Preliminary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment – Onimiki Hydroelectric Project
FINAL REPORT - VERSION REVISED AUGUST 2018
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Preliminary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment - Onimiki Hydroelectric Project Final report - Version revised August 2018
PRODUCTION TEAM August 2018 version Camilla Arbour, M.Sc. candidate Project Manager (OBVT)
Marilou Girard Thomas, Geographer, M.Sc. Executive Director (OBVT)
Authors Pierre Rivard, Eng., Ph.D. Executive Director (OBVT)
Camilla Arbour, M.Sc. candidate Project Manager (OBVT)
Design graphique Ruth Pelletier
Organisme de bassin versant du Témiscamingue (OBVT), 2017, Preliminary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment - Onimiki Hydroelectric Project, Final report - Version revised August 2018, 86 pages.
1 Table of Contents List of figures ...... 5
List of tables ...... 6
Glossary and important definitions ...... 7
1 Introduction ...... 9
1.1 Mandate of the OBVT ...... 10 1.2 Warning ...... 12
2 Information about the Onimiki hydroelectric project ...... 13
2.1 History of hydroelectric development ...... 13 2.2 An opportunity for a community project ...... 13 2.3 Objectives of the Onimiki project ...... 14 2.4 Identification and location of infrastructure on the territory ...... 14 2.4.1 Inventory and use of dams ...... 14 2.5 Description of Onimiki project infrastructure ...... 19 2.5.1 Background ...... 19 2.5.2 Description of infrastructure to be built ...... 21 3 Location and description of the various environments ...... 21 3.1 Population ...... 21 3.2 Territory use ...... 24 3.2.1 Lake Kipawa ...... 24 3.2.2 Gordon Creek and other lakes ...... 24 3.2.3 Lake Timiskaming ...... 24
3.2.4 Opémican National Park ...... 25 3.2.5 Existing public infrastructures ...... 25 3.2.6 Tourism-related services and companies...... 26
3.2.7 Throughput ...... 27 3.3 Natural environments ...... 28 3.3.1 Intermediate forebay, Gordon Creek ...... 28 3.3.2 Aquatic animals in Gordon Creek ...... 29
2 3.3.3 Forebay, Lake Kipawa ...... 30
3.3.4 Floral species ...... 32
3.3.5 Tailbay, Lake Timiskaming ...... 32 3.4 Information about the hydrodynamics of water bodies ...... 34
4 Environmental impacts ...... 36 4.1 Literature review ...... 36 4.1.1 Introduction ...... 36
4.1.2 Main findings of the literature review ...... 36
4.1.3 Effects on the aquatic environment ...... 38
4.1.4 Effects on invertebrates ...... 40 4.1.5 Ecological flow ...... 45 4.1.6 Aesthetic flow ...... 46 4.1.7 Advantages of hydroelectric projects ...... 46 4.1.8 Disadvantages of hydroelectric projects ...... 47 4.2 Social acceptability ...... 47 4.2.1 Community involvement ...... 54 5 Description of the biophysical environment ...... 56 5.1 Water quality ...... 56 5.1.1 Gordon Creek ...... 56 5.1.2 Lake Timiskaming ...... 58 5.1.3 Tee Lake ...... 60 5.1.4 Lake Kipawa ...... 60
5.1.5 Upstream of Lake Kipawa ...... 61 5.2 Water levels and flows of lakes and rivers ...... 62
5.2.1 Minimum flow on the Kipawa River ...... 63 5.2.2 Minimum flow in Gordon Creek ...... 65 5.3 Plant species ...... 67 5.4 The landscape ...... 67
5.5 Noise ...... 68
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5.6 During construction ...... 69
5.7 Mitigation measures ...... 69
5.8 Accounting for climate change ...... 71 5.9 Project monitoring ...... 71
5.10 Main results of the preliminary environmental assessment ...... 72 6 Social impacts ...... 75 6.1 Consultations ...... 75
6.2 Concerns...... 75
6.3 Preliminary list of stakeholders involved in the Onimiki project ...... 77
6.4 Similarities with Val-Jalbert project in Lac-Saint-Jean ...... 78 7 Conclusion ...... 79 References ...... 81
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List of figures Figure 1: Number of dams on the territory of the watershed, according to different uses – internal compilation (CEHQ, 2017) ...... 16 Figure 2: Dam uses ...... 18 Figure 3: Power plants proposed as part of the Onimiki project...... 20 Figure 4: Ancestral territory of the Timiskaming, Kebaowek and Wolf Lake First Nations (Algonquin Nation Secretariat, 2013) ...... 23 Figure 5: Pathway of mercury several years after reservoir filling (Hydro-Québec, 2017) ...... 43 Figure 6: Stratified lake (Carignan, 2015)...... 44 Figure 7: Data sources on water quality near Témiscaming...... 57 Figure 8: Eco-friendly vortex turbine ...... 74
5 List of tables Table 1: Owners of dams on the territory (CEHQ, 2017) ...... 16 Table 2: Distribution of dams by RMC in the Témiscamingue watershed (CEHQ, 2017) 17 Table 3: Dam capacities (CEHQ, 2017) ...... 17 Table 4: Throughput by anglers at Lake Kipawa between 1975 and 2006 (Nadeau et Trudeau, 2012) ...... 27 Table 5: Plant species likely to be designated threatened or vulnerable, and calcicole species in Opémican Park ...... 32 Table 6: Flow date for the affected streams...... 35 Table 7: Summary of water levels controlled by CEHQ at Lake Kipawa (OBVT, 2014)...... 62
6 Glossary and important definitions BMI: Benthic macroinvertebrates
CEHQ: Centre d’expertise hydrique du Québec
CHZ: Controlled harvesting zone
Downstream: Point located nearer to the mouth of a river or creek
EQA: Environment Quality Act
Eutrophic: Characteristic of an environment rich in nutriments
Eutrophication: Process by which a water body becomes overly enriched with nutiriments
GHG: Greenhouse gas
IFIM: Instream Flow Incremental Methodology
IQBP6: Index of bacteriological and physicochemical water quality assessed using six parameters
(fecal coliforms, total chlorophyll a, ammoniacal nitrogen, nitrite-nitrate, total phosphorus, suspended solids)
LHP: Large hydropower plants
Lotic ecosystem: Ecosystem located in flowing water where interactions between biotic and abiotic factors are studied
MDDELCC: Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques
Mesotrophic: Characteristic of an environment located between a nutrient-poor and a nutrient-rich environment
MFFP: Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs
MHP: Micro hydropower plant
MW: Megawatt
NIMBY: Acronym meaning “Not in my backyard”
OBVT: Organisme de bassin versant du Témiscamingue
Oligotrophic: Characteristic of a nutrient-poor environment
Onimiki: Algonquin word meaning thunder
Reach: Section of a river or creek located between two dams 7 RORPP: Run-of-river hydroelectric power plant
Tide range: Height difference between high tide and low tide in a lake or river
Upstream: Point located nearer to the source of a river or creek
8 1 Introduction
The Onimiki hydroelectric project proposed for one of the two outlets of Lake Kipawa, near the municipality of Témiscaming, Québec, involves the development of two power plants along Gordon Creek: a 37-MW power plant near the shores of Lake Timiskaming and a 5-MW run-of-river power plant near the Tee Lake dam. The Onimiki power plants would be considered as both micro hydropower plants (MHP) and run-of-river power plants (RORPP). At this stage, it is important to specify that Lake Kipawa is a reservoir. This has long been the case and, as a reservoir, it serves multiple purposes, including the generation of hydroelectricity at projects more downstream on the Ottawa River, the regulation of water levels in the river (to prevent flooding further south), and navigation. This project is supported by the communities of Témiscamingue (Wolf Lake and Kebaowek First Nations, and the Témiscamingue RCM), and will benefit them. According to the developers, this project is an opportunity for the region to diversify its economy, which is based primarily on forestry and agriculture.
MHPs and RORPPs are generally considered to be sustainable and environmentally friendly energy production facilities (Douglas 2007, Premalatha et al., 2014). The reasons cited for this in the literature are based on the fact that these power plants are generally smaller, with fewer impacts on the environment (Douglas 2007; Premalatha et al., 2014; Kelly-Richards et al., 2017). However, the notion that RORPPs and MHPs are environmentally friendly projects is an assumption based on little empirical evidence, systematic analyses or debates (Premalatha et al., 2014; Kelly-Richards et al., 2014; Kelly Richards et al., 2017). This is why it is essential to conduct an assessment of the environmental and social impacts of each power plant proposed as part of the Onimiki hydroelectric project and to assess their cumulative effects on the Kipawa reservoir, the Kipawa River, Tee Lake, Lake du Moulin, Lake Jadot, Lake aux Brochets, Gordon Creek, and Lake Timiskaming. The developers will need to ensure the project meets the highest standards of environmental and social acceptability and that it generates economic spinoffs for the local and Indigenous populations.
This report contains a review of the literature on the environmental and social impacts of the project. It also introduces the reader to the potential and predictable impacts of MHPs and RORPPs in general and to our assessment of the potential and predictable impacts of the Onimiki hydroelectric development project. The report also provides an overview of the territory affected and of the concerns raised during the various discussions on the joint management plan for Lake Kipawa and during the work done by associations or groups interested in the health of the lakes that stand to be affected by the Onimiki project. After 9 analyzing this report, a pilot committee will set priorities for more in-depth studies required ahead of the project.
Pursuant to Québec’s Environment Quality Act, the Onimiki project will need to prepare a scientific environmental impact assessment, since the project anticipates the diversion or rerouting of a creek, and the construction, reconstruction and subsequent operation of at least one hydroelectric power plant of 5 MW or more (Publications Québec, 2018).
1.1 Mandat de l’OBVT
The OBVT’s mandate in relation to this preliminary environmental impact assessment, as described in the proposal to the Témiscamingue RCM, is as follows:
1. Bibliographic research: Literature review, historical data and activities in the proposed project region, predictable temporal hydraulic impacts, data on the effects of variations in river flows on plants and wildlife, other impacts on aquatic and terrestrial plants and wildlife, data on the impacts on fish migrations, variations in physicochemical parameters, provincial and federal standards to be respected, and studies on the environmental impacts of similar projects;
2. Data on surface water quality: Searches in the OBVT’s database for all data on water quality in the proposed project region, and for all other relevant and available data sources. A surface water sampling and analysis plan will be developed to complete the missing data;
3. Identification of possible environmental issues related to the Onimiki project;
4. Identification of possible issues and corresponding proposed solutions;
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5. Identification of additional work required to complete the missing environmental information at this stage.
The OBVT’s mandate should also include a preliminary social impact assessment, namely:
1) Bibliographic research: Literature review, historical data and activities in the proposed project region, data on the traditional and recreational tourism activities that may be impacted by RORPPs and by a change in water flows, and studies on the social impacts of similar projects;
2) Focus group of 8-10 select individuals (after consultation with the steering committee) to identify the concerns of those who will be affected by the project;
3) Identification of possible social issues related to the Onimiki project: Identification of possible issues following consultations and bibliographic research, and identification of corresponding proposed solutions;
4) Research on the type of consultations appropriate for this type of project and recommendations based on the steering committee’s objectives.
Anticipated deliverables of the preliminary environmental assessment:
1) A report on the results of the preliminary environmental and social impact assessment for the Onimiki hydroelectric project submitted by September 15, 2017;
2) A formal PowerPoint presentation of the final report.
11 1.2 Warning
This preliminary environmental report is based on information compiled from the literature, from individuals involved in the project, and from professionals working at the various government departments who were willing to share certain information about the territory that will be affected by the Onimiki project. It is important to specify that at this stage of the project, most of the information sent to the OBVT has been general and used to conduct an initial assessment of the key project elements. Much of the information was incomplete and needs to be clarified before the professional consultants can perform a comprehensive environmental study. To date, the OBVT has been unable to complete a portion of its mandate, namely steps 2 and 3 of the social impacts assessment, which would have required forming a focus group. Since this environmental study is only preliminary, a scientific analysis has yet to be done. Any reproduction or use of the information contained in this document is prohibited without the authorization of the OBVT.
12 2 Information about the Onimiki hydroelectric project
2.1 History of the hydroelectric project
The hydropower potential of Gordon Creek has been harnessed in the past, with the construction of a hydroelectric power plant on Lake Timiskaming in 1919 by Riordon Pulp and Paper. This 30-MW power plant was nationalized by Hydro-Québec in 1963, and subsequently shut down in 1969. While the power plant stopped producing electricity just a few years after it was nationalized, hydropower potential still exists at this site and its development is still feasible. To replace the production from this power plant, Hydro- Québec had to build a 120-kV transmission line in order to supply the Tembec plant (1990) and carry out a hydroelectric project on Lake Beauchêne (1971), although the latter project never materialized. A few years ago, Hydro-Québec had also planned to carry out a project even larger than Onimiki, the Tabaret project (1999), which would have involved building a system of surface channels and underground conduits to direct 166 m3/s of water to a point located between the two outlets of the Kipawa reservoir: Gordon Creek and the Kipawa River (Wolf Lake First Nation and Eagle Village First Nation, 2005). This 130-MW project proposed at the time by Hydro-Québec was not given approval by the Indigenous communities (Wolf Lake First Nation and Kebaowek First Nation) or by citizen representatives from the three Québec municipalities concerned (Témiscaming, Kipawa and Laniel).
2.2 An opportunity for a community project
Abitibi-Témiscamingue is not self-sufficient when it comes to electricity production. According to Déry et al. (2011), the residual hydropower potential is low, and the wind potential is low and of poor quality. The hydroelectric power plants in the region had an installed capacity of approximately 550 MW in 2010, and the region consumed close to 4.4 TWh of electricity annually, which represents approximately twice the potential output of the power plants currently in operation (Déry et al., 2011). The proposed Onimiki hydroelectric plant would be located entirely on Gordon Creek, southwest of Lake Kipawa, which currently empties into the Ottawa River immediately after the dams on Lake Timiskaming, in the municipality of Témiscaming. This project has had the support of the Kebaowek (formerly Eagle Village) and Wolf Lake First Nations since 1998 (Paul and Warolin, 2014). It is essentially an upgrade of the Gatineau Power Company plant, with the major distinction being that it proposes building a diversion tunnel and two new power plants and turning the old power plant into a museum. Notably, it will also have the backing of and benefit the Québec communities concerned. The Onimiki project is the
13 result of a partnership between the local and regional communities (Wolf Lake First Nation, Kebaowek First Nation, and the Témiscamingue RCM).
