typically only effect one or two trees. In contrast, the lower elevations including the Coastal Western Hemlock, submontane variant and the drier maritime subzone contain wide spread 29 Five-Year Implementation Plan November 2002 evidence of wildfire. Map 2.1 illustrates the location of the zones, subzones and variants in the watersheds.
Sources of Ignition Lightning occurs throughout the watersheds at the higher elevations such as the Mountain Hemlock Zone that causes wildfires on occasion to kill individual or small groups of trees. There does not appear to be a pattern of lightning intensity given the available data source at this time. Therefore the probability of lightning occurring can be considered consistent across the watershed lands. Infrequent lightning storms that pass through the watersheds can ignite several wildfires within a short period of time. As an example, during August 1990 a storm generated over 100 lightning strikes and 10 wildfires in the Capilano watershed.
The other major source of ignition for wildfires is from trespass fires that account for 24 percent of the wildfire ignitions since 1984 (Table 3-1). The location of trespass caused wildfires is generally in the southern portion of the watersheds; an area termed as the forest/urban interface (the area where homes exist adjacent or within the forest). A significant factor is the recreation activities adjacent to the watersheds in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, Regional Parks, Provincial Parks and private property owners where a wildfire is capable of starting and spreading towards the watershed lands. Map 3.1 illustrates the location of these adjacent jurisdictions that are potential sources of wildfire ignition.
Forest Fuel Types Forest fuel types are dependent upon the structure and composition of the forest. Forest fuel types determine the ability of a wildfire to spread through the forest. The topography, weather conditions and moisture content of the forest fuels are other factors that affect wildfire behavior predictions. Section 3.6, Research and Development describes the wildfire behavior modelling that is part of an overall wildfire threat analysis that will assist in guiding further refinements of the fire management program.
3.1.4 Wildfire Management Zones
Adopting appropriate wildfire management zones assist in fulfilling the objective of the fire management program. Establishing wildfire management zones assist in prioritizing management activities within areas that contain high values at risk from wildfire. Prioritizing wildfires assist wildfire suppression during periods when the forest fuel types are in a drying trend and when there are multiple wildfires started from a lightning storm.
Wildfire Suppression Zone Combining the location of watershed values to protect and the evidence of wildfires are used to determine the wildfire suppression zone where all wildfires need to be suppressed. Wildfire management zones shown on Map 3.1, outline the wildfire suppression zone that concentrates wildfire suppression efforts on to 60 percent of the watershed area in the areas of highest risk and consequence.
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Low Wildfire Risk Zone Wildfires will occur with no suppression activity in the watershed where there is minimal evidence of wildfires and in areas where there are low values at risk. Wildfires in this zone have limited ability to spread and result in minimal risk to adjacent watershed values. In some cases, small groups of trees killed by a wildfire will be beneficial to wildlife habitat and is consistent with the minimum intervention and biodiversity strategies described in the Watershed Management Plan. Caution will always be exercised in terms of implementing this fire management strategy. The practice of no wildfire suppression in the Low Wildfire Risk Zone will be implemented only during periods when there is less than a moderate fire danger rating coincident with a good air quality rating obtained from GVRD’s air quality monitoring stations.
Table 3-2, illustrates that this strategy would have eliminated the need for fire suppression efforts on 29 percent of the wildfires that were caused from lightning in the past 20 years.
3.2 Fire Preparedness
Although the wildfire season is a short duration in this coastal region, the prevention strategies and fire weather monitoring requires significant preparedness planning throughout the year.
3.2.1 Develop Prevention Strategies
Prevention strategies are implemented to reduce the likelihood of the incidence of wildfire and allow for a prompt coordinated response to deal with wildfire outbreaks (Photo 3-3). Prevention strategies include: ! maintain an update Watershed Response Plan for organizing fire suppression resources; ! ensure staff is trained for initial attack and are available for immediate response; ! maintain an effective watershed security program to minimize the amount of trespass fires; ! develop a public awareness program to highlight the concerns and precautions of forest/urban interface wildfires; ! collaborate in fire management research and development initiatives; ! liaison with other agencies such as the South Coast Interagency Committee; ! participate with Regional Parks and other landholders on collaborative training and preparedness activities. Photo 3-3: Helicopter Water Drop to Suppress Fire
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3.2.2 Fire Weather
Monitoring fire weather determines fire danger or the likelihood of forest fuels burning when exposed to an ignition source. The Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS) takes into account the cumulative effect of daily drying conditions on forest fuels. This program also provides important information on rates of spread and difficulty of control. The CFFDRS has four subsections including the fire weather index, fire behavior prediction, forest fire occurrence prediction and the accessory fuel moisture. The fire weather index has been historically used in the watersheds and additional research as described in Section 3.6 will allow for improved uses of the CFFDRS.
Locate Fire Weather Stations In the past, fire weather stations have all been located within the Coastal Western Hemlock Submontane Very Wet biogeoclimatic unit. This results in calculating an average fire danger rating being applied to the entire watershed. There are five additional fire weather stations proposed to be located in different biogeoclimatic units to reflect variable drying conditions, fuel types and snow free initiation dates. Map 3.1 shows the location of existing fire weather stations and proposed stations.
Collect Daily Weather Data The CFFDRS requires daily weather readings to come up with a numerical fire danger rating. These weather readings are taken at 1300hrs and include; temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and rainfall.
Calculate Fire Weather Indices The fire weather index (FWI) has six components and uses the weather readings to quantify fuel moisture and fire behavior that determine potential fire danger in a given area. Fire danger is rated from one (very low) to five (extreme).
Moisture Codes The Fine Fuel Moisture Code (FFMC) is a numerical rating expressing water content in fine surface fuels. It represents the litter layers 1-5cm deep. These layers are extremely sensitive to daily changes in relative humidity, wind speed and rainfall.
The Duff Moisture Code (DMC) is a numerical rating expressing the moisture content of loosely compacted organic layers 5-10cm deep. Rainfall, temperature and humidity affect this layer.
The Drought Code (DC) is a numerical rating expressing the moisture content of deep, compact, organic layers 10 – 20cm deep. This code indicates seasonal drought effects and smoldering in deep duff layers or large logs.
Behavior Codes The Initial Spread Index (ISI) is a numerical rating of the expected rate of spread immediately after ignition in a standard fuel type. Wind speed and the FFMC influences the ISI.
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The Build up Index (BUI) is a numerical rating of the total amount of fuel available for combustion, a combination of fuel size ranges, included in the DMC and DC values.
The Fire Weather Index (FWI) is a numerical rating of potential fire intensity, in a standard fuel type by combining the ISI and BUI values.
The fire danger rating is calculated by combining FWI and BUI.
3.2.3 Detect Fire Occurrences and Identify Location
Fire detection can be accomplished by air or ground reconnaissance. The major aid to this is the North American Lightning Detection Network. Lightning data recorded from 185 sensors across North America is processed and sent via satellite to an administrator. This system provides helpful information by pinpointing lightning strike locations for investigation.
3.3 Wildfire Response
Immediate wildfire response to wildfires supports the objective of fire management program.
3.3.1 Notification
Fire protection staff is notified immediately of all fire occurrences. During both regular working hours and after work, emergency calls are directed through the 24–hour Lake City Controller. Activation of standby personnel and any necessary emergency response, will be made according to plans and procedures outlined in the Watershed Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan that is updated each spring prior to the fire season.
3.3.2 Assessment
Once a wildfire has been confirmed, a more detailed aerial assessment from a helicopter is carried out. If a flight is not possible due to poor weather conditions, staff will assess the fire site from the nearest viewpoint. During the assessment, information is collected on fire size and intensity, geographic location, rate of spread, terrain features, surface access routes, water sources and adjacent values at risk. These factors in addition to current and forecast weather conditions are compiled and assist in the formulation of a fire suppression plan for wildfires that require suppression activities that are consistent with the fire management zones described in Section 3.1.4.
The wildfire assessment is carried out immediately and ensures safe, timely and effective initial attack. Concurrent to the wildfire assessment, initial attack fire crews prepare for deployment from the central staging and equipment depot in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve.
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3.3.3 Suppression
All suppression activities are aggressively undertaken in order to extinguish or bring under control suitable wildfires in the shortest time possible. These activities will include a rapid initial attack, suppression and a mop-up where the fire is completely extinguished.
Depending on available access routes, terrain constraints and weather conditions, suppression activities may commence with aerial support such as water bucketing by helicopter or fire retardant drops from fixed wing aircraft. The use of chemical fire retardants in the watersheds will be reviewed with the Ministry of Forests to ensure that water quality is protected during suppression activities. Fire crews are then deployed on the ground to ensure complete suppression of the fire.
3.3.4 Emergency Procedures
During wildfire responses, a variety of emergency procedures may be undertaken to ensure the safety of fire fighting staff and the general public. As well, values at risk such as infrastructure and natural resources will be considered when compiling each fire suppression plan.
Concurrently with fire detection, each wildfire situation is communicated to the Coastal Fire Control Centre in Nanaimo. Upon this contact, additional fire fighting resources are put on alert should they be required. Similarly, municipal fire departments may be contacted in the case of fires occurring along the watershed/urban interface. All emergency response procedures carried out within and adjacent to the watershed lands, will be undertaken according to the policies and procedures outlined in the emergency response plans. Section 9.0 Emergency Preparedness outlines the procedures the GVRD has prepared for an emergency situation.
3.3.5 Public Information
Information covering a particular fire response and associated conditions will be made available to the public through the designated GVRD Communications and Education spokesperson. Media releases may be made from time to time to alert the public to smoke conditions or closures to recreational areas.
3.4 Monitoring and Evaluation Continuous monitoring and evaluation supports the adaptive management strategy of the Watershed Management Plan.
3.4.1 Monitoring Wildfire
The monitoring of all wildfires will occur by aerial and ground reconnaissance to determine the area affected by the wildfire and the behaviour of the wildfire. The predicted behaviour of the wildfire will be assessed in relation to the need to protect water quality, public safety and property, and maintain air quality.
