DOCSLIB.ORG

Coal Mine Reclamation – Case Studies

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

1 CARING f o r t h e l a n d ALBERTA CHAMBER OF RESOURCES Alberta’s mining industry This is our industry’s land is strongly committed to use and reclamation story— responsible land use and what we’re doing, how we’re reclaiming mined land to create doing it and our aspirations sustainable landscapes. for the future. 2 A reclaimed coal mine at Teck’s Cardinal River Operations, located south of Hinton. To date, over 75 per cent of the land disturbed by coal mining in Alberta has been reclaimed. Contents Creating Sustainable Landscapes.............................................1 Alberta’s.mining.companies.are.fully.committed.to.reclaiming.all.mine.sites.that. are.no.longer.in.active.use.and.restoring.all.of.them.into.sustainable.landscapes.. Key Facts about Mining in Alberta............................................3 From.its.deep.historical.roots.to.the.present.day,.the.mining.industry.plays.a.. major.role.in.the.economic.health.of.Alberta.. Regulating Land Use and Reclamation.....................................4 All.mines.in.Alberta.must.operate.under.approved.plans.and.have.ongoing.. progressive.reclamation. Doing Things Right and Doing the Right Things.......................6 Alberta’s.mining.industry.is.providing.leadership.in.corporate.social.. responsibility,.research.and.development,.and.innovation.. Land Use and Reclamation in Alberta’s Coal Mines...............10 Reclamation.operations.are.carried.out.concurrently.with.coal.mining,.. thereby.returning.the.land.for.other.productive.use.in.only.a.few.years.. Land Use and Reclamation in Alberta’s Oil Sands.................12 The.oil.sands.industry.has.extensive.reclamation.programs.in.place.to.. return.the.land.to.equivalent.capability. Coal Mine Reclamation – Case Studies..................................16 Reports.on.reclamation.initiatives.by.Sherritt.Coal,.Capital.Power,.Teck.. and.TransAlta. Oil Sands Reclamation – Case Studies...................................18 Reports.on.reclamation.initiatives.by.Imperial.Oil,.Shell,.Suncor,.Syncrude,.. Canadian.Natural.and.Total.. On the Cover: upper left – a reclaimed landscape at Sherritt Coal’s Gregg River Mine southwest of Hinton; upper right – Teck’s award-winning Sphinx Lake reclamation project; lower left – Syncrude’s Gateway Hill reclamation project at its Mildred Lake oil sands mine site north of Fort McMurray; lower right – Suncor’s Pond 1 reclamation project near Fort McMurray in June 2010, prior to tree planting. Creating 1 Sustainable Landscapes Mining operations have impacts on the land and, indeed, change the landscape. This is particularly true for open pit mining, while in situ mining techniques create less land disturbance. Alberta’s mining companies are fully committed to reclaiming all mine sites that are no longer in active use and restoring all of them into sustainable landscapes. The industry takes its responsibility for land use and reclamation very seriously throughout the life of a mine—well before shovels are in the ground; during the active life of a mine; throughout the mine site reclamation process; and right through to completing site reclamation and receiving a reclamation certificate from the Alberta government. Alberta’s mining industry already has many reclamation success stories, and we are proactively developing new technology and introducing new reclamation techniques that are putting us in a strong position to accelerate the pace of reclamation. Through this brochure, the Alberta Chamber of Alberta’s mining industry takes Resources aims to inform Albertans about the facts its responsibility for land use and important issues surrounding land use and reclamation by the province’s mining companies. In and reclamation very seriously particular, this brochure focuses on the oil sands and throughout the life of a mine—well coal mining industries, as they account for the largest mining operations in Alberta. before shovels are in the ground; The thousands of people who work in Alberta’s mining during the active life of a mine; industry are proud to present this important story. Together with all Albertans, we share a strong pride in throughout the mine site reclamation our land and our environment. process; and right through to completing site reclamation. About the AlbertA ChAmber of resourCes The Alberta Chamber of Resources (ACR) has tens of billions of dollars worth of economic activity in Alberta championed the orderly and responsible development of every year and employs thousands of Albertans. the province’s natural resources since 1936. The ACR is expanding collaborative efforts within Alberta’s Today, ACR members represent oil sands, coal, forestry, resource industries, offering solutions and seeking mining, minerals, power generation and transmission, oil and balance to ensure the orderly and responsible development gas, pipelines and service companies. The Chamber’s diverse of Canadian resources. For more information about the membership of approximately 200 companies generates ACR and its activities, please visit www.acr-alberta.com. 2 Coal and Oil Sands Deposits in Alberta Fort MCMuRRAy PEACE RIVER