2.3 Objectives of the Onimiki project
According to the developers, this project was the subject of numerous support resolutions by regional municipalities and organizations. The main obstacle to the project was the uncertainty surrounding the possibility of Hydro-Québec going ahead with the Tabaret project, which has since been abandoned. The developers also claim that the Onimiki project is a valid and significant alternative solution for meeting renewable energy needs (Wolf Lake First Nation and Eagle Village First Nation, 2005). While Hydro-Québec has emphasized the development of wind power in recent years, a return to run-of-river power plants like the Onimiki project represents one of the strongest development potentials for the western part of the province, where the potential for wind power is very low. Since the reservoir and several flow control infrastructures already exist, this project will require very few changes to the existing hydraulic conditions in the subwatershed in question. According to the developers, the project comes with favourable conditions and will provide substantial income for the communities, which can be reinvested in several ways. The annualized net income has been estimated at $1.88 M for the first year and $3.48 M by the tenth year. This income will be divided between the community partners holding 100% of the company’s shares. Construction will span a period of two years and create 200 to 300 jobs (Wolf Lake First Nation and Eagle Village First Nation, 2005).
2.4 Identification and location of infrastructure on the territory
2.4.1 Inventory and use of dams The Ottawa River and its tributaries are at the head of the St. Lawrence River watershed. The dams on those rivers have various uses, as seen in Figure 2. Most of the water retention structures are used to regulate water levels and generate hydroelectricity (OBVT, 2013). The Centre d’expertise hydrique du Québec (CEHQ) is an administrative unit of the Ministère du Développement durable, Environnement et Lutte contre les changements climatiques (MDDELCC, formerly MDDEP), which is tasked with managing Quebec’s water regime. According to the Répertoire des barrages du Québec, 77 dams are located throughout the the Témiscamingue watershed, 31% of which belong to the Québec government and are operated by the CEHQ (Figure 1) (CEHQ, 2017).
Since 2007, several dams belonging to Public Works Canada have been returned to the Québec government, including the des Quinze and Kipawa dams. Table 1 lists the dams located in the watershed and their owners; 35% of the dams on the territory are dedicated 14 to producing hydropower. There are currently six hydroelectric power plants in the Témiscamingue watershed (Figure 1 and Figure 2).
In addition to producing hydropower and protecting against flooding, the other dams on the territory are used for purposes such as water retention and the conservation of wildlife habitats (33% of dams). Other, less important dams are used for recreational/tourism purposes or for ensuring the drinking water supply. Finally, five of the dams on the territory that were formerly used to float timber have now been decommissioned. These dams are now owned by the Québec government, which oversees their maintenance and security (OBVT, 2013).
For its part, Crown corporation Hydro-Québec owns one-quarter of the dams on the territory. Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) owns close to 20% of the infrastructure and private companies approximately 14%. The other dams belong to the municipality of St Eugène-de-Guigues and to individuals. When a particular use for a dam is abandoned, the structure becomes known as an “orphan” dam. There is just one orphan dam, located on Rivière à la Loutre, in St-Eugène-de-Guigues (OBVT, 2013).
The dams within the territory of the watershed are concentrated mainly in the Rouyn Noranda RCM (26), the Témiscamingue RCM (24), the unorganized territories (UT) of Les Lacs-du-Témiscamingue (19) and Réservoir-Dozois (5) (Figure 1 and Figure 2). The Bourque dam, located at the mouth of the Dozois reservoir, is at the head of the dam network and the Hydro-Québec power plants along the Ottawa River (OBVT, 2013). Most of the water retention structures on the territory are high capacity (71%) (Table 3) (OBVT, 2013).
15 Table 1: Owners of dams on the territory (CEHQ, 2017). Body Owners Number Proportion (%) Government 24 31.17 Government of Quebec
Hydro-Québec 19 24.68
Municipality Municipality of St- 1 1.30
Eugène-de-Guigues
Other Ducks Unlimited Canada 15 19.48 organization Private company Algonquin Power Fund 7 9.09
Mining company Inmet 3 3.90
Xstrata Canada 1 1.30
Corporation
Other Physical person 5 6.49
Orphan 1 1.30
2 5 1 Hydroelectricity Wildlife conservation 8 27 Regulation
2 Recreational/tourism 3 Water intake Other or unknown 4 Aquaculture Fomerly timber floating Flood control 25
Figure 1: Number of dams on the territory of the watershed, according to different uses – internal compilation (CEHQ, 2017).
16 Table 2: Distribution of dams by RCM in the Témiscamingue watershed (CEHQ, 2017). RCM and UT Municipalities Number Rouyn-Noranda Rouyn-Noranda 26
Abitibi Sainte-Gertrude-Manneville 2
Les Lacs-du- 19 UT of Les Lacs-du-Témiscamingue Témiscamingue
TNO Réservoir-Dozois Réservoir-Dozois 5
Témiscamingue Angliers 5 Belleterre 1
Guérin 1
Kipawa 3
Laforce 2
Notre-Dame-du-Nord 1
Saint-Eugène-de-Guigues 8
Témiscaming 3
Total RCMT 24 Vallée-de-l'Or Matchi-Manitou 1
Grand total 77
Table 3: Dams capacities (CEHQ, 2017). Capacity type Number of dams High 55 Low 16
Small dams 6
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Dams uses Témiscamingue Watershed
Legend Urban sectors Watershed limits Lakes and streams Dams Type of use Flood control Wildlife habitat conservation Hydroelectricity Water intake Recreational and leisure Regulation Other or unknown
Author:
Figure 2: Dam uses.
18 2.5 Description of the Onimiki project infrastructure In this section, we will provide a brief description of the infrastructure included in the project: dams, buildings, protected areas, tunnels, transmission lines, transformers, etc. This will be followed by a portrait of the territory, which is divided into two sub-chapters. Chapter 1 contains a description of the territory and the human presence, and Chapter 2 will describe the natural environment, the plants and wildlife, and the geology of the territory covered by the Onimiki project.
2.5.1 History
Gordon Creek has undergone numerous changes since 1880. Work was done to divert the waters of Lake Kipawa in order to deliver wood to the Lumsden’s Mill sawmill, located on the current site of the Tembec Inc. paper mill. The Tee Lake dam and an adjacent log slide were built in 1880 by the Gordon Creek Improvement company to float logs cut around Lake Kipawa to the Pembroke sawmills on the Ottawa River (Tee Lake Cottage and Home Owners’ Association, 2017).
In 1911, Gordon Creek was modified to carry water to the municipality of Témiscaming. That same year, the Kipawa dam (X0002992), located at the head of Lake du Moulin in the municipality of Kipawa, was built to retain the waters of Lake Kipawa and ensure water levels were high enough for navigation during the spring thaw. This concrete dam was modified in 1971. It is 7.3 metres high and is owned by the CEHQ (CEHQ, 2017).
In 1956, the Commonwealth Plywood company solidified the Tee Lake dam by pouring cement to create a solid base for a bridge. This dam was rebuilt in 2005-2006 by the Québec government, with the participation of the municipalities of Témiscaming and Kipawa (Tee Lake Cottage and Home Owners’ Association, 2017). This 7.8-metre-high concrete dam (X0002991), built for recreational and tourism purposes, is owned by the CEHQ. An earth dam also built nearby (X2086704) during the same year serves to retain water for recreational and tourism activities. It is 3.4 metres high and is owned by the CEHQ (CEHQ, 2017).
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Figure 3: Power plants proposed as part of the Onimiki project.
20 The last dam on Gordon Creek is the Lumsden dam (X0002990), at the mouth of Lake aux Brochets. It is 7.1 meters high and was built in 1918. It was modified in 2005 and is owned by Rayonier Advanced Materials (formerly Tembec Inc.) (CEHQ, 2017).
2.5.2 Description of infrastructure to be built
According to the report issued by Innergex (Innergex et al., 2016), development of the proposed Onimiki hydroelectric project will involve:
• The modification of the Kipawa dam, located at the head of Lake du Moulin, at Chemin de la Baie de Kipawa, which will be replaced with a control structure equipped with a surface valve to control the water flow and increase it from 20 m3/s to 71 m3/s; • The construction of a headrace and a 5-MW power plant near the Tee Lake dam; • The construction of a tunnel 1,620 metres long by 6.2 metres in diameter to divert water from Lake aux Brochets near the Lumsden dam to Lake Timiskaming; • The conversion of the infrastructure used at the time by the Gatineau Power Company into a museum (Paul and Warolin, 2014); • The construction of a second, 37-MW power plant north of the existing site, previously used by the Gatineau Power Company, at the outlet of the new diversion channel; • The installation of electricity transmission infrastructure, high-voltage power lines, transformers, a distribution centre, access roads, protective fences, etc., starting from from the new 5-MW power plant near the Tee Lake dam and from the second 37-MW power plant.
3 Location and description of environments
3.1 Population
This project is located on the ancestral territory of the Anishanaabe Timiskaming, Kebaowek and Wolf Lake First Nations (Figure 4). Lake Timiskaming spans the border between Ontario and Québec.
21 The populations directly concerned by the Onimiki project hydroelectric facilities are distributed as follows:
- Kebaowek First Nation: 9941 - Wolf Lake First Nation: 2321 - Timiskaming First Nation: 8381 - Municipality of Kipawa, Québec: 516 - Témiscaming, Québec: 2,431 - Thorne, Ontario: 204 - Laniel, Québec: 82
1 Total population registered
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Figure 4: Ancestral territory of the Timiskaming, Kebaowek and Wolf Lake First Nations (Algonquin Nation Secretariat, 2013).
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3.2 Land use
3.2.1 Lake Kipawa
The drinking water for the community of Kebaowek and for certain residents in the municipality of Kipawa comes from Lake Kipawa, which is also used for swimming, boating, recreational fishing, and subsistence activities (First Nations). It is also a place of cultural and spiritual significance for the First Nations peoples. There are three controlled harvesting zones (CHZs) (Kipawa, Restigo, Maganasipi) located near Lake Kipawa, but they do not overlap the wildlife area. In 2013, 21 outfitters were present on the shores of Lake Kipawa, of the 52 outfitting operations in the entire Témiscamingue region, representing a total of 126 camps (OBVT, 2013). There were also 25 registered traplines distributed around Lake Kipawa and 14 temporary shelters within the perimeter of the wildlife area (OBVT, 2013). In addition, 462 cottages were located around the lake, including 84 on leased public land, 359 on private land, and 19 occupants without permit or title (OBVT, 2013).
3.2.2 Gordon Creek and other lakes
The population of Témiscaming is located along both sides of Gordon Creek which, along with the other lakes (Tee, du Moulin, Jadot, and aux Brochets), are mainly used for sport fishing by the local residents. Gordon Creek is also used as a drinking water supply for the municipality of Témiscaming. The water is treated at a water treatment plant. A pond located more than 50 metres from the dam is used by swimmers and is a small artificial water body isolated from Lake aux Brochets and the Lumsden dam. Gordon Creek and the other lakes are used for drinking water, swimming, boating, and fishing, and their waters contain diverse and abundant plants and wildlife. This territory is also used for traditional subsistence activities by the First Nations people. These water bodies are considered recreational tourism sites and feature lookouts, waterfalls, and other attractions.
3.2.3 Lake Timiskaming
Lake Timiskaming is used for sport fishing, nautical activities, and drinking water by certain local residents. Several permanent residences, camps, and private lots are located between the power plant on Lake Timiskaming in the municipality of Témiscaming and the mouth of the Kipawa River. Chemin Kipawa, Chemin de la Promenade du Lac, and Rue de la Marina in the municipality of Témiscaming, Québec, and Wyse Road in the village of Thorne, Ontario, run along the shores of Lake Timiskaming. The residences located on the Ontario side of the lake are on Wyse Road. They include close to 30 homes 24 and other private lots located just over 300 meters from the planned site of the second power plant. Some of these homes get their drinking water directly from Lake Timiskaming. There are no lakefront homes on the Québec side, where the second Onimiki power plant is proposed.
3.2.4 Opémican National Park
On March 21, 2013, the Québec government announced the creation of the Parc national d’Opémican, less than 15 km from the municipality of Témiscaming and the Onimiki project. Located between Lake Timiskaming and Lake Kipawa, Opémican national park protects a section of the natural region of the southern Laurentians. It covers a surface area
of 252.5 km2 and will be divided into four distinct sectors: Kipawa River and the cliffs of Lake Timiskaming, Opémican Point, White Lake, and Île aux Fraises. A large portion of the left bank of the Kipawa River will be included in Opémican national park. The Kipawa River, which has a natural shoreline, is 16 km long and has a total elevation gain of 90 metres. Its class II to V rapids make it ideal for canoing. The park is scheduled to open in 2018, and is expected to have 25,000 visitors each year (Gareau, D., personal comment, 2017).
3.2.5 Existing public infrastructure
There are 41 spaces available for boat anchoring/parking in Laniel: 3 owned by the Laniel Municipal Committee, 9 by Laniel Camping, about 10 in water and at least 20 on land by La Lucarne outfitting establishment, and 9 by the contractor Huisman. Seven public spaces are offered free of charge in Kipawa. In addition, there is a higher and unknown number of private docks (Laniel Municipal Committee, Municipality of Kipawa, personal communication, 2013). Lake Kipawa has two managed public accesses in the form of the municipal docks located in Laniel and Kipawa. In addition to these two accesses, four other public launching ramps are known. Two public accesses are located near the municipality of Témiscaming, one near the old Gatineau Power plant and the other on Long Sault Island, in the Témiscamingue dam complex (OBVT, 2013). In the past few years, bush roads built for forestry operations have allowed a number of cottagers to access their sites. As such, certain water accesses are unknown and not inventoried.
The following leases exist on the territory (OBVT, 2013):
• 1 lease for a lookout; • 1 lease for a holiday camp; • 1 lease for a rest area; • 1 lease for a managed campground; 25 • leases for picnic areas; • 1 lease for an entrance booth.
3.2.6 Tourism-related services and companies
Tourism related to wildlife and to outdoor activities in general is significant on Lake Kipawa. Buildings used for community activities and holiday camps are found on the lake. Sites are available to all for recreational, sports or educational activities for non profit community use, for example, basic camping facilities on the territory of Laniel.