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3.4.2 Evaluate Wildfire Suppression
Wildfire suppression is evaluated at all times to ensure safety to the crews suppressing the wildfire. Suppression activities on the ground are only used when there is acceptable risk to the suppression crews. Aerial methods are relied upon when appropriate and can keep the wildfire under control until the wildfire conditions permit the safe use of suppression crews.
The suppression of wildfires is evaluated in relation to the relative impacts from the wildfire. The values at risk listed in Section 3.1.2 will be assessed during the wildfire event and following the suppression activities. Instrumentation is in place for water quality and air quality monitoring that provides early warning in an event when these values become impacted.
Water quality can be impacted by chemical contamination from petroleum and fire retardant, increased nutrient loading of the reservoir and increased turbidity at the water intake. In response to these issues an alternative water supply source may be relied upon until the source of the problem is cleaned up. Longer-term solutions involve the application of erosion control strategies as described in Section 4.0 Erosion Control Program.
An assessment of the wildfire site will be conducted to quantify the impacts to any values. The information is used to update the watershed ecological inventory. The method of conducting the fire suppression is assessed as to the effectiveness of the equipment and personnel used during the fire suppression activities. The assessments are used to identify the most effective responses and procedures with the intent to integrate these more extensively in future wildfire suppression efforts.
3.5 Research and Development
Research into fire management is to further develop fire management strategies, such as adjusting the delineation of wildfire management zones, recording and modelling wildfire behavior and further develop suppression methods
The ecological inventory database will also be used in a wildfire threat analysis of the watersheds. Under the wildfire threat analysis, inventory data is input into the Spatial Fire Management System (SFMS). The SFMS was developed by the Canadian Forest Service and is based on 75 years of fire science. It has been applied internationally and locally at the McGregeor Model Forest in central British Columbia.
Application of the SFMS on the GVRD watershed lands will provide an opportunity to utilize this management tool in a coastal setting with high values. When applied, the SFMS will predict fire behaviour and provide analysis of the values at risk from wildfire. Results from the overall wildfire threat analysis are anticipated to provide guidance for wildfire suppression management.
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The purpose of the wildfire threat analysis is to provide a decision support system that will assist in the implementation of the Fire Management Program. The objectives for the wildfire threat analysis include: 1. Assist in the description and delineation of fire management zones. 2. Guide the establishment and operation of future fire weather monitoring stations. 3. Enhance forest ecosystem planning and specifically interface fuel management prescriptions. 4. Compliment pre-suppression planning. 5. Aid wildfire suppression decision making. 6. Collaborate with Municipal Staff and interface property owners of the threat of wildfire.
The Greater Vancouver Wildfire Threat Analysis Project will be developed and implemented cooperatively through a partnership with the Canadian Forest Service, BC Ministry of Forests and the Greater Vancouver Regional District.
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4. Erosion Control Implementation Program
Soil erosion occurs in the watersheds as a natural process and to a much lesser extent as a result of human disturbance. Sources of soil erosion are from landslides, stream banks, gullies, and surface erosion, including some sources resulting from construction activities. In addition, surface and sub-aqueous erosion occurs in-and-around reservoir boundaries as a result of rain drop impact, gullying and rilling, wave action, density currents, and down cutting from rivers and streams as they enter reservoir drawdown areas. During winter storms, erosion of fine textured soils and organic matter may become suspended in the reservoir and impact water quality.
Objective: Minimize the impact of soil erosion on the quality of the water entering the water distribution system.
4.1 Erosion Control Determining if there is a specific source of erosion that warrants erosion control activities is the first concern to resolve. Often turbidity entering the water intake, the start of the water distribution system, originates from a variety of sources depending on the particular watershed and current weather pattern. Analysis of water monitoring data, professional judgment, and other factors will identify any need for erosion control to protect water quality.
The second concern to resolve is determining the most appropriate erosion control response that is consistent with the Watershed Management Plan (e.g. minimum intervention in a cost effective and efficient manner). Erosion control projects that are required from time to time include the following activities: ! excavation of landslide deposits containing fine textured material that have the potential to be carried into the water supply reservoirs; ! stabilization of stream banks where appropriate to minimize the rate of bank erosion; ! decommissioning of roads; ! re-vegetation of landslide scars, gully sidewalls, and reservoir drawdown zones to minimize surface erosion; ! evaluation and development of erosion control techniques.
Monitoring water quality and the rate of erosion after a project is completed will document its effectiveness on minimizing the impact of soil erosion on the quality of water entering the water distribution system. However, it bears mentioning that most fine sediment yield (FSY) into the reservoirs, which affect water quality at the intake, is associated with natural landslides. (Figures 4a, 4b, 4c found in Appendix 4 illustrates the proportions of each sediment source for the three watersheds). These high turbidity periods often persist for many days at a time and are associated with episodic rainfall events. The potential benefits to water quality from reducing FSY from erosion sources are often unwarranted as the low levels of fine sediment are usually negligible. Nonetheless, there are times when erosion can impair water quality in the distribution system so mitigation is required.
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4.1.1 Preparedness Strategy
A level of preparedness or pre-planning is essential to mitigate soil erosion impacts that have a high probability that they will impair water quality in the distribution system. This preparedness begins with qualified staff, access to equipment and human resources, an understanding of the appropriate erosion control techniques, a good inspection program, and an understanding of the monitoring site data to be able to determine when and when not to undertake action. Figure 4-2 is used to assist staff in determining the most appropriate response to specific erosion events. The network of hydrometric stations, reservoir turbidity buoys, and turbidity measurements at the water intake are used to verify the impacts to water quality from disturbances. During 2003, a point system or other decision making tools will be adopted to assist staff in determining appropriate erosion control responses that can be proactive or more precautionary in preventing potential sources of sediment entering the water distribution system.
Inspection programs need to be conducted both on an annual or semi-annual basis and after significant rainstorms have occurred. These programs will be reviewed and updated every year if required. Inspection programs will also be formalized to adhere to proper auditing procedures. Specific storm events, such as the “pineapple express” or other rain-on-snow incidents, require special attention and require staff to be on-call so that they can respond to emergencies. However, human safety is always the number one priority as these large storms can generate dangerous circumstances for workers in the watersheds
Annual audits and other inspection programs will be developed during 2003 so that preparedness mitigation measures can be applied quickly if necessary. As well, emergency procedures as described in Section 9.0 Emergency Preparedness will be re- assessed and continually updated to improve response capabilities.
4.2 Response Strategies
To address erosion concerns, response strategies assess the source of erosion, the type of erosion control treatment required, if any, and the permits necessary to undertake the work.
4.2.1 Assess Source of Erosion
Generally, sources of erosion occur during storm events that route a large quantity of sediment from a landslide or eroded stream bank through the watershed that occasionally reaches the water intake. An assessment is required to determine whether there is a high probability that ongoing erosion from this initial source of erosion will affect or continue to affect water quality within the distribution system. In most cases, there is relatively little ongoing erosion compared to the initial erosion event during the storm. An examination of the turbidity at the intake and linking it to the suspected source is required. Other factors to consider include dilution factors associated with erosion after it
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Figure 4-2 Risk Assessment for Erosion Control
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enters a water course, previous history or evidence of a particular zone or source area affecting water quality at the intake, professional opinion, surficial material types and their estimated sediment yields, model prediction scenarios, and the location of the source. If such a link to potential ongoing erosion is established then mitigation works will commence.
If there is no potential link to water quality impairment, then nothing should be done to address an erosion source, unless it affects other essential watershed infrastructure. If an erosion source is suspected of affecting water quality within the distribution system, but there is no strong evidence, then further monitoring is required. The use of a point system to assist staff to determine when to conduct erosion control will allow for a risk management approach to minimizing the impact of soil erosion on the quality of water entering the intake. In addition to the permanent monitoring stations located throughout the watersheds, site specific monitoring, such as turbidity readings, photo documentation and observations during storm events will assist in the overall assessment.
4.2.2 Erosion Control Treatments
For 2003, there are no erosion control projects currently proposed for the watersheds except for projects that are associated with road network and fishery enhancements. The 2002/2003 winter storms could potentially generate a source of erosion that will need to be assessed for treatment. The types of treatments applicable to the range of sediment sources are:
Landslide Deposits Landslides that deposit fine textured soils in a stream will continually erode the deposit until a new stream channel has been formed. The excavation of these deposits and the construction of a stable stream channel can minimize the amount of erosion and potential turbidity.
Landslide Scars On landslide scars, seeding with grasses and legumes is undertaken generally when glacio-lacustrine surficial materials are exposed following a landslide. Depending on the access, this can be conducted by hand or by vehicle such as a helicopter.
Gullies In gullies, techniques used for erosion control include seeding with grasses and legumes, planting of trees and shrubs, bioengineering strategies, clearing debris where warranted and feasible, water diversion where safe and warranted, rip rap, and other similar strategies.
Stream Banks During periods of high runoff the undercutting of stream banks can generate erosion. Stream banks can be stabilized by the use of riprap, large woody debris and live vegetation. In collaboration with other agencies there may be circumstances that require stream bank protection to protect aquatic and riparian habitats (Photos 4-1; 4-2).
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Photo 4-1: Stabilization of a Photo 4-2: Bioengineering Work Conducted in the Coquitlam Watershed Stream Bank in Capilano Watershed
Reservoir Drawdown Exposed sediments found around the perimeter of the reservoir are vulnerable to erosion, especially in the vicinity of the water intake. Reservoir management and water conservation strategies can reduce the area of exposed sediments when and where feasible. Alternatively, protecting these sediments with rip rap, geotextiles and the planting of Carex species is also possible (Photo 4.3)
Photo 4-3: Sediments Exposed During Reservoir Drawdown in Coquitlam.
Road Surfaces Road surfaces can generate some sediment that can be controlled by a road maintenance program as described in Section 5.1 Maintenance of Essential Roads.