GRANDE PRAIRIE EDMONTON CALGARy Bituminous coal MEDICINE HAT Sub-bituminous coal Oil sands recoverable using in situ techniques Oil sands mineable area Coal oil SandS Alberta’s sedimentary basins contain an estimated Alberta’s oil sands lie beneath 142,200 square 70 per cent of Canada’s coal reserves and produce kilometres of land, and deposits that are suitable for about half of the coal currently mined in the country surface mining are contained within 4,802 square each year. The coal mined in Alberta is primarily kilometres or about three per cent of the total area. bituminous or sub-bituminous. The remaining reserves that underlie 97 per cent of the oil sands surface area are recoverable using in situ methods, which create very little surface land disturbance. First, some 3 key facts about mining in Alberta From its deep historical roots... Mining has played a significant role in Alberta since the earliest days of the province. Coal was discovered in Alberta in 1792 and was first mined to supply domestic heating needs and later to fuel steam-powered locomotives. Coal mining began near the future site of Lethbridge in the 1860s and the first coal mine in Edmonton was established in 1883. Some of the earliest mining was carried out within what is now Banff National Park but developers later moved east, establishing a mine near Canmore in 1887. Railways drove coal mine development in both the Crowsnest Pass in southern Alberta and an area known as the Coal Branch in west-central Alberta south of Hinton. The towns of Nordegg and Grande Cache were also developed for the purpose of coal mining. In 1967, Great Canadian Oil Sands (now Suncor Energy Inc.) started mining oil sands to produce crude bitumen, when Fort McMurray was still a small trading post. ...to the present day... Today, a wide range of commodities are mined in Alberta, including oil sands, coal, limestone, salt, shale, dimension stone, ammonite shell, sandstone, sand and gravel. Seven major coal mines currently operate in Alberta, primarily in the central plains region. They produce between 30 and 35 million tonnes of coal annually, used mainly to generate electricity. According to the Government of Alberta, there were 91 active oil sands projects in Alberta as of August 2010. Of these, four are mining projects and the rest use various in situ recovery methods. There are five major industrial mineral quarries in Alberta. Many Alberta communities depend on mining for their livelihood, including Fort McMurray, Hinton, Edson, Forestburg, Hanna and Grande Cache. ...the mining industry plays a major role in the economic health of Alberta. The oil sands industry currently affects the jobs of 144,000 Canadians—directly, indirectly and induced—and will generate $1.7 trillion in economic activity across Canada over the next 25 years. In 2009, Alberta’s coal industry directly employed over 2,500 people and indirectly benefited over 7,000 others. Regulating 4 Land Use and Reclamation The Alberta government has taken multiple steps to reduce negative environmental impacts from mining. In 1993, the province consolidated all of its environmental legislation into one comprehensive statute—the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA). This strict legislation obliges mining companies to reclaim Alberta’s land to a productive state. Under the legislation: • all mines must operate under approved plans and have ongoing reclamation; Above: A Sherritt Coal surface mine • cumulative environmental impact assessments must be conducted that has been returned to productive for all major mine proposals; agricultural land use. • reclamation approvals are issued for up to 10 years, after which a renewal is required, which entails a whole new process of public notification, review, appeal and approval; and • reclamation certificates for lands disturbed by mining must be issued by the Alberta government before a company is relieved of responsibility for the site. The full text of the EPEA is available at www.environment.alberta.ca. Who owns the Resource? Coal the oil sands existing within the specified lease area. The land must be reclaimed and returned to the Crown at the The majority of the coal in Alberta is owned by the Alberta end of operations. Crown. However, there is also freehold ownership of coal—by private individuals and companies, the federal Metallic and industrial minerals government in national parks, and First Nations. In a typical Metallic and industrial minerals include: diamonds and other year, 50 to 60 per cent of Alberta’s mined coal is extracted precious stones; gold, iron and other precious and base from Crown leases and the rest from privately owned leases. metals; limestone and other stone; and salt. Most mineral Oil sands deposits in Alberta are Crown owned. There is also a minor amount of freehold ownership. The Alberta Crown holds the oil sands mineral rights. A lease gives an operator the right to extract bitumen from 5 Reclaimed land at TransAlta’s Highvale surface coal mine west of Edmonton supports a variety of land uses—agriculture, woodlands, wildlife habitat, recreation and wetlands.
Recommended publications
  • Northwest Territories Territoires Du Nord-Ouest British Columbia