Users can practise outdoor activities on a variety of routes and trails at Lake Kipawa; the sections in the wildlife area are as follows: La Route verte for cycling (3 km), snowmobile trails (4.3 km), quad trails (9.4 km), and cross-country ski trails (1.8 km). A 120-km stretch of canoe-kayak route crosses a number of lakes: McLachlin, Grindstone, Bedout, Audoin and Hunter’s Point. This scenic route is recognized by the Fédération québécoise du canot et du kayak (FQCK). Lake Kipawa is also identified as a potential site for sea kayaking. Other aquatic tourism companies affected by the Onimiki project include a houseboat rental company and the Surf On School, which offers wakeboarding, wakeskating and wakesurfing lessons, and guided tours of Lake Kipawa. The outfitters at Lake Kipawa also offer various services, including hunting, fishing and wilderness trips. Finally, the Algonquin Canoe Company, owned by the Wolf Lake First Nation, offers its customers a network of portage routes, trails, and campsites. The company also offers boat and aquatic activity equipment rentals, as well as guided tours (Algonquin Canoe Company, 2013).
26 3.2.7 Throughput
In addition to the residents living around the lakes affected by the Onimiki hydroelectric project, the throughput of the water bodies in the territory concerned is mainly related to recreational/tourism activities (boating, canoeing, hunting and fishing, at outfitting camps or not, etc.). Data on throughput by anglers at Lake Kipawa are summarized in Table 4.
Table 4: Throughput by anglers at Lake Kipawa between 1975 and 2006 (Nadeau and Trudeau, 2012).
YEAR
1982- 1975 1989 1994 1999 2006 1984 Number of 28,600 39,043 64,697 38,851 31,692 36,411 angler-days
Origin
Québec 11% 25% 33% 33% 31% 30%
Ontario 26% 40% 42% 38% 30% 36%
United States 63% 35% 26% 29% 39% 34%
Type of stay
Outfitter 78% 72% 60% 58% 63% 48%
Cottage 14% 17% 22% 26% 18% 36%
Camping 8% 6% 4% 7% 2% 3%
The outfitters’ accommodation capacity provides a good indication of the throughput: 706 guests per day (FPQ, personal communication, 2013), in addition to many other occasional visitors. As shown in Table 4, there were 31,692 angler-days spent at Lake Kipawa in 1999; in 2000, there were 1,254,270 angler-days spent in Abitibi-Témiscamingue (MRN, 2000; Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 2003). Lake Kipawa therefore accounts for approximately 2.5% of the fishing activity at the regional level. According to FAPAQ, it is the main public water body for sports fishing in the region and represents good potential for wildlife development (OBVT, 2014). Note that Gordon Creek and the various lakes along its route are not part of the tourist circuit and are used by local residents only. ❖ The Kipawa River, Lake Kipawa and Lake Timiskaming play a major role in 27 tourism, cottage life, recreational fishing, and subsistence activities; ❖ Gordon Creek and the various lakes along its route (aux Brochets, Jadot, and du Moulin) are not part of the tourist circuit and are used by local residents only.
3.3 Natural environments
3.3.1 Intermediate forebay, Gordon Creek
Gordon Creek originates at the foot of the Lake Kipawa dam, where the water retained upstream from the Tee Lake dam forms Lake du Moulin. The creek then flows through Lake Jadot, west of Tee Lake, and under Route 101, where it becomes Lake aux Brochets, created largely by the Lumsden dam in the municipality of Témiscaming. At the foot of the dam, Gordon Creek emerges again under its own name, flowing southwest through the centre of Témiscaming and emptying into the Ottawa River approximately 150 metres from the Lake Timiskaming dam located on the Québec side, east of Long Sault Island (Ontario). The Tee Lake watershed overlaps the municipalities of Témiscaming and Kipawa and covers a surface area of approximately 33 km2. Tee Lake has a surface area of
5.2 km2 and lies at an altitude of 261 m. The maximum depth in the lake is 180 feet. Tee Lake has five tributaries, with the main ones coming from Lake Croche to the northeast and Lake des Baies to the southwest. There are also other intermittent streams present. The flow rates of these tributaries remain unknown. The water level in Tee Lake is regulated by two dams. The Kipawa dam is located at the outlet of Lake Kipawa upstream from Lake du Moulin. The Tee Lake dam is located between Lake du Moulin and Gordon Creek, which flows toward Témiscaming.
Several fish communities are found in Tee Lake, including species of sport fish, such as lake trout and walleye. There are also other species present, such as northern pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, cisco, lake whitefish, white sucker, and several species of minnows (OBVT, 2013). The wildlife includes several species of ducks, loons, beavers, otters, grey herons, bears and moose.
28 3.3.2 Aquatic species in Gordon Creek
To obtain additional information about the environment in the study area and the preliminary concerns this project could raise, biologists and wildlife officers from the main departments concerned were contacted.
The section of Gordon Creek between Lake Timiskaming and the Lumsden dam has been stocked with brook trout. According to the biologists at the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs (MFFP), the stocked trout population seems to have an interesting survival rate in this section of the creek. In the other sections (Lake aux Brochets, Lake Jadot, Tee Lake, and Lake du Moulin), we can expect to find mainly pike, walleye and bass. However, according to the assessment done by the Tee Lake Cottage and Home Owners’ Association, the individual fish populations are comprised of largemouth bass, common catfish, chain pickerel, cisco, sunfish, walleye, lake whitefish, burbot, sucker, yellow perch, and lake trout. The MFFP biologist whom we consulted confirmed having participated in an artificial stocking operation of lake trout in Tee Lake (Hamel, J.P., personal communication, 2017).
Preliminarily, the wildlife officers and the biologists from the MFFP had no particular concerns about species with special status present in this sector. Since this type of project will require detailed studies on the ecosystems present, the aquatic wildlife species in the water bodies affected will need to be inventoried in order to specifically determine which species are likely to be impacted by the increased flow in Gordon Creek. Almost four times more water will flow through this stream compared to the current situation. We can expect oxygen levels in the water to increase due to the mixing of larger volumes of water in this sector, accompanied by a possible alteration of the physical-chemical conditions of the water and the sediments in the water bodies affected. This mixing is caused by the water cascading over the rocky creek bed in several places. There is no question that the increased daily volume of water in Gordon Creek, mainly between the Kipawa and Lumsden dams, is associated with a greater quantity of nutrients, which can also result in larger organic matter inputs compared to the current situation. A study should be able to assess the significance of these inputs and their impact on the species present.
29 The wildlife officers and biologists we contacted had not observed any species of special status in the sector covered by the Onimiki project. Marsh frogs have been observed in the southern part of the CHZ in this sector. Although not observed in the sector covered by this report, the marsh frog is mentioned as being seen nearby, and there is some likelihood of finding this species in the sector of Gordon Creek in question (Lapointe, J., personal communication, 1 August 2017). The marsh frog is on the list of wildlife species likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable (MFFP, 2017). It is also important to clarify that this aquatic ecosystem has previously experienced higher flow rates than those anticipated in the Onimiki project, with an average flow of 50.5 m3/s and a maximum flow of 98.8 m3/s between 1927 and 1975 (Table 6), when the river was used for floating timber and producing hydroelectricity.
3.3.3 The forebay, Lake Kipawa
Lake Kipawa, with a surface area of 300.4 km², is located in southwestern Abitibi Témiscamingue, on the Ontario border. The perimeter of this wildlife territory (shoreline) is 891.9 km. If we also include the shorelines of the islands, the perimeter increases to 1,513.4 km. The total surface area of the Lake Kipawa wildlife territory is 419 km² (OBVT, 2014). The lake’s two outlets are the Kipawa River flowing out of the lake in Laniel, and Gordon Creek in Kipawa. Both are dammed, giving the lake reservoir status. The Kipawa River, upstream of the lake, as well as countless creeks and underground springs feed the lake. Many islands, some sizeable, are found in Lake Kipawa (for example, MacKenzie Island and Crow Island)
The municipalities of Béarn, Laniel, Kipawa and Témiscaming surround the lake. The eastern part of the lake lies within the unorganized territory of Les Lacs-du- Témiscamingue. The community of Kebaowek represents the resident Aboriginal population of the lake (Native reserve). There is also an Aboriginal community at Hunter’s Point (Wolf Lake First Nation). Note that, in addition to the year-round resident population, there is a large summer population of tourists and cottagers. Most of the area is public land, although private lots accounts for 3.4 km² around the lake: around the municipalities of Laniel and Kipawa, but also at Chute-du-Pin-Rouge and scattered lots here and there. Outside of the inhabited areas, most of the land is forest used for wood production (heating wood for domestic use or industrial wood for processing). Nine biological refuges—mature or overmature forests representative of Québec’s forest heritage—are found around Lake Kipawa. The fish population in Lake Kipawa is comprised primarily of lake trout, walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, lake whitefish, cisco and minnows (Société de la faune et des parcs du Québec, 2002). Lake trout, or lake char, is an important species in the region. This 30 lake salmonid, typically found in clear, cold and well-oxygenated water, spawns in the fall on the rocky or stony lake bottom, often at depths of less than 1 m (Hamel, J.P., personal communication, 2017). Several natural spawning grounds are located in Lake Kipawa. In the summer of 2009, four spawning grounds were created in the sector around Sandy Portage Island, in Lake Kipawa, where natural spawning grounds once existed. One of them is located within the territory to be studied. These spawning grounds were created to compensate for the loss of fish habitat caused by the rehabilitation of the Laniel dam (Hamel, J.P., personal communication, 2017). The lake trout reaches sexual maturity late and the female lays large eggs (675-3,135 eggs per kg of fish), making it a less productive species (Bernatchez and Giroux, 2000). This low reproductive rate, combined with intensive harvesting through sport fishing and the deterioration of its habitat, negatively impacts the lake trout. An initial red flag was raised in the late 1980s, when it was determined that lake trout were being overharvested in the entire free territory of southern Québec. Factors such as the eutrophication of lakes and reservoir drawdown were also to blame for the precarious situation of lake trout (Nadeau, 2008). At the Kipawa reservoir, the winter drawdown, equivalent to an average 2.5-m drop in water level, resulted in freezing, which destroyed a large quantity of eggs and significantly affected reproduction. A survey of the lake trout population also revealed that there are not enough spawners in Lake Kipawa to ensure a sufficient renewal rate that would allow for sustained harvesting (Nadeau, 2008). Nevertheless, the number of immature individuals appears adequate, which would be attributable to the stocking programs carried out in the past (Nadeau, 2008). In fact, a lake trout stocking program was carried out at Lake Kipawa from 1992 to 2000. During those years, the lake was stocked with more than 50,000 18-month-old lake trout in order to sustain the population and prevent its collapse (Hamel, J.P., personal communication, 2017). The stocked juveniles were artificially spawned using spawners from Lake Kipawa. The spawners were captured in the spawning grounds located in the parts of the lake experiencing high drawdown, where the eggs were at risk of freezing and dying. This stocking program, combined with management strategies to regulate the size of fish that can be harvested, will help to increase the number of adults in the population in the coming years (Nadeau, 2008). Since 2013, an agreement has existed with the CEHQ to lower the normal level by 40 cm during lake trout spawning season. The water level will be lowered gradually between September 1 and October 20 of each year. The purpose of this agreement is to ensure the eggs survive the winter drawdown. The results of this control measure should be assessed in the coming years.
31 3.3.4 Floral species
Lake Kipawa belongs to the natural region of the southern Laurentians, the bioclimatic domain of the sugar maple-yellow birch forest (MDDEFP, 2011). A complete description of vascular plants was done as part of an inventory carried out for the proposed Opémican National Park (MDDEFP, 2011) (Table 5).
Table 5: Floral species likely to be designated threatened or vulnerable, and calcicole species in Opémican Park. Latin name English name
Arethusa bulbosa1 Dragon’s mouth1
Astragalus australis1,2 Indian milkvetch1
Boechera retrofracta1,2 Reflexed rockcress1
Carex eburnea2 Ivory sedge
Ceanothus herbaceus1,2 Prairie redroot1
Cryptogramma stelleri2 Steller’s rockbrake
Cystopteris bulbifera2 Bulblet bladderfern
Draba glabella2 Smooth whitlowgrass
Elaeagnus commutata1,2 Wolfwillow1
Gratiola aurea1 Golden hedge-hyssop1
Lathyrus ochroleucus1 Cream-coloured vetchling1 Platanthera blephariglottis var. blephariglottis1 White fringed orchid1
Polygonella articulata1 Northern jointweed1
Shepherdia canadensis2 Canada buffaloberry
Utricularia geminiscapa1 Hidden-fruit bladderwort1
1 Species likely to be designated threatened or vulnerable 2 Calcicole species (Dignard, 2010)
3.3.5 Tailbay, Lake Timiskaming
Lake Timiskaming is a widening-out of the Ottawa River. It is also a reservoir controlled by dams located in Témiscaming. It has an average depth of 35 metres but can reach a maximum depth of 209 metres in the southern portion (approximately 12 kilometres south of the mouth of the Kipawa River). The mouths of both outlets from Lake Kipawa do not flow into the same depths. At the mouth of the Kipawa River, Lake Timiskaming is approximately 80 metres deep, whereas the water ejected by the turbines at the second power plant flows into Lake Timiskaming at a depth of about 8-20 metres.
The terrain is rugged on the territory studied. This is especially the case along Lake
32 Timiskaming, between the Kipawa River and Opémican Point, where the landscape is dissected by numerous depressions linking lakes and streams and surrounded by flat topped hills. These corridors all run in the same direction, namely northeast-southwest (MDDEFP, 2011).
In Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 50 species of freshwater fish are identified—just under half of the 112 freshwater species present on the entire territory. Lake Timiskaming is home to the largest community, namely 28 species, with the main ones being walleye, sauger, lake sturgeon, common catfish, burbot, northern pike, yellow perch, and several species of minnows (MDDEFP, 2011). Walleye is one of the most common species in the region. This fish spawns in the spring over a rocky bottom with moderate current, for example, at the foot of a waterfall or an immovable obstacle (Scott and Crossman, 1974). Numerous spawning grounds have been identified by the MRNF near the territory under study, but only one walleye spawning ground is located near the mouth of the Kipawa River. The reproductive success of walleye varies significantly from one year to the next. This variation is mainly related to weather factors that influence the egg hatching rate, the abundance of zooplankton that the larvae feed on, and the abundance of prey available during the first winter, which is crucial to the survival of the juveniles (Nadeau, 2008). In Lake Kipawa, for example, walleye feed better and grow faster than their counterparts in Lake Timiskaming. This is due to the turbidity of the water, which affects vision over long distances. Walleye have a harder time spotting their prey in very turbid water, such as that of Lake Timiskaming; as a result, they do not feed as well as the walleye in Lake Kipawa, where the water is clearer (Nadeau and Gaudreau, 2006).