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Road Deactivation Erosion control techniques used for road deactivation begin with operational pre- planning. Sediments can be exposed after deactivation has begun; therefore undertaking works during drier periods is preferred whenever possible. When removing drainage structures, it is necessary to keep the site as dry as possible through various techniques as described in Section 5.2 Decommissioning of Non-Essential Roads. Unless a potential threat to water quality is determined, many of these techniques, some which are very expensive, should be applied only after a thorough assessment and evaluation.
4.2.3 Permitting
Erosion control projects involve a range of treatments that can have the following permitting requirements, including: 1. Notification of in-stream works, under Section 9 of the Water Act from the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection for most projects affecting watershed streams. 2. Approvals of in-stream works, under Section 9 of the Water Act from the Ministry of Water Land and Air Protection (MWLAP), and under the Fisheries Act from Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada for significant stream and habitat alterations. 3. Licence to cut, under the Forest Act from the Ministry of Forest for cutting trees on Crown land associated with the erosion control project. 4. Lease Agreement, under the Lands Act from MWLAP and Land and Water BC Inc. to develop and occupy a site for the purpose of accessing aggregate and rock for the erosion control project. 5. Mine Permit, under the Mines Act from the Ministry of Energy and Mines for the rehabilitation of a quarry or a borrow pit to an acceptable safety standard that supplies material for the erosion control project.
4.3 Monitoring Strategy
The monitoring strategy will review the objectives of the program, and define the functions and procedures to collect, analyze data, and manage the data sets. This strategy support the adaptive management approach where there is continuous improvement to predict impacts from erosion and prescribe appropriate cost-effective erosion control treatments.
An effects monitoring approach will be undertaken on previously completed erosion control treatments to see if perceptible changes at intake, site, or control site (e.g. upstream of erosion location) occurred. During 2003 –2004 this monitoring approach will be implemented on the erosion control projects conducted in 2001-2002, including: ! Meech Creek gully planting ! Coquitlam 1.5 km landslide scar ! Cedar Creek bank armouring ! Seymour River – Jamieson Bridge bank armoring
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Monitoring Data
The use of the water monitoring stations as described in Section 1.0 Water Monitoring and Forecasting will be used to see if perceptible changes at the water intake and at the erosion control site have occurred. Section 4.2.1 Assess Source of Erosion describes additional monitoring methods that are used to gauge the magnitude of erosion and affects to water quality.
4.3.2 Assess the Effectiveness of the Prescription
Every erosion control treatment will document the effectiveness of the prescription that will be used to assist in the deciding if specific future erosion control projects are warranted and if so, to assist in determining the most appropriate treatment.
The documentation will consist of the data records and determining if the treatment worked. If no change is evident, an explanation noting why and how will be provided. If the treatment was inadequate, the documentation will include recommendations for further work or abandonment.
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5. Road Network Implementation Program
Much of the present-day, 300-kilometre road network in the watersheds is a result of the discontinued logging program that ended in the early 1990’s. While many of the roads are still essential to carry out watershed management duties, other roads are no longer necessary. Some of these non-essential roads are situated on unstable or potentially unstable terrain and require frequent maintenance. As a result, even with road maintenance, heavy precipitation can cause sedimentation problems that may impair water quality. Other non-essential roads, referred to as discontinued roads, are already no longer used and may be overgrown with vegetation. Map 5.1 identifies the essential, non-essential, and discontinued road network for the Capilano, Seymour, and Coquitlam watersheds.
Objective: Reduce the amount of roads in the watersheds to a level consistent with the Goal and Principles of this Plan.
5.1 Essential Roads
The long-term road network in the watersheds will be comprised of essential roads providing vehicle access to: ! water supply and water quality monitoring sites; ! site developments for water system infrastructure; ! utilities such as the natural gas right-of-way in the Coquitlam watershed and the BC Hydro right-of-way in Capilano; ! search and rescue requirements adjacent to Cypress Bowl Provincial Park; and to watershed sites for public tours.
Essential roads may also provide opportunities to undertake other watershed activities such as forest ecosystem management, watershed security, environmental mitigation, erosion control, and fire management.
5.1.1 Maintenance of Essential Roads
Approximately 125 kilometres of the present 300-kilometre network are considered essential. For the most part, these roads are located on valley bottoms and gentler mid- slopes that pose low risk to water quality (Photo 5-1). Best Management Practices (BMPs) for essential roads will be updated to ensure the risks to water quality are minimized.
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Map 5.1
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Photo 5-1: An Essential Road in the Capilano Watershed
Maintenance Activities for Essential Roads
Watershed roads have often been an issue of public concern regarding their impact to water quality. This has prompted staff to apply considerable attention to the ongoing maintenance of these roads to ensure that any potential impact to water quality is minimized. The maintenance activities applied to these roads include the following: 1. Roadside brushing using a tractor mounted mower is operated on roads annually. Some roads require brushing and pruning with chainsaws to reduce the encroaching vegetation adjacent to the road. Over time, the trees growing adjacent to the road will produce enough shade that will limit the need to brush with a tractor. 2. Grading of the main roads are completed on an annual basis depending on the level of traffic. The branch roads only require grading if there is a project that requires a significant amount of truck traffic, which is rare. 3. Annual maintenance of the ditches, culverts and water bars with a backhoe ensures that water is managed effectively around the road prism. 4. Inspections of the road drainage structures to determine replacements of damaged culverts and replacements of wooden bridges with concrete and steel structures. 5. Annual assessments of the roads often identify potential problems with drainage structures and road fills that can occur due to storm events. These are repaired as soon as possible to ensure that essential road access is maintained. As an alternative, some of these problem areas will be incorporated into the road- decommissioning schedule. 6. Snow ploughing and removal are required to access specific infrastructure and provide assistance to search and rescue efforts.
Other activities that utilize roads such as gravel pit development or bioengineering works, and seeding are discussed under other programs (6.0 Water System Infrastructure, 4.0 Erosion Control. 1.0 Water Monitoring and Forecasting, 8.0 Watershed Security).
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5.2 Non-Essential Roads
Non-essential roads will be deactivated as closely as possible, to a pre-disturbance state prior to human activity in a cost-efficient and effective manner. Non-essential roads will be deactivated to minimize impacts from erosion and landslides, and reduce long-term maintenance costs (Photo 5-2). Approximately 175 kilometres of the present 300 kilometre road network are considered non-essential.
Photo 5-2: A non-essential road in the Capilano Watershed that requires minimal road deactivation work
5.2.1 Overview of Road Deactivation
Road deactivation includes making physical changes to stabilize the road prism and to restore and maintain natural surface and sub-surface drainage. The level of effort to undertake deactivation is dependent upon the nature of the road and the risks to water quality, environmentally sensitive areas (e.g. fish habitat), human safety, and watershed infrastructure. Some of the deactivated roads will be used as trail systems and helipads will be constructed on the deactivated roads at strategic locations to facilitate infrequent access requirements.
A variety of road deactivation techniques are used to achieve the desired results. Typically, roads on steeper terrain require pullback and water management techniques to reduce or minimize risks to water quality. Pullback retrieves potentially unstable sidecast road fill and re-contours the site to restore the original hillslope profile (Figure 5-1,
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Photos 5-3, 5-4). The main reasons for pulling back fill and debris along roads in the watersheds are to: ! remove unstable material that may fail, thereby impairing water quality ! re-establish the natural hydrology of a site as closely as possible ! reduce the amount of erosion that an oversteepened road generates ! provide support for a road cutslope to reduce the risk of future failures
Figure 5-1: Pullback
Photo 5-3: A non-essential road requiring pullback and water management techniques in the Coquitlam Watershed
Note: Road fill failure around culvert area
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Photo 5-4: A deactivated road segment in the Coquitlam Watershed
Note: Re-contoured to the natural slope
Water management techniques are used when deactivating roads to restore and maintain natural drainage patterns as closely as possible to their original condition. When pullback is required, major water management components include culvert removal, addition of cross-ditches, the use of French, trench, and blanket drains to disperse water and/or sub- surface flow onto stable slopes or in a manner that will not cause instability concerns (Figure 5-2). Roads on flatter, more stable, terrain generally only require the removal of culverts and the construction of cross-ditches where necessary.
Figure 5-2: Culvert Removal & Cross-Ditching
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Discontinued roads are already not in use and are generally overgrown with vegetation and considered part of the non-essential road network. Depending on their location and condition, they typically require no road deactivation techniques. Discontinued roads constitute approximately 25 kilometres of the non-essential road network.
5.2.2 A Risk Management Approach to Road Deactivation
With approximately 175 kilometres of road to deactivate in the Capilano, Seymour, and Coquitlam watersheds, work must be prioritized to ensure that the most serious problems are treated first wherever practical. A risk-based management approach is applied to assist in making this determination. Risk is a function of the hazard and the consequence of shape or ground failure. Hazard is defined as the probability of an event (e.g. landslide) occurring. Consequence is the result of the hazard and the nature of the impact.
For road deactivation purposes, a hazard rating was determined using terrain stability classification, textures of surficial material, and working knowledge of the road network. In general, roads situated on terrain stability classes V and IV have a higher hazard rating because they are often situated on steep terrain or have fine-textured materials that are prone to erosion and/or landslides. Roads on terrain stability classes I, II, and III tend to have gentler and more benign slopes. Hence, the latter do not typically have as high a hazard rating as those roads on terrain stability classes IV and V.
The consequences to water quality, environmentally sensitive areas, human safety, and watershed infrastructure were based primarily on the connectivity of hazards to water courses. These include direct impact, indirect impact, and no connectivity. In addition, the location of essential roads and infrastructure to those being deactivated such as areas directly below a high hazard zone were also considered. Based on the consequences and hazards, a risk map for each watershed was developed to prioritize roads for deactivation (Map 5.2).
The majority of roads with a “High” risk rating will require full pullback and water management techniques to stabilize the road prism to minimize risks and reduce long- term maintenance costs (Photo 5-5). Approximately 20 kilometres in the three watersheds are considered high risk.
Roads designated with a “Moderate” risk rating will use a combination of pullback and water management techniques depending on site-specific requirements. In other words, some roads could require pullback of fill debris to reduce risks while other segments may only require water management techniques. An estimated 85 kilometres of road are considered moderate risk in the three watersheds.