    Northwest Territories Territoires Du Nord-Ouest British Columbia

    122° 121° 120° 119° 118° 117° 116° 115° 114° 113° 112° 111° 110° 109° n a Northwest Territories i d i Cr r eighton L. T e 126 erritoires du Nord-Oues Th t M urston L. h t n r a i u d o i Bea F tty L. r Hi l l s e on n 60° M 12 6 a r Bistcho Lake e i 12 h Thabach 4 d a Tsu Tue 196G t m a i 126 x r K'I Tue 196D i C Nare 196A e S )*+,-35 125 Charles M s Andre 123 e w Lake 225 e k Jack h Li Deze 196C f k is a Lake h Point 214 t 125 L a f r i L d e s v F Thebathi 196 n i 1 e B 24 l istcho R a l r 2 y e a a Tthe Jere Gh L Lake 2 2 aili 196B h 13 H . 124 1 C Tsu K'Adhe L s t Snake L. t Tue 196F o St.Agnes L. P 1 121 2 Tultue Lake Hokedhe Tue 196E 3 Conibear L. Collin Cornwall L 0 ll Lake 223 2 Lake 224 a 122 1 w n r o C 119 Robertson L. Colin Lake 121 59° 120 30th Mountains r Bas Caribou e e L 118 v ine i 120 R e v Burstall L. a 119 l Mer S 117 ryweather L. 119 Wood A 118 Buffalo Na Wylie L. m tional b e 116 Up P 118 r per Hay R ark of R iver 212 Canada iv e r Meander 117 5 River Amber Rive 1 Peace r 211 1 Point 222 117 M Wentzel L.
  • Brazeau Subwatershed

    Brazeau Subwatershed

    5.2 BRAZEAU SUBWATERSHED The Brazeau Subwatershed encompasses a biologically diverse area within parts of the Rocky Mountain and Foothills natural regions. The Subwatershed covers 689,198 hectares of land and includes 18,460 hectares of lakes, rivers, reservoirs and icefields. The Brazeau is in the municipal boundaries of Clearwater, Yellowhead and Brazeau Counties. The 5,000 hectare Brazeau Canyon Wildland Provincial Park, along with the 1,030 hectare Marshybank Ecological reserve, established in 1987, lie in the Brazeau Subwatershed. About 16.4% of the Brazeau Subwatershed lies within Banff and Jasper National Parks. The Subwatershed is sparsely populated, but includes the First Nation O’Chiese 203 and Sunchild 202 reserves. Recreation activities include trail riding, hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, and canoeing/kayaking. Many of the indicators described below are referenced from the “Brazeau Hydrological Overview” map locat- ed in the adjacent map pocket, or as a separate Adobe Acrobat file on the CD-ROM. 5.2.1 Land Use Changes in land use patterns reflect major trends in development. Land use changes and subsequent changes in land use practices may impact both the quantity and quality of water in the Subwatershed and in the North Saskatchewan Watershed. Five metrics are used to indicate changes in land use and land use practices: riparian health, linear development, land use, livestock density, and wetland inventory. 5.2.1.1 Riparian Health 55 The health of the riparian area around water bodies and along rivers and streams is an indicator of the overall health of a watershed and can reflect changes in land use and management practices.
  • Cardinal River Coals Ltd. Transalta Utilities Corporation Cheviot Coal Project

