NE-9 RD Const.Qxd
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
FISH HABITAT PROTECTION GUIDELINES Road Construction and Stream Crossings Saskatchewan Fish Habitat Protection Guidelines - Road Construction and Stream Crossings These guidelines were prepared by SENTAR Consultants Ltd. for the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Fisheries and Habitat Management, Central and Arctic Region, and Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management, Fisheries Branch. SENTAR would like to thank all who contributed to the Guidelines and to acknowledge that relevant information from other Canadian guidelines (cited in Section 8) has been used in the development of the Saskatchewan Guidelines. This was done to promote a more unified approach to Canadian fish habitat protection while still meeting the habitat requirements and construction practices found in Saskatchewan. For copies of this report, contact one of the Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management District Offices listed in Appendix B. These Guidelines will be reviewed and updated periodically to account for changes in technology, standards or requirements relating to the impacts of road construction and stream crossings on the aquatic environment in Saskatchewan. Comments and suggestions are welcome and should be forwarded to: Fish Habitat Specialist Fisheries Branch Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management 3211 Albert Street Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 5W6 Telephone: 306-787-8200 Fax: 306-787-0737 Revised March 1995 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 OBJECTIVES ......................................................1 7.0 GLOSSARY OF TERMS ............................23 2.0 LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITYAND POLICY..........1 8.0 REFERENCES ............................................24 2.1 Legislation............................................1 2.2 Policy for the Management of Fish Habitat ................................................1 APPENDICES 3.0 APPLICATION AND REVIEW PROCESS ....3 A Saskatchewan Regional Fisheries Biologists ............................26 4.0 IMPACTS ON FISH AND FISH HABITAT......3 B Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management 4.1 Change in Flow ..................................3 District Offices .................................. 27 4.2 Erosion and Sedimentation ..................5 C Excerpts from the 4.3 Deleterious Substances......................6 Environmental Spill Control Regulations............................28 5.0 GUIDELINES FOR THE PROTECTION OF FISH HABITAT........................................6 5.1 Scheduling ..........................................6 LIST OF FIGURES 5.2 Route Planning....................................6 5.3 Reservation Limits................................7 4.1 Improperly Installed Culverts 5.4 Construction within Reservations ........7 Block Fish Passage on the 5.5 Design of Crossing Structures..............8 Nemei River ........................................4 5.5.1 General ......................................8 4.2 New Three Metre Culverts 5.5.2 Bridges ......................................9 Restore Fish Passage on the 5.5.3 Culverts ......................................9 Nemei River ........................................4 5.5.3.1 Culvert Design ................9 5.1 Bridge on the Clearwater River ............8 5.5.3.2 Baffled Culverts ............12 5.2 Swimming Distance Curves for 5.5.3.3 Culvert Installation ......13 (a) Anguilliform and 5.5.4 Low Level Crossings ................14 (b) Subcarangiform Fish ....................11 5.6 Temporary Stream Crossings ............14 5.3 Culvert Design..................................13 5.6.1 Summer Crossing Structures ....14 5.4 Erosion Control Measures ..................17 5.6.2 Winter Crossing Structures........15 6.1 Log Ditch Blocks Used to Reduce 5.6.3 Fords ........................................15 Water Velocity in Ditches....................20 5.7 Stream Alteration................................16 6.2 Diversion Berms Used to Redirect 5.7.1 Instream Structures ..................16 Runoff to Forest Floor Filter ..............21 5.7.2 Channel Realignment ................16 6.3 Riprap Used to Protect Erodible 5.8 Stream Crossing Approaches............16 Surfaces ............................................21 5.9 Control of Deleterious Substances ....18 6.4 Sediment Traps Used Downstream 5.10 Road Maintenance ............................19 of Erodible Sites ................................22 5.11 Decommissioning ..............................19 6.5 Silt Fence Installation ........................23 6.0 EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL ......20 6.1 Brush Barriers....................................20 6.2 Ditch Blocks......................................20 LIST OF TABLES 6.3 Forest Floor Filter ..............................20 6.4 Revegetation......................................21 2.1 Partial List of Legislation 6.5 Riprap .............................................. 