“Low” risk roads primarily require water management techniques given the benign terrain in which they are situated. These techniques include removal of culverts and bridges and the addition of cross ditches where necessary. Approximately 75 kilometres
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Map 5.2
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of road within the three watersheds are considered low risk. Most roads that only require water management techniques will be allowed to revegetate naturally.
Photo 5-5: An Example of a High Risk Road Segment
Note: Tension crack in road fill
5.2.3 Deactivation Schedule
Over the next five years, 175 kilometers of non-essential road will be deactivated. The first year of deactivation (2002) is a pilot year to ramp-up the program, work out logistical issues, and learn so that adaptive management techniques can be applied effectively and cost-efficiently. In addition, approvals are required from federal and provincial agencies before this work can commence. As such, results from the first year pilot project will be used to refine the schedule and budget as warranted. Road segments deactivated in 2002 provide a good cross-section of the different types of deactivation that will occur over the five-year program.
5.2.4 Road Deactivation Costs
Expected costs to implement the program include those for pullback, cross-ditching, and culvert removal are based on data received for similar management practices in the Squamish and Chilliwack Forest Districts, and for work conducted during the 2002 pilot year.
5.2.5 Road Deactivation Prescriptions
Prior to road deactivation works, detailed site-specific road prescriptions are undertaken to assess and evaluate the existing road stability, hillslope hydrology, and geomorphology. Examples of prescriptions include pullback, cross-ditches, and culvert removal. The prescriptions are based on the site-specific hazards, consequences, and risks and lead to the development of detailed deactivation plans. These prescriptions are documented in the field on a metre by metre basis using field markings, notes, sketches,
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photographs, and maps. A final prescription report outlines the action required, the level of difficulty, and the estimated time and cost to undertake the site-specific work for each road segment. Appendix 5 provides an example of road deactivation prescription for the 2002 pilot year.
5.2.6 Best Management Practices (BMPs)
BMPs are defined as physical, structural, and/or managerial practices. When used singly, or in combination, BMPs prevent or reduce impacts on water quality and environmentally sensitive areas while protecting life and watershed facilities. Such measures are those practices that are currently believed to provide the most effective, practicable means of preventing or reducing landslides and erosion from roads during and after deactivation techniques are implemented. An example of a BMP is leaving a natural watercourse free of pullback material to reduce potential sedimentation and allow water to flow in this area using cross-ditches or Trench drains.
Best Management Practices will be used throughout the road deactivation program and are well documented in the, “Best Management Practices Handbook: Hillslope Restoration in British Columbia” (Ministry of Forests, 2001), the “Advanced Road Deactivation Manual” (Ministry of Forests, 1998), agency approval conditions and GVRD Watershed Regulations. A finalized selection of Best Management Practices will be developed for the GVRD watersheds by GVRD staff based on experience from the first year.
5.3 Monitoring
Annual audits and monitoring will occur, for both long-term essential roads and non- essential roads that will be deactivated, to ensure that risks to water quality are minimized while access to water supply infrastructure and watershed operation duties is maintained. Field assessments will evaluate whether work undertaken has been successful and, if not, determine an appropriate course of action given the risks to water quality, environmentally sensitive areas, human safety, and watershed infrastructure resources.
On-site monitoring will be conducted during the course of road deactivation to ensure that the work is completed as prescribed (implementation monitoring) as well as to the applicable standards (compliance monitoring). Monitoring also allows for on-site amendments to prescriptions when conditions are different than anticipated.
5.4 Program Success
A final evaluation will be based on the degree to which the program objectives were achieved efficiently and effectively. It will examine what did not turn out as predicted and document the successes and lessons learned related to cost, effects on water quality, and the number of kilometres deactivated. This will support the adaptive management approach so that the GVRD Best Management Practices can be modified and improved. The results will be presented in the State of the Watersheds Annual Report.
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6. Water System Infrastructure
The watershed infrastructure includes dams, reservoirs, water intakes, pipelines, water treatment facilities, buildings, and roads as described in Section 5 – Road Network. The development of infrastructure on watershed lands will be required to meet the overall Goal of providing clean, safe drinking water and is consistent with the guiding Principles of the Plan.
Objective: Provide infrastructure for the storage, transmission, and treatment of the water supply while conserving watershed resources to the greatest extent possible.
6.1 Infrastructure Requirements
The water system infrastructure within the GVRD watersheds is a means to achieving the overall goal of providing clean, safe drinking water to the residents of the GVRD. And while the infrastructure is essential for the storage, transmission, and treatment of the water supply, it must conserve watershed resources and consider environmental and social values when upgrading and developing additional facilities within the watersheds.
To develop, maintain, or upgrade new or existing infrastructure, areas within the watersheds are used for: ! constructing dams, water intakes, pipelines, water treatment facilities, and buildings; ! staging areas for temporary and permanent storage of soils and construction materials; ! developing aggregate or quarry sources for construction, maintenance, and access requirements; and ! accessing facilities via road, helicopter, boat, and trail methods.
Other non-GVRD utilities such as BC Hydro and Centra Gas also have infrastructure within the watersheds with which they have agreements with the GVRD (Appendix 6).
To determine suitable disposal or potential resource development sites, one must know the type or quality of disposal material and the type of aggregate or quarry material required. If disposal debris comes from off-site then the material must be tested for pathogens or other contaminants that might impair water quality or be hazardous to human health. If the material is fine textured (silts and clays) then the connectivity of the disposal site with creeks, streams, and the reservoir where the fine material might travel along becomes important to know.
Information from the Watershed Ecological Inventory data base and other baseline data collection methods assist in determining whether a staging or resource use area is suitable. Once a few sites have been selected, they can be ground-truthed to determine their suitability through more intensive investigations.
Map 6.1 identifies the location of the existing and proposed infrastructure, access requirements, and staging and resource development areas.
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Map 6.1
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6.1.1 Existing Infrastructure
Capilano
Infrastructure located within the Capilano watershed include the Cleveland Dam, the log booms and associated infrastructure (boat house, docks, anchors, pins) on or around the reservoir (Photo 6-1), and the Palisade Lake alpine reservoir with its related facilities. Other features such as roads, water monitoring sites, and security features are discussed elsewhere in the plan.
Photo 6-1: View of the Cleveland Dam and Log Booms in Capilano Watershed
The 90 metre Cleveland Dam is a concrete gravity dam built in 1954 to provide drinking water for the residents of the lower mainland. The reservoir provides approximately 53 million cubic meters of usable storage water. The dam was seismically upgraded in 1992-94. The east abutment of the dam, which consists of complex sequences of glacial deposits, has experienced a history of seepage issues. Starting in 2001, the east abutment underwent a seepage control project that was completed in 2002. Remediation of the staging areas, soil spoil sites and aggregate sources sites associated with the east abutment work are described in Section 2.0 Forest Ecosystem. The water intake opening within the dam structure is equipped with screens that remove small debris before directing the water to the chlorine plant immediately below the dam. On the reservoir, two log booms are used to catch large wood objects so that debris does not accumulate at or near the intake and create a dam safety issue (Photo 6-3). The management of wood debris follows the Canadian Dam Safety Guidelines.
The Palisade Lake alpine reservoir, situated at 900 metres above sea level, is equipped with a small 10 metre high dam. Three 250 mm pipes are opened to release water in mid- to late summer to replenish the Capilano reservoir as necessary. This reservoir can provide 19.5 million cubic meters of usable storage water.
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As compensation to the east abutment works, a newly constructed well and accompanying water filtration facility was built south-east of the reservoir to provide the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Capilano salmon hatchery with clean water downstream of the dam. DFO has the responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the plant and the operation and maintenance cost is funded by the GVRD.
In addition to the GVRD infrastructure, a B.C. Hydro transmission line and right-of-way dissects the Capilano watershed from the north via Furry Creek. For the most part, this utility corridor parallels the Capilano mainline road. Close to the northern end of the reservoir, another transmission line branches off the north-south link and heads west towards West Vancouver. B.C. Hydro patrols and inspects the lines and controls vegetation along the right-of-way. No pesticides or herbicides are allowed for use within the watersheds and alternatives to treated poles are being discussed with B.C. Hydro.
Seymour
Water system infrastructure in this watershed includes the Seymour Falls dam, Burwell and Loch Lomond alpine reservoir lakes, and log booms and related facilities on the reservoir (Photo 6-2). Most of the other major infrastructure (pipelines, chlorine and corrosion control plants) are situated off- drainage in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve (LSCR). On-drainage monitoring stations and roads are discussed in Section 1.0 Water Monitoring and Forecasting and Section 5.0 Road Network in the plan.
Photo 6-2: Aerial View of the Seymour Falls Dam, Log Booms, and Reservoir
The Seymour Falls Dam is 30 metres high, constructed as a concrete slab-buttress design in 1961 to impound water for drinking purposes. As in Capilano, screens within the dam structure and log booms on the reservoir remove debris before water is directed onwards through the chlorine building located directly downstream of the dam. Total useable reservoir storage in Seymour is 30 million cubic meters. This is equivalent to approximately 30 days of storage based on current consumption patterns.
Burwell and Loch Lomond alpine reservoirs provide 15.5 million cubic meters and 7 million cubic meters of water respectively. Collectively, they make up 43% of the total useable storage water in the Seymour watershed. Infrastructure at these sites includes small dams and outlet works located in rock tunnels.
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No non-GVRD facilities exist within the Seymour watershed except a communications tower on Mt. Coliseum.
Coquitlam
GVRD water infrastructure facilities within the Coquitlam watershed include the intake tower, log and synthetic booms and related infrastructure, the ozone disinfection, corrosion control, and chlorination facilities, and the ozone pipeline contactor. The intake tower and the log booms with the boathouse, dock, and anchors are the only GVRD facilities on-drainage. The intake is found at the south end of the lake near the Coquitlam Dam. Openings in the tower allow the GVRD to withdraw water southwards via a tunnel that passes under the spillway and connecting to pipelines that head towards the ozone plant. The debris booms, co-managed with BC Hydro, are situated in the southern portion of the lake near the intake tower to prevent large woody debris from damaging or plugging the intake and spillway.