Lake Timiskaming also contains lake sturgeon, a species currently considered likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable. The precarious situation of the lake sturgeon is attributable to the dams, which block access to the spawning grounds and isolate the populations. Because of these obstacles, the lake sturgeon in Lake Timiskaming are isolated from the other populations in the River des Quinze River and the reservoir des Quinze. Although not rare in Québec, certain fish species on the territory under study are underrepresented throughout the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region. The freshwater drum is uncommon in the region, found only in Lake Timiskaming and Lake Abitibi, two lakes located in opposite watersheds. These two separate populations apparently come from the same stock, which was located in the proglacial Lake Barlow-Ojibway (Hamel, J.P., personal communication, 2017). Rainbow smelt, present in Lake Timiskaming, is not found in any other water body in the region. Its presence is due to past stocking programs in the Ottawa River to increase the quantity of forage fish for fish-eating species such as lake trout. Brook trout are quite rare in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region. Like lake trout,
33 brook trout seek out cold, clear and well-oxygenated waters (Scott and Crossman, 1974), which explains their absence in the Clay Belt drainage basin.
The movement of fish fauna between the large water bodies on the territory under study is limited by large natural and man-made obstacles. In fact, access to Lake Kipawa is blocked by two dams (in Laniel and Kipawa) and by insurmountable waterfalls in the Grande Chute sector. Another dam in the municipality of Témiscaming also prevents fish from migrating from the Ottawa River to Lake Timiskaming.
3.4 Information about the hydrodynamics of water bodies
There are hydraulic data available on the average flow, low flow and flood flow rates in Gordon Creek and in the Kipawa River. There used to be several stations in operation, some of which are still in use. Depending on their geographic location, the different stations recorded either water flow or level. The water level is especially useful information for lakes and navigable waters, whereas the flow rate provides more information about river dynamics. The list of stations and associated data are available in Table 6:
34
Table 6: Flow data for the affected streams.
Name of Station no. Watershed stream Municipality surface Flow (m3/s) Period area (km2)
Average Maximum Minimum Kipawa 42602 Laniel 5,960 63 311 2.8 1962-75 River Kipawa 42605 Laniel 5,961 40 306 0 1927-55 River UT of Les Kipawa 42606 Lacs-du- 2,590 50.2 246 5 1965-75 River Témiscamingue
UT of Les Kipawa 42607 Lacs-du- 2,110 6.8 62.8 0 1967-97 River Témiscamingue Gordon 48602 Kipawa 5,960 50.5 98.8 5.6 1927-75 Creek Gordon 48603 Kipawa 6,022 14.2 23.3 4.6 1987- Creek
35 4 Environmental impacts
4.1 Literature review
4.1.1 Introduction
The transition to renewable energies raises important governance issues. In order to assess the various environmental impacts, we conducted a literature review, in which we focused on the predictable and unpredictable impacts of these projects, and on the various associated risks. The literature review allowed us to draw up an inventory of the various predictable or unpredictable issues related to micro hydropower plant (MHP) projects. Given the increased use of MHPs for the production of renewable energy and the strategies for reducing the impacts on climate change across Canada, this review identified the impacts and concerns recorded in the literature to determine whether they apply to the Onimiki project. The literature review identified four primary concerns:
1) There is confusion about the definition of a micro hydropower plant in the regulations and the grant programs;
2) There is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the social and environmental impact, and of the cumulative impacts of micro hydropower plants;
3) The promotion of micro hydropower plants as a climate change mitigation strategy sometimes contradicts with climate change policies;
4) More in-depth analysis is needed to integrate renewable energies with the existing environmental laws to ensure the sustainable development of this energy source.
The environmental impact assessment will need to address these concerns as transparently as possible.
4.1.2 Main findings of the literature review
The history of hydroelectricity in Canada dates back more than 130 years (Canadian Hydropower Association, 2017). Canada has the largest freshwater supply in the world, mainly due to the effects of the last glacial period, hence the reason for the high hydropower potential across the country. Currently, Canada’s hydropower output is less than half of the existing potential for this form of renewable energy: 76,000 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity for an estimated 160,000 MW of untapped potential (Canadian
36 Hydropower Association, 2017). In fact, hydropower accounts for 63% of Canadian electricity generation (Canadian Hydropower Association, 2017). Given the dramatic consequences of climate change, the need to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is more pressing than ever. Hydropower is a renewable energy source often described as a more sustainable source of electricity (Dudhan, Sinha et al., 2006; Hanley, 2012; Darmawi et al., 2013).
Québec is the Canadian province with the greatest technical potential for hydropower production, with a current installed capacity of more than 38,000 MW out of 42,400 MW of untapped potential (Canadian Hydropower Association, 2017). According to Hydro Québec, the electricity produced in this province comes almost exclusively from hydropower—close to 98% in 2008 (Canadian Hydropower Association, 2017).
Hydro-Québec distinguishes between two types of hydroelectric power plants: reservoir power plants and run-of-river power plants (RORPPs). This distinction is marked by the presence of a water reservoir and the ability to control the water flowing into the power plant from the reservoir. For their part, RORPPs harness the energy of an existing stream with little or no water storage. RORPPs are often confused with micro hydropower plants (MHPs), hence the importance of distinguishing between these two categories. In fact, there is no universal definition that differentiates between large hydropower plants (LHP) and MHPs (Kelly-Richards et al., 2017). In general, MHPs have a generation capacity of less than 50 MW (Kelly-Richards et al., 2017). However, some agencies define MHPs as having a generation capacity below 10 MW (UNIDO, 2016; International Energy Agency, 2015; Irena, 2016). While several RORPPs are considered MHPs, they can also be LHPs if their production capacity is significant, such as the Site C dam on the Peace River in British Columbia (Douglas, 2007), which is an RORPP with a proposed generation capacity of 1,100 MW (2017). In this case, it becomes an LHP. This explains why the classification of hydroelectric projects can be confusing.
37 Since the assessment of the Onimiki project will be carried out entirely by Québec provincial agencies, we will use the definition provided by Hydro Québec and consider the project as an MHP. The Onimiki project infrastructure will be installed downstream of a reservoir (Lake Kipawa), which has multiple uses: water level control, generation of hydroelectricity, and recreational and tourism activities. Since this project does not currently involve any modifications to the capacity and levels of Lake Kipawa or the other lakes and rivers affected, we also consider this project to be a RORPP.
4.1.3 Effects on the aquatic environment
According to Mbaka and Mwaniki (2015), a significant potential exists for cumulative environmental effects due to the abundance of small hydroelectric projects. These effects are not well understood, as little research has been done on their cumulative effects on the regional ecosystem. The ecological effects of these dams on smaller water reservoirs are also poorly understood. We have made an exhaustive list of environmental and social concerns related to MHP developments, independent of the Onimiki project. This list could be helpful to the developers during the project assessment as way of ensuring nothing in the literature is overlooked:
1) The design and description of systems are the best criteria for understanding the impacts of micro hydropower plants and their governance implications; 2) In the literature, the impacts of micro hydropower plants on climate change and the regulatory framework are underestimated and only partially understood, because they are too specific to each site; 3) Micro hydropower plants in undeveloped mountainous terrain result in ecosystem fragmentation and have more significant impacts than those located in already developed areas; 4) The people typically affected by a hydroelectric project can be located directly in the watershed, on the reservoir, downstream of the reservoir, or in the vicinity of preparation, development or construction activities; 5) The projects must respect people’s rights, and the developers must participate in analyzing the risks involved in the generation of hydroelectricity; 6) Micro hydropower plants have an impact on humans and on ecosystems; 7) Dams have an effect on migration and on ecosystem connectivity; 8) Changes in flow rates have effects on sediment transport, river geomorphology, water temperature and quality, and the nutrient cycle, all of which can impact the aquatic ecosystem and the habitats of the different species living in these rivers;
38 9) It is recommended to define the different project types based on design and operation: i. the height of dams or weirs; ii. the length of spillways; iii. the amount of water diverted compared to total flow; iv. additional infrastructure required; v. mitigation measures adopted (e.g., fish ladders). 10) Depending on the location, there may be effects on groundwater recharge; this aspect needs to be studied for each system; 11) The tunnels built for hydroelectric power plants generate large amounts of debris that need to be disposed of; on occasion, this debris has caused landslides and negative repercussions on the quality of the water or ecosystems in which it was dumped. The transformers, high-voltage lines, and electricity transmission infrastructure can also have an impact on the landscape; 12) Infrastructure construction and development may encroach on territories that are or were used by Aboriginal communities and disrupt cultural or spiritual events; 13) Beneficial effects on the communities have been identified, such as job creation, road construction, lower energy costs, economic development, and reduced GHG emissions; 14) There is a potential positive effect on the local economy when hydroelectric projects are connected to the local network; 15) It is highly recommended that environmental and social impact assessments be carried out before moving forward with any micro hydropower plant project; 16) A few studies have shown that run-of-river power plants may have a smaller water footprint and produce less greenhouse gas emissions over their life cycle than large hydropower plants. However, other studies have shown the opposite (Kelly-Richards et al., 2017).
At the preliminary stage of the Onimiki project, it will be important to consider each of these 16 main points drawn from the literature review in assessing the final project. The points that do not apply to the final project will not need to be analyzed, and the project developers will need to explain during public consultations why certain points can be eliminated from subsequent studies. Once the other points have been analyzed, recommendations will be issued, to be addressed in detail by experts before the project can be submitted to the government.
Unless otherwise indicated, the Onimiki project is not considered a large hydropower plant since it involves the use of existing infrastructure and does little to modify water 39 availability in the watershed affected. Even though the Onimiki project will be located downstream of a reservoir (Lake Kipawa), the latter has existed for several decades, and the project is unlikely to have much impact on Lake Kipawa since the retaining infrastructure to be used for the project is already in place.
While the details of the turbine types and the fish habitat conservation methods have not yet been determined for the Onimiki project, it is important to mention recent developments for aquatic wildlife in the area of environmentally friendly hydropower production. For years, several companies have been working on developing technology designed to considerably reduce the ecological footprint of hydroelectric power plants. For example, a gravitation water vortex power plant is a small hydropower plant capable of producing energy with a low hydraulic head (0.7-3 metres). This technology is based on a round basin with a central drain. The drain forms a stable vortex, which powers a water turbine. One of the advantages is the fact that the turbine aerates the water, which improves water quality. The reduced speed of the turbine and the absence of cavitation allow the fish to swim safely through the turbine, which is not the case with traditional hydropower plants, which must be equipped with specially designed fish migration structures.
4.1.4 Effects on invertebrates
The assessment of benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) communities and their habitat is a tool that allows us to deduce the impact of a project on a stream. BMIs are easy to sample and identify, in addition to being major biological indicators of the general health of a stream. These organisms play an active role in the nutrient cycle of aquatic ecosystems, which includes the decomposition of organic matter (Graça, 2001), transforming available organic carbon into other organisms, including those located further downstream. The sensitivity of certain groups (taxa), and the low mobility and dependence of these organisms on the type of substrate in the streams in which they are found allow us to conduct a site-by-site assessment of habitat conditions in lotic environments (Bae et al., 2005). When certain groups of BMIs are absent from a stream, this can lead to significant cascade effects on the food chain and on the aquatic ecosystem over a relatively long distance, depending on the characteristics of the affected streams.
Mbaka and Mwaniki (2015) determined that the effect that dams can have on downstream aquatic ecosystems depends on several factors, including the depth at which the water is released downstream, the water retention time, the volume of water stored in the reservoir, and the depth from which the water is drawn from the reservoir. Moreover, the water temperature and nutrient concentration increase significantly downstream of a reservoir
40 that releases deep water, i.e., from the hypolimnion, whereas the same cannot be said of reservoirs that release surface water (Camargo, 2005; Santucci, 2005; Principle, 2010; Ménendez, 2012). It has also been observed that water temperature changes after a release from the catchment point do not return to the initial reservoir temperature, even at sampling sites located well downstream (Maxted et al., 2005).
The literature review conducted by Mbaka and Mwaniki (2015) revealed that small impoundments have minimal significant effects on the physical-chemical variables of the water downstream, although this depends on the type of structure and the water source, whereas BMI richness and density may be more severely affected. Another study conducted by Bilotta et al. (2017) showed run-of-river power plants have a significant effect on uniformity in benthic invertebrate populations.
The composition of the sediments and the water column of a lake or stream reflects the natural and anthropogenic pressures to which the watershed in question is subjected. Atmospheric deposition, surface runoff, dissolution, sorption, and precipitation of compounds all have an effect on the health of an aquatic ecosystem. In fact, sediments can directly influence water quality since they act as wells or sources for some contaminants (Reuther, 2009). Sediment testing reveals the historic contamination of a water body from point sources and nonpoint sources in a given watershed, whereas water column testing reveals the contamination taking place in real time, often from point sources (Hall et al., 2001). Sediment and water column testing are therefore both essential to establishing a complete portrait of water quality before and after the proposed project. It is important to note that the toxicity of a metal increases when it is present in free-ion form and decreases when it is present in the stable mineral phase, such as sediments lying at the bottom of a stream (Ruby et al., 1999). Free metals tend to combine with other compounds, such as organic matter. As the pH decreases, metals immobilized in the sediments can be resuspended in the water column, where they can cause greater environmental damage due to their strong reactivity (Kjeldsen et al., 2002). Metals can be toxic due to the fact that they remain in the environment, are not biodegradable, and can build up in the food chain (Soo et al., 2014). The presence of organic matter is also a major concern when it comes to free metals, which easily bind to organic matter, making the metals available to aquatic organisms (Laborda et al., 2008).
All fish contain mercury, regardless of whether they live in lakes, rivers or oceans. In the years after a reservoir is filled, the amount of organic mercury in fish flesh increases. It peaks anywhere between four and fourteen years after filling (depending on the species), then takes 10-35 years to gradually return to natural levels (Hydro-Québec, 2013). The
41 increase in mercury levels is temporary because the main mechanisms of methylmercury production and transfer to fish occur intensely soon after reservoir filling and happen over a relatively short period (Figure 5). In fact, the increased methylmercury production generally comes to an end 8-10 years after filling, due to a rapid depletion of the easily decomposable elements in the flooded soil and vegetation—elements that serve as food for the bacteria that turn inorganic mercury into methylmercury. After this time period, methylmercury transfer to fish through periphyton, zooplankton and insect larvae stabilizes at the level found in natural lakes.
42
Figure 5: Pathway of mercury several years after reservoir filling (Hydro-Québec, 2017).
As a result, fish hatched 8-10 years after reservoir filling live in an environment where mercury production and transfer along the food chain are similar to those in surrounding natural lakes. Also, 20 years post-filling, medium-length non-piscivorous fish that are about ten years old contain mercury levels equivalent to those of fish in natural lakes (Hydro-Québec, 2017). Recall that mercury can accumulate in fish flesh and have health effects in people who eat large amounts of these fish. The recommendations on lake trout, walleye and pike are currently five fish per month for a healthy adult and none for women who pregnant, planning to conceive, or breastfeeding, or children under age 4 (Health Canada, 2017).