    Cardinal River Coals Ltd. Transalta Utilities Corporation Cheviot Coal Project

    Decision 97-08 Cardinal River Coals Ltd. TransAlta Utilities Corporation Cheviot Coal Project June 1997 Alberta Energy and Utilities Board ALBERTA ENERGY AND UTILITIES BOARD Decision 97-08: Cardinal River Coals Ltd. TransAlta Utilities Corporation Cheviot Coal Project Published by Alberta Energy and Utilities Board 640 – 5 Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta T2P 3G4 Telephone: (403) 297-8311 Fax: (403) 297-7040 Web site: www.eub.gov.ab.ca TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................1 1.1 Project Summary ..................................................1 1.2 Approval Process ..................................................2 1.2.1 Coal Development Policy for Alberta (1976) ......................3 1.2.2 Alberta Environmental Protection ...............................3 1.2.3 Alberta Energy and Utilities Board ..............................4 1.2.4 Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans/ Federal Department of the Environment/ Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency ......................4 1.3 Public Review Processes ............................................5 1.3.1 EUB Review Process .........................................5 1.3.2 Joint Review Panel Process ....................................5 1.3.3 Public Hearing ..............................................6 1.3.4 Decision–Making Process .....................................6 1.4 Public Consultation Process ..........................................6 1.4.1 AEP and EUB Requirements ...................................6 1.4.2 CEAA Requirements
  • Contrary to Popular Belief, Coal Is Alive in Canada — but We Can Change That - Ipolitics

    Contrary to Popular Belief, Coal Is Alive in Canada — but We Can Change That - Ipolitics

    8/11/2021 Contrary to popular belief, coal is alive in Canada — but we can change that - iPolitics (https://ipolitics.ca/) SUBSCRIBE (HTTPS://IPOLITICS.CA/SUBSCRIBE) OPINIONS Contrary to popular belief, coal is alive in Canada — but we can change that By David Khan (https://ipolitics.ca/author/david-khan/). Published on Feb 26, 2021 4:08pm 'Despite Ottawa’s very public promises to “power past” thermal coal and phase out coal-powered electricity in Canada, we continue to mine it here in Alberta and sell it to the world.' Coal (Dexter Frenandes/Pexel photo) Email (mailto:?subject=I want you to Facebook read this article [Contrary to popular (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php? text=Contrary+to+popular+belief%2C+coal+is+a belief, coal is alive in Canada — but we u=https://ipolitics.ca/2021/02/26/contrary-to- can change that]&body=Check out this popular-belief-coal-is-alive-in-canada-but-we- article: can-change-that/) https://ipolitics.ca/2021/02/26/contrary- to-popular-belief-coal-is-alive-in- canada-but-we-can-change-that/.) Recently, cattle ranchers, environmental activists, members of the Blood Tribe and Siksika Nation — and even a couple country singers — came together to oppose the Alberta government’s decision to quietly rescind the 1976 Coal Policy (https://www.alberta.ca/coal-policy-guidelines.aspx). It was an inspiring Albertan story — a prime example of the do-it-yourself attitude Albertans take pride in. Together, the First Nations, ranchers, environmentalists, musicians, and other Albertans spoke against a decision that left iconic Rocky Mountain peaks open to destructive mining practices, and risked poisoning watersheds that drain into the rest of the province and beyond via rivers across Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories.
  • Emission Abatement Potential for the Alberta Oil Sands Industry and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Applicability to Coal-Fired Electricity Generation and Oil Sands

    Emission Abatement Potential for the Alberta Oil Sands Industry and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Applicability to Coal-Fired Electricity Generation and Oil Sands