The ozone disinfection facility, the ozone pipeline contactor, and the corrosion control facility are new treatment facilities recently built in 2000. These facilities plus the existing chlorine plant are located within two kilometres downstream of the dam.
Non-GVRD facilities owned and operated by BC Hydro include the Coquitlam dam, the South intake, the spillway, the co-managed debris booms and the Buntzen tunnel. The hydraulic earth-filled dam, located at the south end of the lake near the GVRD intake tower, was built in 1908 near the site of the 1903 original dam. The dam was constructed to provide additional storage and flow for the Buntzen generating station.
The South intake building abuts the dam with its three-gate low level sluice outlet. Water is released to the Coquitlam River to meet downstream fishery needs. Water can also be directed over the dam via the spillway during flood events.
The Buntzen tunnel, situated on the west side of the lake approximately 6 kilometres from the watershed entry gate, was constructed in 1902/03. Water is withdrawn from the lake, via the tunnel, and directed towards Buntzen Lake for eventual power development.
Other non-GVRD infrastructure includes the natural gas pipeline and the RCMP gun range. Centra Gas maintains the natural gas pipeline route that runs parallel to the Coquitlam mainline along the east side of the lake. The pipeline route, built in 1990 and 1991, enters the southwest watershed boundary and exits the northeast boundary of the watershed. The RCMP gun range is found off-drainage, east of the Coquitlam River near the confluence with Or Creek. Lease agreements (see Appendix 6) exist with each organization and include provisions to protect water quality.
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6.1.2 Proposed Infrastructure
Capilano
Filtration for Capilano is slated for completion by 2007, but most of the work will occur in Seymour where the filtration plant will be built. Facilities associated with Capilano filtration will be constructed at the Capilano Reservoir within Capilano River Regional Park. Some debris from the pumping station, energy recovery works and Capilano shaft for the tunnel connecting Capilano to the Seymour filtration plant will likely be disposed in the Capilano watershed in 2003 and 2006 so existing and additional disposal sites will be required over the next few years. The locations of the proposed sites are illustrated on Map 6. 1. In addition, the log booms and related reservoir infrastructure are to be replaced in the next few years and a feasibility study for a hydro electric generating station is scheduled for 2004.
Seymour
The seismic upgrade of the Seymour Falls Dam is expected to take place between 2004 - 2008. Strengthening of the dam’s concrete and earth portions will ensure that the dam performs safely in the event of a major earthquake. Most of the work (staging areas, disposal sites, and aggregate extraction) will occur in the LSCR and is outlined in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve Management Plan.
On the Seymour Reservoir, the two log booms and sets of anchors that control the floating wood debris will be replaced in 2003 or 2004.
Other infrastructure, such as the filtration plant, twin tunnels and the twinning of pipelines will occur in the LSCR and are not included in this Plan.
Coquitlam
The most important infrastructure development for Coquitlam over the next five years is the seismic upgrade of the Coquitlam dam by BC Hydro. Work is expected to commence in 2003 and last until 2004 or 2005. The dam improvement has potential implications on the direction of GVRD water quality treatment upgrades. Additions could include the building of a filtration or UV treatment plant, or the re-location of the present intake structure. Data gathering over the next few years will assist in determining which infrastructure is most desirable.
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6.2 Access Water System Infrastructure
Access for workers to water system infrastructures is achieved by utilizing helicopters, roads, boats, and trails.
6.2.1 Existing Access
Capilano
The existing road and trail network provides access to most GVRD infrastructure. A helicopter pad and emergency trail network provide direct access to and from the alpine infrastructure. A boat provides transportation to the log boom. Upgrades to the dock will occur in the next few years. Improvements to the trail access to the Palisade alpine lake reservoir from the end of the closest existing road are on-going. In addition, the existing spillway is being reviewed to determine if the original water retaining stop-logs can be reinstalled in order to increase the water retention in the lake. Improvements to the access structure for the outlet works are to be completed in 2002.
Seymour
The Seymour dam can be reached by the mainline that dissects the LSCR or on an alternate road on the east side of the river. Access to the two log booms is primarily by boat as in Capilano and Coquitlam. The alpine reservoirs are approached directly by helicopter or trail system. Trail improvements are ongoing and significant improvements to the outlet works and a bridge structure over the spillway are to be carried out over the next few years.
Coquitlam
Most access requirements to GVRD and non-GVRD infrastructure are possible via the Coquitlam mainline and the Coquitlam West mainline. A boat provides access to the booms. Upgrades to the boat house and the dock will occur in 2003 or 2004
No new access requirements are proposed for any of the proposed infrastructure in any of the watersheds at this time
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6.3 Staging and Resource Development Areas
Capilano
Two main aggregate resources are used for road maintenance, erosion control, and for upgrading or building infrastructure. The most southern deposit is located along Sisters Branch road approximately 9 kilometres from the Cleveland Dam (Photo 6-3). The most northern sand and gravel deposit is situated 15 kilometres north of the Cleveland dam to the east of the Capilano River. A rock quarry is located to the west of the Sisters aggregate pit approximately 12 kilometres from Cleveland Dam. Other small deposits of sand and gravel and rock outcrops are scattered throughout the watershed. Photo 6-3: Sisters Rock Quarry
Most soil disposal sites from works associated with the east abutment are located on level or gently sloping terrain east of the Capilano reservoir (Photo 6-4). Existing borrow pits also provide opportunities to dispose of material. Approximately 280,000 m3 of excavated soil were deposited on seven individual disposal sites in 2001/2002. Future soil disposal sites for the construction of upcoming water treatment facilities will be identified in 2002 – 2003.
Photo 6-4: Rehabilitated Soil Disposal Site
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Seymour
Only a few small aggregate, rock quarry, and end haul sites are found in the watershed. Most of these are situated in the northern half of the drainage. Material is used for road maintenance, erosion control, and drainage structures. Sources found in the LSCR are not included in this report.
Coquitlam
Aggregate pits, rock quarries, and end haul sites are found adjacent to the road network along the west, east, and north sides of the lake.
Although BC Hydro will be conducting work on the Coquitlam Dam, they have indicated to the GVRD that they may want to utilize aggregate resources from the watersheds and dispose unwanted material on-drainage if necessary. No sites have been identified at this point.
6.3.1 Environmental Assessment
After sites have been scoped as potentially suitable for disposal sites or resource extraction, environmental and social impact assessments are conducted.
Typical data collection on the environment includes information on aquatic resources such as fish and fish habitat, terrestrial ecosystems (e.g. rare and endangered species, sensitive ecosystems, wetlands), wildlife (endangered, threatened, imperiled), climate, geology and soils (terrain hazards, acid drainage), and other pertinent information as required. Socioeconomic considerations include noise, aesthetics, archaeological, historical, and heritage sites, First Nations issues, transportation issues and the like. Based on this information, sites are evaluated on their suitability based on impact assessment indicators (magnitude, duration, and frequency), significance of the impact (high/low), and confidence in the data (reliable, in-depth). Recommendations are made on whether a site is suitable or whether mitigation strategies are possible.
6.3.2 Best Management Practices
Best Management Practices (BMP) are structural, non-structural, and operation and maintenance management practices employed to meet goals and objectives such as the protection of water quality, fish habitat, human safety and property, or gain community acceptance and support. They are generally based on the current state of knowledge of procedures and practices to meet specific goals and objectives.
A preliminary list of BMP is currently being developed for watershed management activities and will continually be updated on an annual basis and appended to this plan.
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6.3.3 Permits
Permits and agency approvals are similar to the requirements described in Section 2 and 4. In addition, large scale infrastructure projects may be subject to the requirements contained in the BC Environmental Assessment Act and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.
6.3.4 Monitoring
Monitoring is an essential part of environmental and socioeconomic management for the development of staging and resource use areas. Monitoring involves either continuous or periodic data collection to measure environmental or social change.
To be effective, a monitoring program will utilize baseline data, acquired prior to construction, for comparison purposes with data collected during construction and operation. A defined set of potential impacts and physical parameters with the specific ranges and acceptable limits for each environmental or social parameter to be monitored are required. Programs used to investigate environmental and social attributes may include water quality sampling such as turbidity measurements or pathogen counts, wildlife inventories, and noise and dust sampling. For construction contracts, standards, objectives, or criteria are included for directing monitoring activities.
6.3.5 Evaluation
Based on the monitoring program and the identified performance measures, the success of the water system infrastructure program can be evaluated. The annual report will document the performance measures and can be used as the basis for designing future projects that are consistent with the strategies described in the Watershed Management Plan.
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7. Communication and Education Implementation Program
The Communications and Education Implementation Program will reflect the high degree of public interest in how the GVRD manages the Capilano, Seymour and Coquitlam watersheds, a most valuable natural resource. This program will include public involvement, community relations and education components to meet the plan objective:
Objective: Develop and maintain confidence and trust that the GVRD is managing the watershed resources in an environmentally responsible and cost-efficient manner.
7.1 Background
Residents of the GVRD have provided valuable input for the new strategic Watershed Management Plan. Public involvement has been continuous since the planning process began in 1990. Public concerns at that time focused on the impacts to the environment and water quality from logging in the watersheds. In 1991, the GVRD Board adopted a series of resolutions to guide the development of a long-range management plan covering all the operations within the watersheds.
In November of 1999 the GVRD Board adopted five new Principles for guiding the development of the Watershed Management Plan. These principles were brought forward for public consultation and received strong support.
A new draft Watershed Management Plan and a proposal to cancel the Amending Indenture to the 999 lease with the province were brought forward for public consultation. The public showed strong support for the new direction, and the contents of the Plan. Subsequently at the May 2002 meeting, the GVRD Board of Directors adopted the Plan and directed cancellation of the Amending Indenture.
7.2 Program Initiatives
The GVRD will continue to build on the strong public support for the Watershed Management Plan through education, provision of information and public involvement. During the life of the Five-Year Implementation Plan, residents and stakeholders will have opportunities for input to ensure that management activities reflect the strategies in the Watershed Management Plan.