To avoid significant changes in the nutrient cycle and the temperature of streams affected by the Onimiki project, it will be important to first determine if thermal stratification is present in Lake Kipawa, Tee Lake, Lake Jadot, Lake du Moulin, and Lake aux Brochets. From there, it will be important to determine, for each dam infrastructure or turbine site, whether the water will flow from one water body to the next from the lake’s hypolimnion (bottom layer) or epilimnion (surface layer) (Figure 6).
43
Figure 6: Stratified lake (Carignan, 2015).
Since Lake Timiskaming is approximately 20 metres deep at the site planned for the 37- MW power plant and there is no thermal stratification at this location (Arbour, 2017), we can expect to encounter the same conditions between the Kipawa and Lumsden dams. If this observation is confirmed, the impacts will be minimal, regardless of where the water comes from. If stratification is present, it will be best to use infrastructure that will draw water from the epilimnion, in order to minimize the physical-chemical changes in the stream affected and, consequently, the impact on BMIs and the aquatic ecosystem as a whole.
It will be essential to determine the water quality, sediment quality, and status of BMI communities before proceeding with the Onimiki project. More specifically, it will be important to determine whether the flow increases and decreases in Gordon Creek and the Kipawa River will have a significant impact on the BMIs, sediments, and the water column.
A mineralogical study will determine the geologic nature of the rock in which the diversion channel will be built, and the risk of the water pH being affected by dissolution of the constituent elements of the rock will be assessed. Monitoring of the metals in the sediments and the water column will also be a key aspect of this hydroelectric project. A study on the possible accumulation of mineral and organic sediments will also be required, depending on water flows and the position of the water inlet used to direct water from Lake aux Brochets to the diversion channel. The purpose is to determine the risks associated with an increase in metals in the water column and sediments of Lake Timiskaming and the Ottawa River—metals that would likely alter the quality of the aquatic ecosystem and drinking water. 44 When certain groups of BMIs are absent from a stream, this can lead to significant cascade effects on the food chain and on the aquatic ecosystem over a relatively long distance, depending on the characteristics of the affected streams; In the environmental assessment, it will be important to determine whether the changes made to water flows in both outlets will have a significant effect on the uniformity of the invertebrate population. The ecological flow assessment could take this criterion into account; The environmental assessment will need to determine if Lake du Moulin, Tee Lake, Lake Jadot, and Lake aux Brochets will be impacted by the changes made to the existing infrastructure, mainly by the presence of the micro hydropower plant located on Tee Lake. The assessment will also need to determine how to reduce these impacts on the ecosystems located downstream of the infrastructure. There is a strong likelihood that these water bodies are not stratified at the sites where the water will be drawn; Since the Kipawa reservoir has existed for more than 35 years and the water levels in this reservoir will not change, the physical-chemical conditions of the water are unlikely to be significantly impacted by the project.
4.1.5 Ecological flow
To account for the flow changes in the Kipawa River, the project developers will need to analyze the river’s ecosystem and order a professional assessment of the minimum flow needed to conserve current aquatic habitats. The conservation of aquatic habitats is essential to maintaining the biodiversity and health of a stream. This requires preserving several aspects, including a minimum flow rate to prevent negative impacts on plants and wildlife, and on tourist activities on the streams in question. Québec has developed a guide for calculating the minimum flows, or instream flows, needed to preserve fish habitats in the province’s streams. The proposed calculations, based on hydrological methods, use simple and inexpensive applications to determine instream flows during the preliminary assessments. The calculations are based on the premise that the aquatic ecosystem of the stream assessed is a function of its past hydrological regime. Other, more complex methods, such as hydraulic and habitat preference methods, are used to calculate instream flows based on more precise conditions for the stream and habitats in question. In fact, the most commonly used method in the world is the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM) habitat preference model.
The instream flow of a stream at a given hydrometric station can be estimated using a multiple linear regression equation that requires several variables that are not necessarily available for all streams in Québec. However, an estimate is still possible using the surface
45 area of the watershed upstream of the point where the instream flow needs to be estimated. An estimate can also be done if the average slope of the stream is known.
Respective calculations would need to be done for all types of instream flow to be estimated, i.e., 25% of the average annual flow (0.25 AAF), 30% of the average annual flow (0.3 AAF), 50% of the average annual flow (0.5 AAF), 50% of the average flow for the period (AFP), median flow for August (Q50 August), and median flow for September (Q50 Sept.).
4.1.6 Aesthetic flow
Aesthetic flow is determined based on various ecological parameters, which are often related to the river’s uses or its significance to the landscape, residents, visitors and tourists. It may also be important for some First Nations communities for spiritual reasons or for traditional activities that take place at specific times of the year.
4.1.7 Advantages of hydroelectric projects
Hydroelectricity can have several advantages over other types of energy production. It is a renewable resource that’s available in many rural settings throughout Québec. Its net energy ratio is generally very high—at least 10 for small power plants and up to 100 or more for larger power plants (Déry et al., 2011). The net energy ratio is the energy produced over the lifetime of the production equipment divided by the energy invested in the equipment. A value greater than 1 indicates an energy source. Conversely, a value less than 1 indicates that the equipment consumes more energy than it produces. Greenhouse gas emissions from hydroelectric plants are among the lowest of all electrical generating stations and are mainly related to equipment manufacturing and installation and major construction work. Hydroelectricity production is reliable and can take place almost continuously (except during maintenance) with a load factor (LF) greater than 60%. The load factor (LF) represents the proportion (%) of time where the production equipment can potentially operate at maximum capacity. Installation, maintenance and operating costs are relatively low compared to the amount of electricity produced. The equipment usually has a very long lifespan (more than 50 years) and is not subject to variable and extreme weather conditions, unlike wind turbines, for example. Production forecasts are easy to establish, and variations are seasonal rather than daily. In the case of run-of-river power plants, facilities require relatively little land compared to other development options (Déry et al., 2011).
46 4.1.8 Disadvantages of hydroelectric projects
Hydroelectricity also comes with its fair share of disadvantages: Production costs at new facilities are higher than the price of electricity in Québec, with marginal costs around 8 12¢/kWh. The hydraulic resource (water) is distributed unevenly throughout Québec. After installation, very few local and permanent jobs are created. There is a potential for interconnection problems with Hydro-Québec’s network, especially with smaller projects. Changes to stream characteristics are inevitable, although they are more limited with run- of-river power plants than with reservoir plants, and can lead to major alterations of wildlife habitats, which can create significant pressures on resources, fish in particular. The surface areas flooded can also be very large, especially with reservoir power plants, causing an increase in greenhouse gas emissions (methane) during the decomposition of the submerged organic matter, as well as potential mercury emissions into the water for a certain amount of time (Déry et al., 2011). According to these authors, when the local communities are involved, hydroelectric projects are less likely to blocked for environmental reasons.
4.2 Social acceptability
Social acceptability is one of the greatest challenges facing developers of new industrial or energy projects. There are several definitions of social acceptability; it can be defined simply as “the acceptance of a project by a majority of citizens who are directly or indirectly affected by the project spinoffs and impacts” (Bolivar, 2011), or more comprehensively as a political assessment of a sociotechnical project involving a multitude of stakeholders working together at various levels, and from which gradually emerge arrangements and institutional rules recognized as legitimate for their consistency with the vision for the territory and the development model chosen by the stakeholders concerned (Fortin, 2015). The developers of any new project need to consider the opposition that their project might generate in order to achieve the desired results. Among other things, this section focuses on studies done on the social aspects and social acceptability of energy projects. We believe that the information drawn from the literature and the lessons of the past will help the developers to better prepare for the project and the consultations with the groups directly or indirectly affected by the project, thereby ensuring a positive perception and better social acceptability of the project.
Despite the urgency and the imminent need to transition to low-carbon-emission energy sources, the developers of so-called “greener” projects are often faced with significant opposition from local residents (Shaw et al., 2015). The reasons for this local opposition are diverse and complex; sometimes, significant opposition can even lead to the cancellation 47 of energy projects. One example of just such an outcome is the cancellation of the wind energy project proposed for the Kawartha Lakes district of Ontario due to conflict over the project location and concerns about the adverse health effects of wind turbines (Shaw et al., 2015). A run-of-river power plant project on the Ashlu River in British Columbia also caused a great deal of controversy. Despite this, and because of the adoption of Bill 30, which removed the right of local governments to plan and zone for run-of-river projects, this project nevertheless moved forward. As such, it is important to consider the concerns of the people affected and to encourage a healthy and positive consultation process. It is also important to consider that social acceptability does not necessarily mean that the project will be approved. Social acceptability is a process and not a result, according to Fortin (2015).
The social acceptability of a project is based on three primary concerns, according to Wüstenhagen et al. (2015): the fairness of the consultation process, the sharing of risks and benefits, and trust. The fairness of the consultation process refers to the decision making process and the degree to which it prioritizes the participation of all stakeholders involved. First of all, it is essential to consider all the stakeholders who will be affected by the project, in order to define the “stakeholders concerned” by the public consultations. This includes the individuals who will be affected by the environmental and social impacts, the economic spinoffs, and the distribution of the risks of the proposed project. It is important to think beyond the boundaries of the administrative region where the project will be located. While administrative boundaries serve to organize communities into regions, for societal purposes, the concept of boundaries per se is a social construct (Brunson, 1998) that fails to consider the local residents’ attachment to their land. The notion of administrative boundaries poses a problem when an energy project is planned at a cross-border location. The administrative boundaries that separate “them” from “us” become more blurred in these places, since a person’s attachment to the land isn’t confined by arbitrary borders (Brunson, 1998), thus contributing to a more pronounced sense of “us” in a given place, despite the boundaries that may divide a territory. Relph (1996) defines the human perception of “place” as the attachment a person has to a specific location and asserts that this attachment is not limited by any administrative boundaries imposed on that location. A study done by Vorkinn and Riese (2001) showed that the attitude of people concerned by an energy project, in this case, a hydroelectric project, strongly depends on their attachment to the landscape affected and less on sociodemographic variables such as established administrative boundaries. A major example that citizens of Témiscamingue have been dealing with for several years is the Energy East pipeline. This pipeline skirts Lake Timiskaming to the south, west and north, on the Ontario side of the border. In the event of an accident involving the pipeline, the crude oil spill would likely cross the border,
48 since the region shares a watershed, most probably resulting in environmental impacts on the Québec side. Témiscamingue residents on the Québec side were not invited to participate in National Energy Board consultations, which has left a bad taste in their mouth about the federal government’s consultation process thus far. In selecting the target audience for consultations on the Onimiki project, it will therefore be important to look beyond the narrow constraints of the project’s physical location and instead consider everyone who feels an attachment to the land. This includes, but is not limited to, members of First Nations whose ancestral territory is affected but who do not live permanently in the region immediately impacted (e.g., the Timiskaming First Nation), people who live in the affected area but outside of the administrative region of Abitibi-Témiscamingue (e.g., residents of the administrative district of Nipissing, Ontario), and people who do not live in the region year-round but who own cottages, stores, etc. It is recommended to form a committee that will identify organizations and representatives of the various stakeholders concerned, based on clear criteria.
The sharing of risks and benefits refers to joint ownership arrangements and the distribution of risks and benefits. According to Shaw et al. (2015), as a general rule, rural communities feel that the risks associated with new energy projects are mostly assumed by them, whereas the benefits are felt by city dwellers and the project developers. Moreover, the public has an overall negative perception of the proposed developments. This negative perception generally stems from the shortcomings with respect to project assessments, project monitoring, and insufficient impact mitigation measures—a perception based primarily on the amendments made to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act in 2012 (Shaw et al., 2015). In fact, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 was presented jointly with the Economic Action Plan on jobs maintained or created to date (2012) during the economic crisis of that same year (Noble, 2015). The objective of the new Environmental Assessment Act was to reduce the time allowed for environmental impact assessments for new projects, since the inefficiencies identified in the old assessments were found to be a hindrance to economic development (Noble, 2015). The 2012 amendments resulted in a less stringent environmental impact assessment process than under the previous law (Noble, 2015), leading to a loss of confidence by citizens and a generally negative perception of new project developments, whether energy or industrial (Shaw et al., 2015). There is also a general perception of inequality in the distribution of risks and benefits among all stakeholders involved. Previously, there were numerous social benefits associated with hydroelectric projects; however, more recently, many people feel that these projects mainly benefit the developers instead of the public (Shaw et al., 2015), even though the projects are built on public rivers to generate public income.
49
Even partial ownership of an energy project by a community can sometimes break down resistance when it comes to social acceptability (Shaw et al., 2015). However, this is not a guarantee of social acceptability, and the run-of-river hydroelectric project on the Kokish River in British Columbia is a good example of this type of scenario, where the project proposed by a partnership between a private company and a First Nation was unable to overcome public opposition because the environmental impacts outweighed the project benefits (Shaw et al., 2015). Conflict can also arise when certain communities affected by the project are co-owners and others are not. In this case, the communities that will suffer all of the environmental, aesthetic and cultural impacts with none of the economic benefits will feel like they are unfairly assuming the risks and negative effects of the project. It will be important to address these concerns in order to improve the social acceptability of the Onimiki project.
Shaw et al. (2015) point out a general trend among Canadian communities of decreased public confidence in the government when the latter is perceived as a project facilitator. This becomes problematic, because instead of playing the role of impartial and neutral referee between the various parties and stakeholders concerned, the government becomes a project developer, sometimes in parallel with the private sector (Shaw, Hill et al., 2015). According to the author, this presents a challenge for new energy projects in Canada, since it results in a loss of confidence in the government’s ability to represent the different interests and parties fairly and neutrally.
Confidence plays a key role in the social acceptability of new energy projects. It is important to note that “trust is a quality that is harder to gain than to lose” (Shaw, Hill et al., 2015). The public’s experiences of this project are nevertheless invaluable to the development of trust between the two parties involved. For example, during the public consultation process, public involvement on the three fundamental questions of “who,” “when” and “how” is a determining factor in project acceptability. The public’s trust in the consultation process will depend on these three questions, and on their belief that their contributions helped shape the results. In fact, some studies have shown that when communities feel that their participation wasn’t sought out early enough or that it is was insufficient, opposition to a project grows and people begin to lose trust in the project and the developers (Shaw, Hill et al., 2015). It is important to recall that the public consultation process aims to engage and truly address the concerns of communities.