    Canadian Energy Research Institute Emission Abatement Potential for the Alberta Oil Sands Industry and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Applicability to Coal-Fired Electricity Generation and Oil Sands Zoey Walden Study No. 126 October 2011 Relevant • Independent • Objective EMISSION ABATEMENT POTENTIAL FOR THE ALBERTA OIL SANDS INDUSTRY AND CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE (CCS) APPLICABILITY TO COAL-FIRED ELECTRICITY GENERATION AND OIL SANDS Emission Abatement Potential for the Alberta Oil Sands Industry and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Applicability to Coal-Fired Electricity Generation and Oil Sands Copyright © Canadian Energy Research Institute, 2011 Sections of this study may be reproduced in magazines and newspapers with acknowledgement to the Canadian Energy Research Institute ISBN 1-927037-03-4 Author: Zoey Walden Acknowledgements: The author of this report would like to extend thanks and gratitude to everyone involved in the production and editing of the material, including, but not limited to Carlos Murillo, Afshin Honarvar, Dinara Millington, Jon Rozhon, Thorn Walden, Peter Howard and most notably Megan Murphy. CANADIAN ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE 150, 3512 – 33 Street NW Calgary, Alberta T2L 2A6 Canada www.ceri.ca October 2011 Printed in Canada Emission Abatement Potential for the Alberta Oil Sands Industry and Carbon Capture iii and Storage (CCS) Applicability to Coal-Fired Electricity Generation and Oil Sands Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................................
  • Water Supply Assessment for the North Saskatchewan River Basin

    Water Supply Assessment for the North Saskatchewan River Basin

    WATER SUPPLY ASSESSMENT FOR THE NORTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER BASIN Report submitted to: North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance DISTRIBUTION: 3 Copies North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance Edmonton, Alberta 4 Copies Golder Associates Ltd. Calgary, Alberta March 2008 08-1337-0001 March 2008 -i- 08-1337-0001 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In an Agreement dated 22 January 2008, the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance (NSWA) contracted Golder Associates Limited (Golder) to assess the water supply and its variability in the North Saskatchewan River Basin (NSRB) under natural hydrologic conditions and present climatic conditions. The NSRB was divided into seven (7) hydrologic regions to account for the spatial variability in factors influencing water yield. The hydrologic regions were delineated such that the hydrologic responses were essentially similar within each region, but different from region to region. The annual yield for each hydrologic region was estimated as the average of the annual yields of gauged watersheds located completely within the hydrologic region, if available. Thirty-four hydrometric stations within the NSRB were included in the analysis. For the assessment of natural water yield, only those data series or portions thereof that have been collected under natural flow conditions were considered. A key aspect of the water yield assessment in the NSRB was the estimation of water yield in watersheds with non-contributing areas. The calculation of water yield for each hydrologic region and sub-basins in the NSRB was based on the effective drainage areas of gauged watersheds and on effective drainage areas within each hydrologic region or sub-basin. The non- contributing areas as delineated by the Prairie Farm and Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) for the NSRB were used.
  • Supplementary Materials Hydrologic-Land Surface Modelling of a Complex System Under Precipitation Uncertainty: a Case Study of the Saskatchewan River Basin, Canada

    Supplementary Materials Hydrologic-Land Surface Modelling of a Complex System Under Precipitation Uncertainty: a Case Study of the Saskatchewan River Basin, Canada

    Supplementary Materials Hydrologic-Land Surface Modelling of a Complex System under Precipitation Uncertainty: A Case Study of the Saskatchewan River Basin, Canada Fuad Yassin1, Saman Razavi1, Jefferson S. Wong1, Alain Pietroniro2, Howard Wheater1 1Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan, National Hydrology Research Centre, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 3H5, Canada 2National Hydrology Research Center, Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 3H5, Canada 1 1.0 MESH new features In order to enable MESH to model complex and highly managed basins (e.g. SaskRB), new water management features (irrigation, reservoir operation, and diversion) have been integrated recently into the MESH framework. The irrigation algorithm is based on the soil moisture deficit approach, similar to that of Pokhrel et al. (2016). The net irrigation 5 water demand is estimated as the difference between target soil moisture content (휃푇) and the simulated actual soil moisture (휃푘). 휌 퐼푅 = 푤 ∑푛 {max[(휃 − 휃 ), 0] ∗ 퐷 } (S1) ∆푡 푘=1 푇 푘 푘 -2 -3 where IR [kg m s] is the net irrigation demand, 휌푤[kg m ] is the density of water; ∆푡 is model time step; 휃푇 is given as 훼 ∗ 3 -3 휃퐹퐶 ; 휃퐹퐶 and 휃푘 [m m ] are the field capacity and simulated actual volumetric soil moisture content, respectively; 훼 [-] is the 10 parameter that defines the upper soil moisture limit which has been used varyingly from 0.5 to 1; and 퐷푘 [m] is the thickness of 휅푡ℎ soil layer, n represents the number of soil layers considered in the calculation. In order to represent irrigation effects, the standard CLASS three soil layer configuration has been changed to four soil layers so that the bottom of the third soil layer is set to around 1m.
  • Download the 2018-2019 Annual Report