21 Potentially Affecting Development 6.6 Sediment Traps ................................ 22 Activity In or Near Water ......................2 6.7 Silt Fences........................................22 5.1 Fisheries and Design Considerations 6.8 Slope Modification..............................23 for Stream Crossing Structures ..........10 1.0 OBJECTIVES These guidelines are not regulations. There may be situations where they are not applicable, or other Fish are an important subsistence, commercial and guidelines or regulations take precedence. The recreational resource in Saskatchewan. Although Regional Fisheries Biologist (Appendix A) will be most Canadians want to protect the environment, able to advise proponents whether these guidelines many do not realize that their activities are affecting are applicable to their proposed development fish, especially when streams are small or impacts activities. seem to be minor. Poorly designed and constructed roads and stream crossings can result in the loss of fish and aquatic life by, for example, restricting fish 2.0 LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITYAND movement, destroying spawning habitat and POLICY contaminating water due to spills or soil erosion. The following guidelines are intended to eliminate or minimize the impact of stream crossings and 2.1 Legislation road construction on adjacent lakes and streams in Saskatchewan. The Fisheries Act regulates the environmental impacts of projects and activities which may These Fish Habitat Protection Guidelines are to be affect fish and fish habitat. The habitat provisions of followed when planning, designing, constructing, the Fisheries Act 1, principally section 35, maintaining, upgrading and decommissioning prohibit any harmful alteration, disruption or stream crossings and roads adjacent to water destruction of fish habitat unless authorized by the bodies. They provide practical advice, including Minister of Fisheries and Oceans or authorized mitigation techniques, to ensure minimum under regulations. The Environmental Management disturbance to the aquatic environment. They and Protection Act, a provincial act, requires that a also provide guidance on government regulations permit be obtained before any work is carried out in and project review processes that apply to fish or near water. habitat protection. The habitat provisions of the Fisheries Act and The Fish Habitat Protection Guidelines are The Environmental Management and Protection intended to: Act are enforced in Saskatchewan by Saskatchewan Environment and Resource • conserve fish habitat including spawning Management. ,rearing, nursery, food supply and migration components, Proponents planning to conduct work in or near water must ensure that they meet the requirements • allow for free movement for fish, of other federal, provincial and municipal legislation. Table 2.1 provides a partial list of • increase awareness of the potential adverse agencies and legislation which regulate various effects to fish of stream crossings and roads activities in or near water. adjacent to lakes and steams, 2.2 Policy for the Management of Fish • provide advice on protective measures that can Habitat be incorporated at every phase of the development, These guidelines are based on the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ Policy for the Management • provide guidance to departmental staff, and of Fish Habitat (DFO 1986). The Policy is designed to achieve a net gain of productive • help proponents understand and enter the capacity of habitats for Canada’s fisheries regulatory process that provides habitat resources. The Policy has three goals; habitat protection. 1 Habitat provisions of the Fisheries Act are summarized inthe publication entitled Canada’s Fish Habitat Law (DFO 1991). - 1 - TABLE 2.1 Partial List of Legislation Potentially Affecting Development Activity In or Near Water - 2 - conservation, restoration and development. The habitat may be considered. Compensation is not an No Net Loss principle applies to the conservation option for replacement of critical habitats or as a goal and calls for the preservation of the productive means of dealing with chemical pollution or capacity of existing fish habitats by avoiding loss or contamination problems. When compensation is harmful alteration of habitats resulting from being considered, an agreement must be worked development activities. Using this principle, out to the satisfaction of Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Environment and Resource Management, Management, Fisheries Branch and the Fisheries Branch and the Department of Fisheries Department of Fisheries and Oceans will strive to and Oceans. prevent habitat loss and to balance unavoidable habitat losses