Shaw et al. (2015) also demonstrated that the public consultation process was identified as being the main source of resistance and antipathy on the part of the communities
50 concerned. The authors mention that, in several cases, the projects had already been approved or were already underway before the communities, or even the government experts, had had the chance to identify the key issues to be addressed by the project. That said, the social acceptability of a project depends on how and when the stakeholders concerned will be involved in the project. A few studies have shown that social acceptability increases when communities are involved in the decision-making process surrounding a project.
In order to properly carry out the consultation process and ensure the social acceptability of the Onimiki project, it will be essential to understand the public’s perception of the developers’ and governments’ roles in the proposed hydroelectric development. It will also be important to begin the consultations once the project has been sufficiently defined, both in terms of the core project values and the infrastructure, nature of the work, and its impacts on the landscape and environment. Only at this point can it be presented to citizens in a completely transparent manner, at which point its definition must address most of the concerns. Time permitting, the public consultations can be conducted over a long period to allow the process to truly take root and participants to raise their full range of concerns. This type of consultation gives a better impression of transparency since it allows concerns to be raised in a group format and everyone involved to come up with possible solutions. A good example is the public consultation held in Témiscamingue in 2015 and 2016 on the hog breeding facilities project proposed by Olymel. With the participation of the Témiscamingue RCM, Olymel held several consultations, both for targeted groups (by invitation) and for the general public (open to all). These consultations allowed a large number of people to share their concerns and led to several local initiatives, such as the advisory committee formed by the municipality of Lorrainville. Called the Harmonization committee, it was made up of representatives from all the sectors concerned by the installation of breeding facilities in the Témiscamingue region. The committee members spoke at several public meetings, where the developers were able to address their concerns and those of members of the public present at the sessions. The Harmonization committee paved the way for open and respectful dialogue between all parties involved. The Committee’s mandate was straightforward, consisting of four aspects:
Make sure to obtain and pass on the correct information; Make sure the public was at peace with the project; Define the project’s social acceptability conditions; Make recommendations to the municipal council concerned before approving the project.
51 This committee was made up of representatives from the urban planning advisory committee, the developers, the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA), the Ordre des agronomes du Québec (experts), the chamber of commerce, the municipality concerned, two non-profit organizations from the environmental sector, a committee of citizens opposed to the project, a representative of the RCM, and six volunteer citizen representatives from the municipality. A facilitator-mediator had the important role of ensuring the meetings and information sessions ran smoothly. Six meetings were held at which the developers provided details about the project to the participants who, in turn, raised their concerns with the developers. Everyone involved had the responsibility of proposing solutions, and when the experts in attendance could not answer the questions, other experts were invited to participate. The meetings formed the basis for various university studies, and no topic was left unaddressed without being followed up to the satisfaction of a large majority of participants. All of the meetings were filmed and broadcast on the website of the municipality concerned. A list of all the information, presentations, documents and reports presented was distributed and made available to citizens. All regulations, policies, laws and obligations related to this type of project were explained by representatives from each decision-making level (municipal and government). These representatives also answered questions raised by the committee and the public. The committee produced a report containing a series of recommendations on how to make the project acceptable to the community concerned. The key values underlying this project were based on sustainable development, support for the local economy, promotion of local production, compliance with standards and regulations, respect for all involved, and the application of recent animal welfare and environmental developments.
In this example that took place in Témiscamingue, we can recognize some of the important points raised by Shaw et al. (2015):
All project stakeholders were involved in the process, given the non quantifiable importance of attachment to the territory, which is not limited to existing administrative boundaries; The creation of a committee independent of the municipal government, which was seen as both an arbitrator and a project developer, helped maintain citizens’ trust in the consultation process; The information disseminated during the sessions informed participants about the distribution of the project risks and benefits; Access to information for all groups concerned helped to ensure transparency during the public consultation process; The involvement of all participants resulted in a healthy, positive, engaging public consultation that adequately addressed the people’s concerns; Participants were also questioned regularly during the consultation process to determine their perception of the project, as well as their satisfaction with their involvement and the responsiveness and fairness of the process.
52
Project developers sometimes use the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) phenomenon as a way to try to discredit opposition from the public (Van der Horst, 2007). While NIMBY mostly refers to opposition to aesthetic changes in a neighbourhood, several studies have shown that concerns about the impacts on territories go beyond the aesthetic and are instead related to local history, lived experiences, and intangible spiritual factors (Shaw et al., 2015). NIMBY behaviours do not account for the different dimensions of the attachment individuals can feel for a territory, which cannot be precisely quantified, defined, or characterized, especially not from a NIMBY point of view. Moreover, a phenomenon of protectiveness, defined by the experts as the impulse to protect the landscape of one’s region, enters into play when communities are involved in energy projects (Shaw et al., 2015). This phenomenon is based on feelings of attachment and identity related to the territory concerned by a proposed project. Citizens who have a sentimental attachment to a specific location often find that outside representatives do not understand their emotional reaction. These citizens often feel hurt and betrayed by the developer’s (or its representatives’) failure to consider their attachment to the land. This is why it’s crucial to acknowledge the concerns of all the communities affected, in order to establish the trust needed to ensure the social acceptability of a project.
These are important objectives to remember if we hope to repeat this type of experience with the Onimiki project. The consultations need to consider that several communities will be impacted and that cultural differences exist between these communities. During the consultations, presentations on social acceptability also helped to define the powers that citizens delegate to their elected officials and to explain that this delegation also comes with the mandate to decide whether or not to approve a project on their behalf. Note that several studies have shown that community members are often more interested in the decision- making process itself than in the final decision on a project (Shaw et al., 2015). According to the author, communities are less likely to participate in a consultation they deem to be unfair, just as they are also less likely to consider a process as being fair if they do not participate in it.
The public consultation in itself is a tool that can help or hinder the social acceptability of a project. In the case where the public consultation is inadequate, community members can be left with feelings of injustice, powerlessness, dispossession, and the impression of an undemocratic process (Shaw et al., 2015). A few studies have shown that social acceptability increases when communities are involved in the decision making process surrounding a project. It will therefore be important to prioritize public consultations, to hold enough meetings, and to invite all stakeholders concerned, in addition to being transparent when it comes to sharing information. 53
Here are some of the key steps in the citizen consultation process (Fortin, 2015): Base the process on the territory, its history, and the plans for its future; Invite the groups and parties with various concerns and visions for the territory to take part in the debate; Allow debate on all aspects of the project, including its outcomes (why?) and its format and technical conditions (how?); Provide comprehensive information and expert opinions that are independent of the developer’s interests; Invite competent third-party stakeholders to participate, including representatives from government departments with independent internal resources that have the capacity to act as arbitrators and build general interest; Consider the distribution of economic spin-offs and risks (who?): will they be distributed equally among the territories and populations? Clarify the structural conditions that could bias the debate (difficult economic climate; dependence on employer, industry); Open up debate on all options, including refusing a project that does not fit with the vision of the future for the territory.
4.2.1 Community involvement
An inspiring example of community involvement is the Société d’énergie communautaire du Lac-Saint-Jean in Val-Jalbert, where a survey showed that 80% of the population would support the project if it were owned by the community and only 31% if the majority shareholder were a private company (Vallière, 2014).
In fact, construction went ahead on this 16-MW project, which has been operating since February 2015. The mini power plant was built from an integration and sustainable development perspective. This project was integrated with a tourist site, ensuring “aesthetic” flow at Ouiatchouan Falls for tourists visiting the Val- Jalbert site during operating hours. It is a run-of-river overflow dam built 2.1 metres above river level, partially integrated into the tourist infrastructure already present on site. The water is routed from the dam through a headrace tunnel dug into the mountain, to the east of a mill converted into a tourist attraction and historical site. The mini power plant faces the falls and the mill. Despite its position and its imposing dimensions (13 m wide x 26 m long x 14 m high), the building is very low-profile and partially buried underground. The roof of the power plant has been turned into a lookout. Architectural plans have been drawn up for new lookouts over the river and the falls. Inside the mini power plant, an interpretive
54 program has been developed, including a bird’s eye view over the turbine room. Visitors are also allowed into the old turbine room inside the 1901 mill.
The Société de l’énergie communautaire du Lac-Saint-Jean, the developer of the mini power plant on the Ouiatchouan River, has signed an agreement with Hydro- Québec whereby the electricity produced at Val-Jalbert is sold to the Crown corporation. The economic spin-offs for the four regional partners of the project— Pekuakamiulnuatsh Takuhikan, the Domaine-du-Roy RCM, the Maria- Chapdelaine RCM, and the municipality of Chambord—are on the order of $90 million over a period of 25 years.
Like all other energy projects, the development of a hydroelectric project must adhere to the principles of sustainable development, and the adoption of this approach must become part of the development culture for all socioeconomic stakeholders.
55 5 Description of the biophysical environment
5.1 Qualité de l’eau
A great deal of information about water quality is available for most of the territory covered by the project (Figure 7). This information is presented in the following sections for the water bodies that will be affected by the Onimiki project.
5.1.1 Gordon Creek
Water quality data for Gordon Creek are available in the “Rapport sur les résultats d’échantillonnage 2016 – Bassin versant du Témiscamingue : acquisition de connaissances sur la qualité de l’eau de surface” (2016 report on sampling results – Témiscamingue watershed: data collection on surface water quality) (OBVT, 2017). Among other things, this report contains the results of weekly samples collected from Gordon Creek near Route 101, upstream of Lake aux Brochets, during the summers of 2015 and 2016. The parameters analyzed include pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, various nutrients and anions, suspended solids, the diatom index, and the index of bacteriological and physicochemical water quality assessed using six parameters (IQBP6). These data provide an overview of the water quality downstream of the power plant proposed at the outlet of Tee Lake, and upstream of the power plant proposed at the inlet of Lake Timiskaming. The water quality was classified as satisfactory (Class B) according to the IQBP6 obtained during the two sampling campaigns (2015 and 2016) (OBVT, 2017). The parameters considered unacceptable for this station were nitrates in 2015 and total phosphorus in 2016.
The drinking water for the municipality of Témiscaming comes from Gordon Creek downstream of the community of Tee Lake and upstream of the bridge on Route 101, which crosses this stream on Chemin de la Montée Letang.
The data collected using a multimeter reveal a generally neutral pH from 2015 to 2016, and a temperature representative of seasonal variations for these two sampling years. Dissolved oxygen concentrations are still above the critical value to ensure survival of early life stages in warm water (6.0 mg/L).
56
Figure 7: Data sources on water quality near Témiscaming.
57 The dissolved oxygen concentrations measured, combined with the chlorophyll α concentrations, are characteristic of an unproductive (oligotrophic) environment, which indicates that no enrichment of the aquatic environment was observed, despite the high phosphorus concentrations measured in May and September 2016. However, it’s possible that overflows from sanitary and storm sewers and/or septic systems might occasionally occur upstream of the drinking water inlet for the municipality of Témiscaming, since fecal coliform concentrations increased significantly in June and July 2016. As a result, the water quality was declared “mediocre” and “poor,” respectively. The low conductivity values measured are representative of this environment, which experiences little anthropogenic pressure and rests on Precambrian rock.
All of the trends described above point to the conclusion that the water quality in Gordon Creek is subject to surrounding anthropogenic pressures, although these generally appear to be weak in influence. Additional data also exist from testing done on the water samples taken from Gordon Creek at the same site as those collected by the OBVT. Testing is done regularly by the municipality of Témiscaming (48 samples per year), which takes its drinking water supply from the creek (Aouni, R.E., personal communication, 2017). The following parameters were tested: pH, turbidity, colour, alkalinity, hardness, iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and fecal coliforms. These data add a layer to the general overview of the water quality between the two proposed hydroelectric power plants and can be obtained from Témiscaming’s Public Works department.
It will therefore be important to assess the effects of an increase in flow on water quality. Higher flows could increase the oxygen content due to the mixing of a larger amount of water, and a greater nutrient intake between the Kipawa dam and Lake Timiskaming could impact the current physical-chemical conditions of the sediments and surface water in the affected water bodies.
5.1.2 Lake Timiskaming
Lake Timiskaming and Tee Lake have been monitored for several years as part of the Volunteer Lake-Monitoring Program (VLMP) program, developed by the MDDELCC and coordinated by volunteers. There are four stations located on Lake Timiskaming and two on Tee Lake. The available data come from testing done since 2008 on parameters that include clarity, total phosphorus, dissolved organic carbon, and chlorophyll α (MDDELCC, 2017). The data collected provide a general overview of the water quality both upstream and downstream of the Onimiki project.
58 The Réseau-Rivières program of the Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques (MDDELCC) has a station immediately downstream of the dam on the Québec side of Lake Timiskaming. Data from this site are available for the following parameters for every summer from 2013 to date: pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, various nutrients and anions, suspended solids, and the index of bacteriological and physicochemical water quality assessed using six parameters (IQBP6) (MDDELCC, 2017). These data provide a general portrait of the water quality downstream of the proposed hydroelectric power plant development. The data from the four stations on Lake Timiskaming allow us to determine that the trophic status of Lake Timiskaming lies in the oligomesotrophic to mesotrophic transition zone. This lake shows some signs of eutrophication. To slow down this process, the MDDELCC recommends adopting measures to limit nutrient inputs from human activities, which would preserve the state of the lake and its uses.
Data on conductivity, temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen also exist for Gordon Creek, Lake Timiskaming, and the Ottawa River (Arbour, 2017), from water quality samples taken within 10 km of the proposed Onimiki project. Other data on the concentration of metals and nutrients in the water column and the sediments in these water bodies were obtained in October 2017, and will be published by 2019 in a Master’s thesis (Arbour, 2017), and could be relevant to the environmental assessment for the Onimiki project.
Water quality data collected at the Otto-Holden station (#18000036002) of Ontario’s Provincial (Stream) Water Quality Monitoring Network (PWQMN), located 40 km downstream of the municipality of Témiscaming (Ontario, 2017), are also available. Data from the summer months from 1968 to date are available for various parameters, such as conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, total alkalinity, total hardness, dissolved organic carbon, dissolved inorganic carbon, various nutrients, anions, metals, and residual materials.
59 5.1.3 Tee Lake
There are two Volunteer Lake-Monitoring Program (VLMP) monitoring stations on Tee Lake. Based on the data collected at each monitoring station, the trophic status of Tee Lake is determined as oligotrophic. This lake shows few to no signs of eutrophication. This water body requires protection. To preserve its status and uses, the MDDELCC recommends adopting preventive measures to limit nutrient inputs from human activities.