Public trust will be fostered through a communications and education program that provides the following initiatives:
1. communicate and educate that the GVRD watersheds provide water to almost two million residents of the region and the importance of managing the watersheds to protect the quality of our water (Photo 7-1) 2. communicate the goal, principles and strategies for managing the region’s watersheds
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3. communicate and receive public input on the economic, social and environmental aspects of implementing the watershed management plan to assure consistency under the GVRD’s sustainable region initiative 4. communicate and educate about the challenges of watershed management that occur in the dynamic natural environment, and how they will be addressed through the implementation plans 5. provide a range of consultation activities that encourage input, and provide an opportunity to identify and address issues related to implementation commitments 6. provide educational and community relations services that encourage and support public stewardship activities in the watersheds, and involvement in public consultation programs 7. provide education services that enable individuals to make long-term and sustainable changes in actions related to watershed resources (e.g. water conservation) to develop a greater understanding of the value of this resource and to enhance public trust of GVRD’s watershed management. 8. communicate and educate the purpose and activities of the drinking water treatment program, and how this work combined with watershed management practices protects the quality of our water 9. provide communications support for watershed management issues through the corporate communications and media relations programs 10. summarize and document public input on implementation plans 11. develop an annual report on the “State of the Watersheds” for public consumption and comment. Photo 7-1: Coquitlam Watershed Tour 7.3 Target Audiences
The GVRD maintains a database of all individuals who have attended public meetings or expressed an interest in watershed management. This database will be maintained and updated as required to keep consultation participants informed about progress on implementation and opportunities for further input note this will be described later in section 7.4.5. In addition, other residents in the GVRD will continue to be updated through a variety of communication activities described in section 7.4.5.
The Regional Water Advisory Committee (RWAC) comprised of members of the community (representing public health, environment, and business interests) has provided feedback to the GVRD throughout the development of the Watershed Management Plan. Their input has been invaluable in articulating public concerns and issues, and giving advice regarding possible modifications to the Plan to improve clarity and direction that
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The GVRD develops and delivers education programs to students, teachers, student teachers, parent advisory committees, early childhood educators, community groups, government and non-government organizations involved in environmental awareness initiatives, and English as an Additional Language (EAL) instructors (Photo 7-2).
7.4 Communications and Education Activities
A wide range of consultation, stewardship and education activities are used to meet the objectives of this Plan.
7.4.1 Consultation
To meet the objectives of the program the GVRD will hold regular public events to receive input on the Five-year Implementation Plan. Residents and members of RWAC will be invited to provide comment on the draft Plan during the fall of 2002, and once adopted by the GVRD Board, further ongoing opportunities will occur. The public will be advised of these opportunities through a variety of communication tools as described in the section 7.4.6 below.
7.4.2 Community Relations and Stewardship
The GVRD will provide on-going opportunities for education and stewardship. Special interest groups as well as the general public will have the opportunity to view and monitor first-hand, management activities and other natural processes in the watersheds. This will be accomplished through the highly successful public watershed tours that occur each year.
The GVRD recognizes the many special interest groups that are willing to contribute their time to the stewardship of the watersheds. These groups take an active role, as their time permits, to measure and record biological and physical elements within the watersheds. This provides valuable information through monitoring that can contribute to the ongoing assessment of the state of the watersheds. The recorded information can be maintained in the Photo 7-2: Education Program GVRD’s geographic information system and can be for Teachers Group summarized in the Annual Report for the watersheds.
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Through partnerships with educational, research, and community organizations, the GVRD will broaden its knowledge of the watersheds and assist with implementing the Plan.
The following are examples of activities being undertaken by watershed stewardship groups: ! monitoring for indigenous and invasive amphibians associated with the Frog Watch program. In addition, the predator (birds) response associated with the current Western Hemlock Looper population in the Coquitlam watershed. ! surveying raptor and other birds ! searching and recording significant tree specimens that contribute to the provincial Conservation Center database. ! restoring native fish stocks in the Seymour River by utilizing habitat upstream of the dam spawning and rearing. ! restoring fish stocks in the Coquitlam River by operating a hatchery and transplanting fish stocks into the Or Creek Sub-watershed.
In preparation of the Five-year Implementation Plan, a field trip will be arranged in the watersheds during the fall of each year to review results of recent projects made during the current year and review proposed projects for subsequent years as outlined in a draft update of the Plan.
7.4.3 Education
The GVRD has public education programs that provide outdoor experiences, workshops, curriculum resources, ongoing support and a presence at public events to raise awareness and increase understanding of the watersheds.
Outdoor experiences are delivered in the LSCR. Workshops and resources are delivered to teachers and community group leaders at conferences, work places, post-secondary institutions and the LSCR.
Curriculum resources include brochures, fact sheets, posters, maps, student activities, teaching strategies, career connections, and lists of other organizations. These tools are used by educators in our communities to explore the concepts and issues related to watershed management with their groups. A Drinking Water Quality and Watershed Management curriculum resource is being developed to enhance existing programs and focus on water supply issues. It will be piloted to teachers in October 2002, and implemented in 2003.
The education programs also contribute to increasing awareness about watershed management through its participation in public events that attract thousands of visitors. Examples of these activities include two events held in June of each year - the GVRD Fraser River Festival at Deas Island Regional Park, and the Children’s Festival at Vanier Park. The GVRD also has a permanent interactive water display as part of the Our World exhibit at Science World.
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Topics covered by the education programs include: watersheds, wildlife, fisheries, drinking water quality and treatment, water conservation, water infrastructure projects, and public consultation activities.
Teachers, students, community groups and individuals with education interests and initiatives, can contact the GVRD for information, program development advice, resources and support. Appendix 7 lists contact information for GVRD education programs.
7.4.4 Media Relations and Corporate Communications
The GVRD will proactively engage regional media to support public understanding of watershed issues and management plan implementation activities. A media briefing to launch the implementation program, coupled with dedicated tours of the watershed for reporters, and specific events tied to the accomplishment of milestones are representative. Use of corporately produced television programs – Greater Vancouver and People and Policies, for example – will provide additional opportunities to inform the public by way of the media. In the fall of 2002 in preparation for public comment on the implementation plan, the GVRD will tape a segment on watershed management for the Greater Vancouver show.
Reactive media relations – from responding to events such as natural or man-made disasters at one level to providing interview opportunities on request at the other – will also be provided within the context of the region’s Emergency Response and Crisis Communications Plans.
7.4.5 GVRD Website
The GVRD website provides a description of the entire water system. The Watershed Management Plan, annual updates of the Five-year Implementation Plan, Annual Reports and recent watershed research reports. Communication and Education activities are listed on the website to advertise opportunities for public participation. During 2003 a new initiative is to develop a public education tool that illustrates physical and biological processes in the watersheds and appropriate watershed management strategies.
7.4.6 Supporting Communications Activities
The following communications activities will support the communications and education program: ! a variety of public involvement opportunities (e.g. public meetings, open houses, focus groups, public watershed tours etc.) ! mailouts to database of residents and community organizations regarding public involvement opportunities advertisements in newspapers regarding public events (daily and community newspapers as required) ! information about watershed management will be included in the annual Vancouver Sun advertising supplements for Earth Day and Environment Week.
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! background information materials will be sent to GVRD libraries and municipal halls and provided at public events ! feedback forms at public events ! public service announcements and media releases to regional media outlets ! watershed tours promotional materials provided at public events and distributed throughout the region ! GVRD Information Centre for mail, fax, e-mail, and phone-in inquiries and submissions.
7.5 Research Activities in the GVRD Watersheds
The watersheds provide a unique opportunity for organizations such as academic institutions, agencies and community groups to conduct research in a coastal watershed that has relatively minimal human induced disturbances. Results from research activities will assist the GVRD and the research participants to broaden their knowledge of the watersheds. Research proposals are reviewed by the GVRD that must provide the necessary authorization to the research participant for conducting the research in the watersheds. Research proposals must include adequate detail on the purpose of the study, proposed study location, methodology, time period and list the research participants. In many cases, the LSCR can provide the desired setting for the research study and is therefore complimentary to the objective of the Watershed Security Program as described in Section 8.0.
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8. Watershed Security Program
Security of the watersheds and the associated water supply and treatment system is fundamental to the protection of the GVRD watersheds. It is the policy of the GVRD to exclude all persons from the watersheds except those with prior authorization based on their knowledge and commitment to the Watershed Regulations as well as work requirement. This policy minimizes the threat of microbiological or chemical contamination of the source or treated water supply and is an integral part of the multi- barrier approach that minimizes risk to drinking water. More over, undocumented entry into the watershed can increase the risk of other threats as would be the case with forest fire, hydro-carbon spills, lost persons in the rugged terrain and vandalism damage to assets and monitoring equipment. The closed watersheds with controlled access continue to have broad public support.
Objective: Reduce the risk of microbiological or chemical contamination and the risk of fire by only allowing access to persons conducting activities previously authorized by the GVRD.
In order to implement this objective, the GVRD will be expanding or implementing a number of initiatives:
8.1 Perimeter Protection
Perimeter Protection is important to the implementation of an effective security program. Due in part to increased awareness on the vulnerability of water systems to unauthorized intrusions the GVRD will be ensuring active surveillance of unauthorized access points, use of fencing and information signage to reduce inadvertent entry into the watersheds. This will be coupled with the deployment of the latest video detection equipment in order to check on any and all activities in certain areas or facilities in the watersheds.
8.2 Access
There are regulated entry points to the watershed road network that utilize an access card system. In keeping with the GVRD’s intent of ensuring safety as well as control and monitoring of all access to the watersheds both in and out, coupled with the ever changing security technology, there will be a review of the existing system and upgrading implemented as required. In addition the facility access monitoring systems for dams and other buildings will be completely reviewed and revised where necessary in 2003. In addition, all personnel will be receiving additional identifiers to assist in the verification of access status.