    Download the 2018-2019 Annual Report

    Alberta Wilderness Association Annual Report 2018 - 2019 1 2 Wilderness for Tomorrow AWA's mission to Defend Wild Alberta through Awareness and Action by inspiring communities to care is as vital, relevant and necessary as it ever was. AWA is dedicated to protecting our wild spaces and helping create a world where wild places, wildlife and our environment don't need protecting. As members and supporters, you inspire the AWA team; your support in spirit, in person and with your financial gifts makes a difference. We trust you will be inspired by the stories told in this 2018 – 2019 annual report. Contributions to the Annual Report are provided by AWA board and staff members with thanks to Carolyn Campbell, Joanna Skrajny, Grace Wark, Nissa Petterson, Ian Urquhart, Owen McGoldrick, Vivian Pharis, Cliff Wallis, Chris Saunders and Sean Nichols. - Christyann Olson, Executive Director Alberta Wilderness Association Provincial Office – AWA Cottage School 455 – 12 St NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1Y9 Phone 403.283.2025 • Fax 403.270.2743 Email: [email protected] Web server: AlbertaWilderness.ca Golden Eye Mother and Chicks on the Cardinal River and Mountain Bluebird at her nest © C. Olson 3 Contents Wilderness for Tomorrow .............................................. 2 Contents ......................................................................... 3 A Successful Year ............................................................ 6 Board and Staff ............................................................... 7 Board of Directors .........................................................
  • Glaciers of the Canadian Rockies

    Glaciers of the Canadian Rockies

    Glaciers of North America— GLACIERS OF CANADA GLACIERS OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES By C. SIMON L. OMMANNEY SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD Edited by RICHARD S. WILLIAMS, Jr., and JANE G. FERRIGNO U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1386–J–1 The Rocky Mountains of Canada include four distinct ranges from the U.S. border to northern British Columbia: Border, Continental, Hart, and Muskwa Ranges. They cover about 170,000 km2, are about 150 km wide, and have an estimated glacierized area of 38,613 km2. Mount Robson, at 3,954 m, is the highest peak. Glaciers range in size from ice fields, with major outlet glaciers, to glacierets. Small mountain-type glaciers in cirques, niches, and ice aprons are scattered throughout the ranges. Ice-cored moraines and rock glaciers are also common CONTENTS Page Abstract ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- J199 Introduction----------------------------------------------------------------------- 199 FIGURE 1. Mountain ranges of the southern Rocky Mountains------------ 201 2. Mountain ranges of the northern Rocky Mountains ------------ 202 3. Oblique aerial photograph of Mount Assiniboine, Banff National Park, Rocky Mountains----------------------------- 203 4. Sketch map showing glaciers of the Canadian Rocky Mountains -------------------------------------------- 204 5. Photograph of the Victoria Glacier, Rocky Mountains, Alberta, in August 1973 -------------------------------------- 209 TABLE 1. Named glaciers of the Rocky Mountains cited in the chapter
  • NSR FSI.Docx