5.1.4 Lake Kipawa
Various data on water quality are available for Lake Kipawa, although no specific study has focused on the impact on water quality of installing hydroelectric facilities at the different sites covered by the project. The water quality of Lake Kipawa is generally good; in fact, it is used as a source of drinking water, notably by the Kebaowek Aboriginal community (OBVT, 2014). However, a decrease in water quality has been noticed in recent years, with the presence of blue-green algae being officially reported near Kipawa and in MacAdam Bay (OBVT, 2014).
Lake Kipawa is qualified as oligotrophic, i.e., normally poor in nutrients, as can be seen from the composition of the phytoplankton community (Moreau, 2005). Its water was even qualified as pure, and no organic pollution was found in the sector studied (Edwards Pass). There did not appear to be any issues with water quality in 1999: Clarity was high (approximately 7 metres in some areas), pH was slightly acidic (6.4), and dissolved oxygen seemed adequate, even in deep water. Conductivity is around 20 µmhos, and dissolved salts are limited (OBVT, 2014). Many lakefront home owners are upset about the decrease in water quality over the past few years. However, no study has been done on phosphorus concentration.
Studies were done by the MDDEFP on the accumulation of toxic compounds in fish flesh in Lake Kipawa (southwest of Crow Island, McLaren Bay, Lake Bedout) (OBVT, 2014). In 2010 and 2011, the mean mercury concentration exceeded the limit of 0.5 mg/kg set by the MDDEFP for lake trout and walleye. Mercury concentrations in lake trout were slightly higher than the median for Québec and similar to the median concentrations for walleye.
Based on these concentrations, recommendations were made on the consumption of these fish species based on size (for example, at these mercury concentrations, it is not recommended to eat more than four 30-40 cm walleyes per month).
60 Mean arsenic concentrations in lake trout are slightly higher than those in the Chibougamau region (reference region for metals). The mean concentrations of other metals in lake trout and walleye are similar to those in the Chibougamau region.
In 2011, the mean concentrations of PCBs, PBDEs, and 2,3,7,8-TCDD toxic equivalents in lake trout (1.1 ng/kg) were considered low. A pilot project by the OBVT and the municipality of Kipawa showed that 60% of septic systems in the municipality (37 systems monitored at 260 homes on Lake Kipawa) are in worrying condition or a direct source of contamination. The same study showed that the riparian strip of more than 60% of the homes visited was made up of less than 40% natural vegetation and was therefore in generally poor condition (OBVT, 2014).
A lot of work remains to be done to determine whether all the homes have septic systems and whether the latter are in good working order. The riparian strips also need to be monitored.
The municipality of Laniel has the only operational pumping station on Lake Kipawa, an interesting service that’s rarely offered on Québec lakes. Located at the municipal dock, it costs $30 per boat.
5.1.5 Upstream of Lake Kipawa
The Lake Kipawa Preservation Society conducted a study on water quality in 2015. Water samples from Sheffield Lake, the Kipawa River at Chute-du-Pin-Rouge, and Grindstone and Long Narrows falls were analyzed for several parameters: dissolved oxygen, temperature, conductivity, several metals, various nutrients and anions, suspended solids, organic matter, fats, oils and grease, radioactivity, and other toxic substances. The results of this study, from sites upstream of the proposed hydroelectric development, are contained in the report entitled “Water Quality Status of Kipawa Lake and Kipawa River” (Moreau, 2016).
61 5.2 Water levels and flows of lakes and rivers
A higher water flow passing through Gordon Creek could have an impact on the current drawdown from the Kipawa dam to the Lumsden dam and in Lake Kipawa near the Kipawa dam. During a 2016 presentation on the Onimiki project, the developers said they anticipated a maximum drawdown of approximately 30 cm on Tee Lake and no change in its current level, established since 2005 at the Tee Lake dam (Innergex et al., 2016). An impact assessment will be done on the streams and lakes affected with regarding to this maximum drawdown.
The CEHQ produced a summary of the levels reached throughout the year, which have been relatively constant over the years (see Table 7).
Table 7: Summary of water levels controlled by CEHQ at Lake Kipawa (OBVT, 2014).
Water levels at Lake Kipawa Value Comments
Average drawdown level: 267.60 m Average drawdown level reached before the spring flooding.
Minimum summer level: 269.50 m
Normal operating level: Between 269.50 m An agreement exists with the CEHQ to lower the and 269.55 m normal level by 40 cm during the lake trout spawning period. The level is lowered gradually
between September 1 to October 20 of each year. The purpose of this agreement is to ensure the eggs survive the winter drawdown.
Maximum operating level: 269.75 m Target level not to be exceeded during the flooding period.
Water levels at Tee Lake Value Comments
Normal operating level: 260.77 m Level of the CEHQ gauge set during the 2006 reconstruction.
Flows – Kipawa River Value Comments
Minimum flow: 15 m3/s Minimum flow required for the aquatic habitat.
Minimum flow 25 m3/s Minimum flow recommended by the “Friends of (recreational use): Kipawa River” to support canoeing and kayaking activities during the summer and fall.
62 Minor flooding 300 m3/s At this flow, a field and a garage threshold: belonging to a local resident are affected.
Flows – Gordon Creek Value Comments
Minimum flow: 10 m3/s The gates of the Kipawa dam are left constantly open to provide this flow.
Minor flooding 28 m3/s Start of flooding in the municipality of Kipawa. threshold:
The optimal navigation elevation of Lake Kipawa is 269.50 metres; below that level, docks are no longer in optimal operating condition.
5.2.1 Minimum flow on the Kipawa River
The Kipawa River flows for nearly 16 km between Lake Kipawa and Lake Timiskaming. It is characterized by numerous rapids and a total elevation gain of 90 m. The Grande Chute section of the river alone has a drop of 19 m. The Kipawa River has characteristics typical of the natural region of the southern Laurentians. Firstly, it runs northwest- southeast over most of its length, as with the section between the dam in Laniel and the creek in Bonnet. Its flow also follows the structure of the rocks, and its course is marked in several locations by right angles. Its flow is regulated by a dam at the outlet of Lake Kipawa, in Laniel, and fluctuates with the seasons.
According to data from 2005 to 2009 from the hydrometric station located on the Kipawa River, near the dam, the annual average flow is 85 cubic meters per second (m3/s) and varies, on average, depending on the year, from 62.6 m3/s to 107.8 m3/s. However, the flow is highly variable from one month to the next. The extreme values of the average monthly flow fluctuate between 21.1 m3/s in September to 149.63 m3/s in December (CEHQ, 2017). In general, the flow is greater in early winter and late spring, which coincides with the regulation of the water level in Lake Kipawa. The flow is lower during the summer due to the low water level and the retention of water in the reservoir. The Kipawa River is historically significant for the territory. As a water link between Lake Kipawa and Lake Timiskaming, it was long used for floating timber. Over the centuries, its banks have seen the arrival of the first Amerindian inhabitants, the loggers, and Americans filmmakers and their casts of Hollywood stars. Today, it attracts many kayakers who consider it the best river in eastern Canada for whitewater kayaking.
Hydro-Québec conducted a detailed flow study for the Kipawa River (1970-2003) as part of the Tabaret project. Based on the production calculated by Hydro-Québec for its project, 63 the results of this study seemed to indicate a minimum flow of 8 m3/s for the Kipawa River. Consultations done with the municipalities of Témiscaming and Kipawa and with the “Friends of Kipawa River” seemed to favour a year-round minimum flow of 10 m3/s and 25 m3/s for the May-October tourist season. The “Friends of Kipawa River” use the river regularly and hold a festival each June. The development and opening of the new Opémican National Park as of 2018 will help to further clarify the needs in terms of minimum aesthetic flow, depending on the busy seasons identified by the park managers. The minimum ecological and aesthetic flows will need to be assessed by experts and be the subject of extensive consultations in order to successfully integrate all needs at the ecosystem, tourism and social levels. The mouth of the Kipawa River, which empties into Lake Timiskaming, is also an important food source for the aquatic wildlife in Lake Timiskaming all year round, but more specifically during the winter because of the hydraulic inversion that causes high flows during the winter. This aspect will need to be studied in-depth by experts in the field in order to establish the impact of a decreased flow in this part of the lake. The increased flows in Gordon Creek could approach the conditions that existed prior to Hydro-Québec’s closure of the hydroelectric power plant in Témiscaming. In the event of negative effects, the developers will need to explore options for reducing these effects and propose compensatory actions that exceed the impacts measured. It is important to specify that upstream fish migration from the Kipawa River to Lake Kipawa is not possible because of two major barriers: the Grande Chute waterfall and the Laniel dam. One of the two barriers is natural (Grande Chute falls), whereas the Laniel dam was built in 1911 to facilitate navigation and create a reservoir for producing hydroelectricity on the Ottawa River. The only possible migration is downstream from Lake Kipawa to Lake Timiskaming, via the Kipawa River. Lake Timiskaming and Lake Kipawa are distinct natural lentic ecosystems, distinguished from the river, which is a lotic environment. There do not appear to be many wetlands along the Kipawa River that could be impacted by permanently reduced flows in the river.
The application of 50% of the average flow rate during walleye spawning season, which runs from April 15 to June 30, would also cover the lake sturgeon and northern pike spawning seasons. The average flow of the Kipawa River has been measured at 40 63 m3/s (Table 6). The minimum flow currently used by the CEHQ for the aquatic habitat is 15 m3/s.
64 5.2.2 Minimum flow in Gordon Creek
Gordon Creek would have been an outlet for Barlow Lake during the melting of the glaciers. Today, this creek contains many clues to its torrential past as a high-flow stream (collections of large rocks and traces of fluvial erosion) (Veillette, 1996). As the second largest outlet for Lake Kipawa, Gordon Creek was artificially modified in 1883 to float timber quicker from the Lake Kipawa sector (Cloutier et al., 2011).
According to the CEHQ, the flow rate of Gordon Creek is generally between 10 and 12 m3/s; flooding begins to occur in the municipality of Témiscaming at 28 m3/s (CEHQ, 2017). During the environmental study, it will be important to determine the problem spots. Since the project plans to increase the flow rate in Gordon Creek to 71 m3/s, it will need to demonstrate that this does not represent a danger to citizens’ safety or to creek and infrastructure stability, and that it does not represent a flood risk. As we saw in Table 6, the flow rate in Gordon Creek has been much higher in the past, for example, during the era of hydroelectric production and timber floating (1927-1975), when the average flow was 50.5 m3/s and the maximum flow was 98.8 m3/s.
Pursuant to the regulatory framework of the Dam Safety Act and at the technical level, the project developers will need to make sure the owners of the existing infrastructure have the capacity to support the new flows and that the latter will not affect the longevity and stability of the upstream and downstream infrastructure and soil.
The project will also need to demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of this increased flow on water quality and on the ecosystem in general from Kipawa Lake, upstream of the existing threshold, to a point where the effect could be felt up to Lake Timiskaming. The flow of Gordon Creek will be split into two sections, one in the current creek that empties into the Ottawa River and the other into the diversion channel, starting at or near the Lumsden dam. Since the water levels will not be changed, it is conceivable that there will be little or no loss of habitat in the existing wetlands (located mainly around Lake Jadot). The various reaches impacted will need to be studied more in-depth in order to locate and characterize the wetlands that are not listed on the existing maps. Since the water level is unlikely to change between the Lumsden dam and the Kipawa dam, the habitats identified during the preliminary assessment should not suffer any significant adverse effects.
Because of the change in flows into the Ottawa River from the current Gordon Creek and the creation of a new outlet in the form of the diversion channel, it will be important to
65 ensure that the impact is minimal on the aquatic wildlife in Lake Timiskaming and the Ottawa River. A large amount of nutrients currently flows into Lake Timiskaming at the mouth of the Kipawa River and into the Ottawa River at the mouth of Gordon Creek.
The citizens, members of the First Nations, and users of the water bodies located along Gordon Creek will need to be consulted about their concerns regarding the changes in flows; they will also need to be kept informed throughout the process of the anticipated impacts and planned compensation measures.
Hydro-Québec conducted a detailed flow study for Gordon Creek (periods of 1970-1975 and 1988-2003) as part of the Tabaret project (Wolf Lake First Nation and Eagle Village First Nation, 2005). Based on the production calculated by Hydro-Québec for its project, the study results seemed to indicate a minimum flow of 3 m3/s for Gordon Creek. Consultations done with the municipalities of Témiscaming and Kipawa seemed to favour a year-round minimum flow of 5 m3/s for the creek. The minimum flow currently used by the CEHQ for the creek is 10 m3/s.
The aesthetic flow will also need to be determined for the section of Gordon Creek between the Lumsden dam and Lake Timiskaming, since the creek passes through the municipality of Témiscaming and several lookouts and wade fishing facilities have been erected along the creek.
For the Onimiki hydroelectric project, it is recommended to use a rigorous method approved by the MDDELCC to determine the instream flows needed to maintain the fish habitat in the Kipawa River and Gordon Creek. The use of an aesthetic flow greater than the minimum ecological flow calculated using hydrological methods would provide an interesting level of security for the period between April 15 to June 30, spawning season for the fish in the river.
The ecological and aesthetic flows for the Onimiki project will need to be reexamined, and ideally defined and proposed to a technical committee, which will analyze them and make recommendations to the developers, who will subsequently inform citizens during the public consultations. This committee should include representatives of Opémican National Park (Sépaq) and the “Friends of Kipawa River”.
66 5.3 Plant species
In this report, we will discuss only the plant species that represent challenges for the project and that are located on the territory impacted by the project. In total, 10 species likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable were inventoried and described in the Lake Kipawa Concerted Management Plan (Table 5).
The flow decrease in the Kipawa River, the flow increase in Gordon Creek, and the 30-cm drawdown planned for Tee Lake and Lake aux Brochets will need to be studied for their potential effects on species with special status. The assessment of their status will also need to be updated. Appendix 1 presents a herbarium produced for Tee Lake, which represents the aquatic plants found in the littoral zone and on the shores of the lake. It will be important to take an inventory of the species present on the sites impacted by the project, as well as determine the vulnerability of the species recorded and their fragility with respect to the new water flow conditions; According to the data available, there are not many wetlands in the area. Given that the water levels will not change, the plant species are unlikely to be significantly impacted. However, this assumption can only be confirmed by a field inventory.