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8.3 Security Patrols
Unauthorized entries occur particularly by recreationalists who ignore the postings and perimeter protection. The frequency, timing and type of patrols, including those by vehicle, on foot, bicycle and other means are designed to minimize the risks associated with these unauthorized entries.
8.4 Enforcement
Coupled with appropriate levels of patrolling, there will be increased emphasis on enforcement of the Watershed Regulations.
8.5 Public Education
To respond to, and channel public interest in the watershed fauna, flora and viewscapes in a way that does not diminish the public safety and security objectives in watershed management, the GVRD will continue to ensure public controlled access through public tours in a number of the watersheds.
8.6 Inspection and Monitoring
While the GVRD does provide staff and contractor toilet facilities and spill response kits at strategic locations, there will be continued regular site inspections to ensure that Watershed Regulations regarding personal hygiene and pollution prevention where fuel handling or containment barriers are required are explicitly followed.
8.7 Communication
Effective security and emergency response communications are essential to ensure timely and efficient response to threats or actual events. The GVRD watersheds encompass a wide range of terrain types and elevations. Mobile response and communications unit capacity will continually be improved in the watersheds to ensure that communication levels are adequate from all watershed areas.
8.8 Threat Identification
An appropriate security program is based on an assessment of local events as well as trends more globally. The GVRD will retain an active role in organizations and agencies that provide security warnings for infrastructure managers.
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9. Emergency Preparedness Program
Emergency preparedness is an integral part of operational activity in watersheds. Since the GVRD watersheds cover extensive geographic area, a variety of terrain and vegetation cover types, they are exposed to a range of natural (landslides) and man made hazards (wildfires) with potential consequences for public safety, water quality and water supply infrastructure. The practice of Emergency Management is to identify these hazards or threats and then apply four approaches; Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Recovery to offsetting or responding to the consequences.
Objective: Execute an Emergency Management Program to minimize potential threats involving the watersheds and adjacent lands.
9.1 Hazard or Threats
In order to execute this objective the GVRD will be undertaking a number of specific activities.
The first will be to expand the current understanding of the threats to which the watersheds are exposed. Past history has indicated that our coastal mountains are prone to landslides, debris torrents and other mass soil movements that can impact the reservoirs and water quality. Fire is a recognized threat, given the predisposing confluence of weather conditions and source fuels. Seismic events can impact built structures and land movement. While considerable effort has already been expended to incorporate the latest structural information on dam performance into dam upgrades, there remains opportunities to improve the seismic resilience of other components of the water system infrastructure that is in the watersheds.
An important starting place for the Emergency Management Program then, is to establish a complete list of the threats that can be identified on as site specific a basis as possible and their conduct a risk analysis to determine the probability of occurrence. This work will build on existing studies and will be completed in 2003.
9.2 Consequences
In tandem with the determination of threats and their likelihood, will be impact analysis to describe the consequences of occurrence, both from a public safety and a water system integrity standpoint. This understanding will lead directly into mitigation strategies and, if appropriate, capital expenditure plans and projects.
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9.3 Preparedness
Another important outcome of threat, risk and consequence assessment is that it provides focus for preparedness activities. The GVRD will be continuing to refine its Dam Breach Response Plans and its Corporate Operational Continuity Plan. These will be tested in major exercise in 2002 and 2003. The effectiveness of any response plans is a function of their level of understanding by staff and the effectiveness of command and coordination during an event. The GVRD will be expanding its staff training and the equipping and effectiveness of its Emergency Operations Centres. This will tie to the development of an effective mobile field command center in 2003/4.
The GVRD has adopted the latest Provincial emergency response system (British Columbia Emergency Management Response System) and will be continuing to implement its requirements. An important adjunct to this approach will be the development of closer liaison with the municipal emergency planning officers and committees in the Lower Mainland communities adjacent to watershed boundaries.
The threat levels and potentials are ever changing depending on seasonal difference, weather conditions, ecological alteration, global warming and even international tensions. Proactive intervention in evolving threats is preferable to crisis response. The Emergency Management Program will be building upon present monitoring, inspections, helicopter over-flights and reporting systems to develop a comprehensive and integrated protective services approach to watershed protection. This will ensure that the various regulatory, administrative and operational components of watershed management are equally aware of changing conditions or circumstances.
9.4 Response
Written documentation for Emergency Management including Facility Plans, Departmental Plans, Spill Response Plans and Procedures, Search and Rescue Procedures, Dam Breach Plans, Fire Response Plans, Security and Intrusion Plans, and the varied contact lists associated with them must be constantly reviewed and updated. The GVRD will introduce an automated repository and updating system to ensure that only the most current information is utilized during response and that it is available electronically to required locations.
9.5 Recovery
In order to enhance security and working alone procedures as well as determination of where on the ground problems may, or have, occurred, the GVRD will be introducing a Global Positioning System tracking program with a pilot project in 2003 and if suitable, introduction of the program in 2004.
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Appendix 1 – Water Monitoring and Forecasting Implementation Program
Turbidity
Most risks to water are associated with turbidity events due to large intense storms and high precipitation given the nature of the regional climate and terrain. Elevated turbidity can be a public health concern as primary disinfectants are less effective against waterborne microorganisms. Aesthetic concerns due to the cloudiness of the water are also an issue. Currently, the GVRD is trying to operate within the one nephlometric unit (NTU) limit as requested by the B.C. provincial medical health officers. National and provincial discussions are on-going as to public health considerations related to turbidity and NTU limits in drinking water sources, which could lead to new national and provincial regulations and guidelines by 2003.
Turbidity occurs from fine organic and inorganic sediments (silts and clays) remaining in suspension. For each watershed, it is estimated that the vast majority of these fine sediments (80 to 90 percent) originate from landslides. The remaining sources include stream banks, gullies, roads, landslide scars, and surface erosion. Figure 1.1 1.2 and 1.3 provide a breakdown of the Annual Fine Sediment aYield (AFSY) from various sources per watershed. Over the 1986 to 2001 period, the average annual number of turbidity days over 1 NTU for the Capilano, Seymour, and Coquitlam watersheds is 145, 56, and 27 days respectively, based on daily grab samples taken on line in the intake system.
Reservoir areas are also recognized as a source of turbidity generating sediment. Surface or subaqueous erosion occurs in-and-around the drawdown zone. When reservoirs are below full capacity, erosion from rain drop impact, rill and gully development, wave action, rivers and streams cutting into reservoir sediments, and density currents all have the potential to generate and distribute turbidity. Reservoir drawdown areas are particularly susceptible to erosion during the first fall rains, during freeze-thaw cycles or during high wind events where wave action erodes fine-sediment from lake floors and shorelines.
Chemistry
Reservoir drawdown during late summer/early fall has led to increased ammonia and iron levels in some years resulting in taste and odour concerns. Apparent colour may also increase resulting in aesthetic concerns amongst the public. This is particularly true in the Seymour reservoir due to its shallow nature and to a lesser extent in the Capilano.
Wildfire has the potential to increase nitrates, phosphorous, total organic carbon, and other nutrients that could alter water chemistry and lead to taste and odour and disinfection byproduct issues. As well, insect outbreaks generate large volumes of fecal matter that could lead to increased nutrient releases into the water. This could have similar impacts as forest fires on water chemistry and potentially lead to algae growth in the reservoirs. Again, the Seymour reservoir is most vulnerable due to its shallow depth.
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Potential water quality concerns due to the re-introduction of salmon species into the watersheds above the dam has recently emerged and is now being explored. Decaying salmon carcasses can produce significant amounts of nitrogen and phosphorous if in large numbers and could potentially affect water quality. Since 1996, nearly 2000 spawning salmon per year have been introduced into the Capilano watershed but no water quality problems have been detected to-date. Spawning salmon have not been introduced into the Seymour and Coquitlam watersheds. Another potential concern from the introduction of salmon species is related to salmon fry and their potential impacts to the food chain and the overall lake ecology. It is unknown whether the introduction of large numbers of salmon fry into the Capilano and Seymour watersheds has potential short term or long term implications to water quality at this time.
To meet the requirements of the Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting Plan (WQMRP), source water is also monitored for herbicides, pesticides, volatile organic carbons, radioactivity and uranium. These chemicals and compounds are below detectable limits primarily due to the closed watershed policy and geochemistry of the watersheds.
Biological Quality
Biological quality is an important indicator of contamination and the treatment required to provide clean, safe, raw water so that public health is not compromised. As previously mentioned, the protected watershed policy reduces the risk of contamination. Nonetheless, the GVRD uses the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) Interim Surface Water Treatment Rule for unfiltered raw water sources to test for bacteriological quality as no Canadian federal or provincial regulations or guidelines specify Mean Annual Concentration (MAC) levels. Water monitoring and sampling at the intakes reveals that all three watersheds continue to meet fecal coliform standards used by the USEPA. However, it should be noted that samples collected at the intakes generally have higher fecal coliform bacteria counts in the late summer and early fall when reservoir levels are typically at their lowest and the first flush rainfall occurs.
Protozoan pathogens such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium can pose risks to public health if found in the water supply. Since 1992, raw water and wildlife fecal samples have been taken. The results reveal that the levels detected are generally consistent on a year-to- year basis. Since animals are carriers of the protozoa, dramatic changes in the numbers and viability may be an indicator of larger numbers reaching the raw water supply. Over the last few years, preliminary results indicate that cryptosporidium counts from wildlife fecal samples have been higher for Coquitlam than previous years. Whether this is just a cyclical factor or the beginning of a new trend is not known at this point.
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Appendix 2 – Forest Ecosystem Implementation Program
Description of Ecosystem Characteristics
The Alpine Tundra zone is located at the higher elevations on the north aspects. The climate is cold, windy and snowy providing a short growing season. Exposed bedrock is a predominant feature and the vegetation consists of stunted trees, shrubs, herbs, mosses and lichens due to an extremely short growing season. Greater than 70 percent of the precipitation falls as snow and the snow pack generally lasts well into mid summer.