    NSR FSI.Docx

    Alberta Conservation Association 2018/19 Project Summary Report Project Name: North Saskatchewan River Drainage Fish Sustainability Index Data Gaps Fisheries Program Manager: Peter Aku Project Leader: Chad Judd Primary ACA staff on project: Andrew Clough, John Hallett, Dave Jackson, Chad Judd, Nikita Lebedynski, Mike Rodtka, and Zachary Spence Partnerships Alberta Environment and Parks Hinton Wood Products – A Division of West Fraser Mills Ltd. Sundre Forest Products – A Division of West Fraser Mills Ltd. Key Findings • We captured four fish species at 31 sites distributed throughout the Cardinal River and its tributaries in the upper North Saskatchewan River drainage. • The highest relative abundance of bull trout in the Cardinal River watershed was in Ruby Creek. • We detected brown trout at a single site in Ruby Creek, a species previously only known to occur in Ruby Lake located in the headwaters of the Cardinal River watershed. • We captured four fish species at ten sites distributed throughout the Willson Creek watershed including 83 bull trout. 1 Introduction Fishery inventories provide resource managers with information on fish abundance, species distribution, and fish habitat. This information is a key component of responsible land-use planning and management if threats to stream health are to be minimized. Alberta Environment and Park’s Fish Sustainability Index (FSI) is a standardized process of assessment that provides a landscape-level overview of fish sustainability within the province and enables broad-scale evaluation of management actions and land-use planning (MacPherson et al. 2014). Priority species for FSI assessment known to occur in our study areas include bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) and mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) (MacPherson et al.
  • The Legal Framework for Coal Development in Alberta

    The Legal Framework for Coal Development in Alberta

    1982) COAL DEVELOPMENT 117 THE LEGALFRAMEWORK FOR COALDEVELOPMENT IN ALBERTA L. DOUGLAS RAE• This paper examines the legal and regulatory regime that has been developed by the government of the Province of Alberta in order to implement the specific aspects of the Alberta coal policy. I. INTRODUCTION In June of 1976 the government of the Province of Alberta, through the Department of Energy and Natural Resources, issued a landmark docu­ ment which was to be the basis for coal development in the province from that time forward. Entitled "A Coal Development Policy for Alberta" 1 it is commonly referred to as the "coal policy". In the five years since the document's issuance, the Alberta government has, for the most part, im­ plemented both the general and specific aspects of the policy. It is the pur­ pose of this paper to outline the legislative and regulatory framework through which the coal policy is currently being implemented. The coal policy purports to govern the extraction of coal resources by all methods, including surface mining, underground mining and in situ processes yet to be developed. It must be remembered that the coal policy not only governs the exploration for and extraction of coal resources, but also designates those areas which for the foreseeable future are to be untouched by coal development. Coal deposits in Alberta underlie large areas of the plains, foothills and Rocky Mountains. The coal policy, as it relates to deposits found in the foothills and Rocky Mountains, must be applied in conjunction with the land use zones specified in "A Policy for Resource Management of the Eastern Slopes," 2 which has direct impact on the manner and method of coal development in those areas.
  • Bull Trout and Aquatic Ecosystem Integrity Two Conservation Initiatives in the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem

    Bull Trout and Aquatic Ecosystem Integrity Two Conservation Initiatives in the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem

    ©330^) MS A Forum for Natural, Cultural and Social Studies Bull Trout and Aquatic Ecosystem Integrity Two conservation initiatives in the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem Bull trout are native charr in Alberta Kevin Van Tighem these fish to optimize their food intake, but also makes them highly vulnerable to anglers. These and several other characteristics make bull Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) is a species of concern in Alberta. trout a valuable indicator species for the health of running-water Both its abundance and distribution have been substantially reduced ecosystems in the Rocky Mountain region. over the past century. Fitch (1994) estimates that bull trout in the Oldman River watershed now occupy barely 30% of their historic BULL TROUT AND ECOSYSTEM INTEGRITY range, largely because of habitat fragmentation and angler overharvest. Bull trout are a native charr, capable of thriving in the relatively For bull trout to thrive and persist, they require: unproductive environments that typify streams draining the Rocky • a stable, high-quality groundwater regime in headwater drain­ Mountains. A number of adaptations enable them not only to success­ ages fully exploit headwater drainages, but also to grow to very large size, • clean, cold stream water, low in fine sediments that would sometimes exceeding 5 or 10 kilograms. No other salmonid, native or clog spawning gravels introduced, can consistently attain such large sizes in these drainages. • uninterrupted access from downstream reaches to headwater Bull trout spawn in September in cold, clean headwater streams, spawning streams particularly in areas where upwelling ground water in the streambed • an informed and responsible human angling population gravel provides a relatively stable thermal regime and prevents anchor ice from forming in the winter.