The Mountain Hemlock Parkland subzone is located below the Alpine Tundra providing a slightly longer growing season. The climate is described as long, wet cold winters with high snow fall, and short, cool, moist summers. Forests are predominantly mountain hemlock, amabilis fir and yellow cedar growing in tree islands separated by alpine meadows and shrubs.
The Mountain Hemlock Forested subzone is located below the parkland unit consisting of a continuous forest cover and is characterized by a large snow pack. The mean snow pack on June 1 is 234 centimeters in depth. On the steeper slopes the forests are dissected with avalanche paths containing shrubs and herbs. On the gentler slopes the forests grow slowly with minor disturbances and contain individual trees greater than one thousand years old.
The Montane Very Wet Maritime Coastal Western Hemlock variant is located below the Mountain Hemlock unit. This unit is described as a wet, humid climate with cool, short summers and cool winters with substantial snowfall. Western hemlock, amabilis fir, western red cedar and yellow cedar on the wetter sites dominate the forests. The annual precipitation has been recorded as high as 5000 millimeters.
The Submontane Very Wet Maritime Coastal Western Hemlock variant is located below the montane variant covering the valley bottoms in the watersheds. This unit has mild winters and relatively little snow compared to the montane variant. Less than 10 percent of the precipitation falls as snow. The forests are dominated by western hemlock, amabilis fir, western redcedar and Douglas-fir on the well drained sites. Deciduous species are also found in lesser amounts.
The Dry Maritime Western Hemlock subzone is located in the most southerly portions of the Capilano watershed. This unit is also located within the southern third of the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. This unit represents the warmest and driest areas of the watersheds and is not found in the Coquitlam watershed. The climate is warm, dry summers and moist, cool winters. Western hemlock, Douglas fir and western red cedar dominate the forests. Annual precipitation is approximately 2000 millimeters.
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Map 2.2
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Appendix 3 – Fire Management Implementation Program
Natural Disturbance Types
Natural Disturbance Type 1 includes ecosystems comprised of forests that have developed for a long period of time without a fire to influence the regeneration of a new forest and includes the Coastal Western Hemlock Submontane Very Wet, Coastal Western Hemlock Montane Very Wet and Mountain Hemlock Forested units. The mean fire return interval (the average of years between successive wildfires in a specific area within the watersheds) is generally 250 years for the Coastal Western Hemlock units and 350 years for the Mountain Hemlock units. When fires occur, the size is generally small.
Natural Disturbance Type 2 includes ecosystems comprised of forests that have been regenerated more frequently from wildfire and includes the CWH Dry Maritime unit. The mean return interval for these disturbances is about 200 years. Historically, most wildfires were of moderate size (20-1000 hectares), although many larger fires resulted after periods of extended drought.
Natural Disturbance Type 5 includes the Alpine ecosystem with short, harsh growing seasons where wildfires can have significant impact on the rate of growth following a disturbance.
Summary of Pre-1984 Wildfire Occurrences
From 1960 to 1984, wildfire occurrences were primarily caused from forestry activities, as slash burning following logging was a standard procedure. There is limited records regarding the occurrences of lightning caused wildfires during this period.
From 1930 to 1960, wildfire occurrences were not recorded and can be assumed to be small fires when they occurred. The GVWD maintained a fire suppression organization during this period and no logging activities took place except for the land clearing for the Capilano and Seymour reservoirs.
From 1874 to 1930, wildfire occurrences were influenced by land settlement and industrial activities such as logging, saw milling and mining. Pre-1874, the wildfire history was partially reconstructed in the Capilano Watershed (Blackwell, 1998). The fire incidence (the years between fires occurring somewhere in the watersheds) for this period is approximately 80 to 90 years that were approximately --- hectares in size. The mean fire return interval was estimated to be 350 years for the warmer slopes in the Capilano and is expected to be much longer on the cooler wetter slopes.
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Map 3.2
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Appendix 4 – Erosion Control Implementation Program
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Figure 4a - Capilano
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Figure 4b - Seymour
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Figure 4c - Coquitlam
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Appendix 5 –Road Network Implementation Program
Example of Road Deactivation Prescription in the Capilano Watershed
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Road Deactivation Prescription
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Appendix 6 – Water System Implementation Plan
(A) Soil Disposal Site Plan in Capilano for the East Abutment Work
(B) Agreement with Centra Gas for Gas Pipeline Right-of-Way
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Map 1
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Map 2
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Attachment Documents 1. Land Title Act 2. Agreement
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GLOSSARY
Adaptive Management Planning and management strategies are modified frequently through "learning from experiences" and new scientific findings, in response to changing social, environmental, and economic expectations and demands. The process requires constant monitoring and analysis of the results of past actions to lead to new approaches and innovative decision-making.
Algae Mostly aquatic, non-vascular plants that float in water or attach to larger plants, rocks, or other substrates. Also called phytoplankton, these individuals are usually visible only with a microscope. They are a normal and necessary component of aquatic life, but excessive numbers can make the water appear cloudy and coloured and cause taste and odour issues with drinking water.
Best Management Practices A system of methods, measures, or practices designed to reserve, restore, enhance, avoid, or minimize deterioration of aquatic and terrestrial resources. Management Practices can use soft (e.g. planning) or hard approaches (engineering techniques) to achieve goals and objectives.
Biodiversity The diversity of plants and animals and other living organisms in all their forms and levels of organization, including the diversity of genes, species, ecosystems, and the evolutionary and functional processes that link them.
Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification A system of classification used throughout British Columbia for developing ecologically-based forest management strategies. The objective of a biogeoclimatic system is to portray the relationship between biology, geology, and the climate of the area.
Crown Leases The District leases Crown lands from the Province for the purpose of water supply for a term of 999 years. The leases originate in 1927 for the Capilano and Seymour watersheds and 1942 for the Coquitlam watershed.
Deactivated Roads Roads no longer required (non-essential roads) may be re-contoured to the natural side slope, cross ditched and/or have culverts and bridges removed.
Dissolved Oxygen Oxygen that is dissolved in water. Certain amounts are necessary for life processes of aquatic animals. The oxygen is supplied by the photosynthesis of plants.
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Drainage On-drainage is used to distinguish those lands that drain into the three main water supply storage reservoirs. GVRD also has jurisdiction over several off-drainage areas that do not drain into the reservoirs.
Ecosystem A spatially explicit unit of the environment that includes all organisms, along with all components of the abiotic environment within its boundaries.
Ecosystem Integrity Maintaining the functionality of ecosystems and its components even if disturbed by human or natural causes.
Ecosystem Services The services of ecological systems critical to the functioning of the Earth's life-support system that contribute directly and indirectly to human welfare. Examples of ecological services include pollination; air and water purification; climate modification; drought and flood control; cycling of nutrients; and habitat.
Ecosystem Stressors A physical (e.g. drought), biological (e.g. insect outbreak), or chemical (e.g. acid rain) condition that negatively impacts ecosystems or its components.
Environmental Stewardship Caring for and attending to the natural environment to ensure it is managed for future generations.
Erosion The wearing away of the land by water, wind, and ice, and is a function of the erosivity of the agent (e.g. rainfall intensity, wave action) and the erodibility of the land.
Forest Health Biotic and abiotic factors in the forest that are usually naturally occurring components of forest ecosystems. Biotic influences include fungi, insects, plants, other animals, bacteria and nematodes. Abiotic influences include frost, snow, fire, wind, drought, nutrients and human-caused injury.
Forest Succession A forest develops overtime forming distinct growth stages (shrub/herb, young forest, old forest etc.) following a disturbance such as fire or landslide.
Glaciolacustrine Materials Lacustrine materials are deposited in or along the margins of glacial (ice-dammed) lakes. In general, these materials tend to have fine-grained textures (clays, silts, and fine sands). During large storms, mass wasting (erosion and/or mass movement) of these materials may occur and cause drinking water quality problems.
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Hazard A source of danger that could result in a consequence to the water system.
Integrated Pest Management A decision making process that uses a combination of techniques to suppress pests and that must include but is not limited to the following: planning and managing ecosystems to prevent organisms from becoming pests; identifying potential pest problems; monitoring populations of pests and beneficial organisms, pest damage and environmental conditions; using injury thresholds in making treatment decisions; reducing pest populations to acceptable levels using a combination of methods; and evaluating the effectiveness of treatments.
Mass movement The downward movement of slope materials, such as soil, rock, artificial fill, snow, ice, or any combination of theses due to gravity. Examples include landslides, debris torrents, debris flows, and rockslides.
Multiple Barrier Approach A multiple barrier approach to minimize risks to drinking water includes; protecting the water source through a closed watershed; appropriate water treatment; trained certified water system operators; well-maintained and safe water distribution systems; and effective monitoring of water quality at each step from source to tap.
Pathogens Microorganisms that can cause disease in other organisms or humans, animals, and plants. Pathogens include bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.
Peril An immediate danger that could result in a serious consequence to the water system.
Phytoplankton Floating, mostly microscopic algae (plants) that live in water.
SCADA System capture and data acquisition. The SCADA system uses real-time data so that immediate operations and maintenance decisions can be made.
State of the Watershed Report A report that provides a summary on the condition of the watershed, especially as it relates to water quality, ecosystem integrity, environmental stewardship, and public participation. The report outlines the results of watershed activities, documents natural and human disturbances, and identifies trends on the overall health of ecosystems.
Turbidity The cloudy appearance of water caused by the presence of tiny, suspended particles. High levels of turbidity may interfere with proper water treatment and monitoring.
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Watershed Management Plan The Watershed Management Plan is a strategic plan for the area contained within the Capilano, Seymour, and Coquitlam watersheds that are used for water supply purposes. The watershed is determined from the height of land that provides the drainage basin contributing water, organic matter, dissolved nutrients, and sediments to a network of streams flowing into the Capilano, Seymour, and Coquitlam reservoirs. The Watershed Management Plan provides management strategies to achieve measurable objectives that support GVRD's overall goal in this Watershed Management Plan is "Watersheds that provide clean, safe water and are managed and protected as natural assets of the highest importance to the Greater Vancouver Region". The management strategies are based upon natural, human and management sciences.
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