5.4 The landscape
All of the infrastructure to be built is likely to have an impact on the landscape. As a priority, the power plant buildings on the shores of Lake Timiskaming, the electrical line and the transformers will be built in an area where the forest extends down to the lakeshore. During the consultations and early on in the project development process, it will therefore be important to ensure that users’ concerns are given full consideration in choosing a location that both meets the developers’ needs and respects the concerns of the people who use this section of the territory. There is a secondary highway and a lookout near the proposed site on the shores of Lake Timiskaming, in addition to the fishermen and residents who live on Wyse Road, facing the lake (Thorne, Ontario). During development of the hydroelectric project, planning exercises and consultations will also need to be carried out for the MHP and the electricity transmission and transformation infrastructure up to the network connection point near Tee Lake. The other structures (diversion channel, Kipawa dam and gates) will have less impact on the landscape; however, during their planning, it would be best to consider the effect they will have on their immediate surroundings. For example, the water intakes in Lake aux Brochets and the Kipawa and Tee Lake dams are located in the centre of their respective communities,
67 where there is much more throughput than around the other structures.
It will be essential to provide citizens with detailed reports on the visual impact of the infrastructures during the public consultations.
5.5 Noise
The work will affect the noise level during two distinct periods: during construction and post-electricity production. The noise will be concentrated around the power plants and the electricity transformation and transmission infrastructure. There could be periods where there is less noise in the section of Gordon Creek downstream of the Lumsden dam, since the flow will be regulated at a minimum rate of 10 m3/s—lower than the current flow rate, which can sometimes be twice this amount. If the volume is maintained at a minimum flow that is less than the current rate, it will be important for the developers to document the impact of this. A sound intensity study could be done at several flow rates and included in the environmental assessment. It will be important to document the impacts of the noise during the work and around the work sites; It will also be important to document the change in noise levels following the new flow rates in Gordon Creek.
68 5.6 During construction
On an environmental level, the disposal of the debris from construction of the tunnel and the infrastructure will pose a concern. The developers must ensure that the debris is stable and does not release any pollution into the environment. They also need to dispose of the excavated materials sustainably, in a manner that does not cause any environmental damage or encroach on existing wetlands. The MDDELCC will require the disposal of these materials to have a minimum impact.
The tunnel itself must have no impact on the environment in areas where water is present. The geological nature of the tunnel must not cause the water to become significantly enriched with sediments, dissolved metals or other compounds that could become suspended and eventually be discharged into Lake Timiskaming, where they would cause damage to the environment.
The construction of the diversion tunnel could raise two types of concerns with the residents in the sector affected. The first is related to public safety; since there are several homes located near the work, the developers will need to demonstrate how they plan to keep the citizens safe and ensure the stability of the soil above where the work is taking place. The developers will also need to inform residents of the blasting schedule and other inconveniences such as the removal of excavated materials, noise and dust generated by the work, and any mitigation measures they plan to implement. A communication plan will need to be developed and shared with the public during the work.
5.7 Mitigation measures
The environmental impacts of the work, including decreases in water levels, sediment dispersion in the water, noise, dust, and other nuisances for the residents and ecosystems, will need to be assessed and avoidance measures taken when alternatives exist. If no alternative exists, the developers will need to demonstrate how they plan to minimize these impacts; in some cases, they could be asked to provide compensation for the environmental impacts of the work and infrastructure.
For the aquatic wildlife, the existing infrastructure is already causing habitat fragmentation, which adversely affects biodiversity. The developers will need to produce a study on ways to improve the current situation for the new ecosystem that will be created. For example, a fishway could be added in some locations for certain fish species. Depending on the location of the fishway, it could be helpful or harmful, since a fishway is not selective; it allows the free passage of fish, along with other, sometimes
69 undesirable species. Given the proximity to the Ottawa River, it would be unfortunate to create an access for invasive exotic species or even native species whose presence is not wanted in the current stable ecosystems. The development of artificial spawning grounds could be assessed for certain species (sport or not); the need for this will have to be confirmed. It would be interesting to consider assessing the potential for improving these key habitats for certain species that are well adapted to the ecosystem (Hamel, J.P., personal communication, 2017). It will be important to document the impact of the increased traffic during construction, and to have a plan for reducing the negative impacts on local traffic and eliminating all safety risks; It will be important to have a detailed mitigation plan for the noise and dust generated during the work; It will be important to document the geological nature of the excavated materials and the environmental impacts of their disposal; It will be important to document the geological nature of the diversion channel and its neutral effect on the water passing through it; It will be important to study the option of using turbines with little or no impact on the survival of aquatic wildlife that pass through them; It will be important to have an environmental compensation plan focused on developing new spawning grounds for targeted fish species, such as lake sturgeon, lake trout or walleye; It could be interesting to fund the stocking of fish species that are currently being overfished, in particular, in Lake Kipawa, where there is an annual stocking program in constant need of funding; The environmental compensation projects could also lead to the protection or creation of wetlands with ecological features particularly important to the health of the streams affected; The environmental compensation projects could also result in certain improvements in water quality, in the form of innovative projects to help businesses or citizens with individual or collective actions, for example financial assistance for water purification for isolated homes, the protection of shorelines, etc.; Project developers will need to carry out environmental monitoring of the aquatic plants and wildlife at targeted locations for a five-year period in order to observe the real impacts on the environment and identify additional compensation measures in the event of a deterioration in certain parameters; The developers could draw inspiration from the Lake Kipawa Concerted Management Plan to help them identify the most appropriate ways to maintain or improve the water quality of this lake and preserve its uses.
70 5.8 Accounting for climate change
Climate change risks altering the amount of precipitation in the region, in both summer and winter. These changes will need to be assessed, along with their repercussions on the safety of the current and proposed dams and the infrastructure that will house the turbines. The developers could be asked to carry out a comprehensive safety study on the dams to account for the changes made to the current dam network and any future changes planned under the project. Dam safety has been a provincial jurisdiction since 2000, and the Dam Safety Act requires all dam owners to produce a safety study for their development or complex. In the case of Onimiki, this study will possibly be an integral part of the project.
5.9 Project monitoring
According Mbaka and Mwaniki (2015), the assessment of physical-chemical parameters is insufficient to determine the impact of water retention projects or hydroelectric projects on aquatic life.
Assessments like those described in the literature could be carried out for the Onimiki project before, during and after the project. Several tests could be done on the water bodies affected by the Onimiki project, including physical-chemical parameters and LIQBP6, the Eastern Canadian Diatom Index for the water column, monitoring of BMI communities, and sediment composition testing (metals and other physical-chemical parameters). These tests could help to accurately document the project impacts and contribute to an understanding by the scientific community of the isolated and cumulative effects of small run-of-river power plants, as well as identify ways to prevent them. A benthic macroinvertebrates monitoring program is currently in place in many streams in Québec, including two creeks in the southern Témiscamingue region. An assessment of these two streams was done by the OBVT, according to the protocol set out by the SurVol Benthos program of the Education and Water Monitoring Action Group (G3E).
It would be recommended to monitor the water quality during construction of the dam, and for five years afterwards, more specifically in the section between the Tee Lake dam and Lake aux Brochets, where the drinking water intake for the municipality of Témiscaming is located. The environmental assessment will also need to evaluate the risks of the physical-chemical changes to the water during and after the construction work.
Monitoring of fish mortality during their downstream migration would also be recommended, because little is known about the number and species of fish that may be impacted by the presence of turbines. As mentioned previously, the developers need to 71 consider using turbines that would specifically reduce this mortality rate.
Although the mercury concentrations in the water do not appear to be a major concern given the age of the Kipawa reservoir, the increased flows could suspend some of the mercury in the sediments near the Kipawa dam. It would be important to measure the mercury concentrations in the water and in the sediments over a certain distance upstream of the Kipawa dam and in the water column before the work begins, and to monitor them for at least five years at different locations upstream and downstream of the Kipawa dam.
5.10 Main results of the preliminary environmental assessment Since the Onimiki project currently does not anticipate a change in the current water levels on the various water bodies affected, it is reasonable to believe that there will be no additional greenhouse gas emissions associated with the project; Like all other energy projects, the development of a hydroelectric project must adhere to the principles of sustainable development, and the adoption of this approach must become part of the development culture for all socioeconomic stakeholders. It will be important to consider the cumulative effects of the power plants at the Tee Lake dam and Lake Timiskaming on the all ecosystems and on the local population; For the Onimiki project, the installation of environmentally friendly hydropower generating systems would need to be assessed. For example, the installation of gravitation water vortex power plants (Figure 8) could be considered as a means of protecting the aquatic wildlife in the ecological sector concerned and of reducing the effects of the current habitat fragmentation; It will be important to assess the effect of dams on migration and on the connectivity of existing ecosystems, and to request expert recommendations on ways to improve and compensate for the current situation. It is important to specify that, at this preliminary stage, because of the risks associated with the migration of certain invasive exotic species, the biologists consulted were hesitant about defragmenting these ecosystems and saw no immediate ecological benefit to doing so; It will be important to assess the effects of changes in flow rates on sediment transport and on the geomorphology of Gordon Creek, since the creek bed is stable and past flows have been greater than those planned as part of the Onimiki project; It will be important to assess the effects of the changes on flow rates, water temperature, the nutrient cycle, and water quality in Gordon Creek, the Kipawa
72 River, Lake Timiskaming, and the Ottawa River. These parameters can have an effect on the habitats of the various species living in these water bodies; Since the water levels should not change under the current version of the project, it is reasonable to believe that there is little risk of groundwater recharge being affected, although this remains to be confirmed for each ecosystem potentially impacted; A comprehensive study of the planned diversion channel is needed to determine the geological nature of the rock to be extracted and the risks associated with its extraction and disposal, as well as the solubilization of elements that could have harmful effects on the downstream aquatic ecosystems and on the health of people who get their drinking water from downstream; The presence of transformers, high-voltage lines, and electricity transmission infrastructure can also have an impact on the landscape and the health of the people nearby. These structures will need to be studied and approved by the local citizens; The First Nations communities involved in the project as investors will need to make sure the various structures are not built on territories currently or previously used by Aboriginal communities; The beneficial effects on the Québec and Ontario communities affected will need to be documented (e.g., job creation, road construction, profits and their reinvestment in the communities, economic development, the medium- and long-term benefits of investing in the existing infrastructure, etc.); Since the Onimiki hydroelectric power plant will be connected to the local network, it has the potential to positively impact Québec’s economy at the local level; The project must undergo an environmental impact assessment before it can move forward. The results of this study should be shared with the communities affected early in the project development process, in order to consider the needs of the citizens, who expect transparency when it comes to energy projects; The investors could confirm the feasibility of assessing the water footprint and greenhouse gas emissions over the lifecycle of the Onimiki project compared to other hydroelectric projects that have been approved in Québec and the rest of Canada.
73
Figure 8: Eco-friendly vortex turbine.
74 6 Social impacts
6.1 Consultations
Before the public consultations begin, it is important to consider the uses of the different aquatic or terrestrial zones affected by the project. The concerns of the people consulted are directly related to the uses of the section impacted by the project: beach, fishing area, homes near the infrastructure, etc. For the consultations, it will be essential to identify people’s concerns and the best stakeholders or representatives to address those concerns. The developers and the citizens interested in the project need to be given access to the information and the results of the consultations.
This large-scale project affects several communities. The developers will need to organize consultations with the Aboriginal communities involved in the project, the citizens of Témiscamingue, and the permanent and seasonal residents who will be directly affected by the project. In recent years, the trend with major projects in the agricultural and mining sectors, among others, has been to have the developers meet individually with representatives from all the sectors concerned, from the outset of the project, and on the sidelines of official consultations (e.g., BAPE consultations). This approach demonstrates a high level of transparency by the developers and gives people in the sectors concerned the luxury of a longer timeline in which to study the project and make sure all their questions and responses are addressed responsibly by the developers. The results of public consultations are also useful to the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement commissioners, who will have to make recommendations to the Québec government.
6.2 Concerns
A few people’s concerns about this project have already been documented in the Lake Kipawa Concerted Management Plan (CMP) (OBVT, 2014). Several concerns have been shared by the municipalities, the environmental and community sectors, the economic sector, and the Aboriginal communities that participated in the exercise. The use made of Lake Kipawa is one of the key aspects of this management plan that seems to have mobilized most of the participants. “Lake Kipawa is a body of water with exceptional characteristics that should be preserved. No development on the lake should affect the integrity, quality and long-term preservation of this body of water. Actions should be put forward to adequately know and manage present and future problems.” This excerpt from the Lake Kipawa Concerted Management Plan can guide the developers in finding a way to ensure the Onimiki project contributes to improving the situation of Lake Kipawa, since actions should be put forward to effectively preserve and maintain its current quality. 75 Other compensation initiatives could also be suggested, such as developing lake trout spawning grounds in Lake Kipawa and stocking the lake. On this subject, funding for the stocking programs recommended by the MFFP since 2015 has been difficult to sustain over time, and according to the MFFP’s recommendations, the stocking programs would need to be spread out over a period of 14 years (MFFP, 2015).
Other concerns have also been documented by the Tee Lake Cottage and Home Owners’ Association, which came up with a Water Master Plan (WMP) for their lake. In this WMP, members listed their concerns about certain aspects of the project. Fishing on Tee Lake is mainly done by the homeowners and their family members. To date, there have been few anglers recorded on the lake, and fishing takes place in a manner respectful of the natural resource. There is currently no undue pressure on fish populations. The cottage and homeowners also want to preserve this type of practice in order to maintain the quality of fishing activities. It is important to mention that the residents of Tee Lake wish to maintain the quality of the landscape for years to come. As such, the various uses made of the lake and the development that takes place in the watershed will need to be carried out with a view to preserving the landscape. The Tee Lake cottage and homeowners are also vulnerable to potential contamination zones in the event of chemical or oil spills. Eight hazard zones were identified within the Tee Lake watershed. There are three places where roads intersect with the tributaries of Tee Lake and represent potential contamination zones. The Tee Lake Cottage and Home Owners’ Association wishes to create an emergency response plan in case of an accidental toxic spill that could affect the health of their lake. However, this plan has yet to be developed. The construction projects scheduled around Tee Lake need to consider the residents’ concerns on this point. Finally, the Onimiki hydroelectric project raises concerns about the hydrological dynamics of Tee Lake. In order to better understand the recharge dynamics of Tee Lake, more needs to be known about the flows through its tributaries. Flow rates and water levels are measured at the Kipawa dam (levels) and at Tee Lake (rates and levels), and it will be important to involve the association members early in the consultation process.
The developers must be prepared to address several concerns during the pre project study phase: ❖ Will the flow changes alter the current drawdown at the sites impacted?; ❖ Will there be noise issues during construction and operation of the hydroelectric power plants?; ❖ How does the project intend to preserve the aesthetics of the landscape and the value of the properties in the riparian strip?; ❖ What positive effects will the project have on the region’s economy, in particular, 76 water-based tourist attractions such as the waterfalls on Gordon Creek and the Kipawa River, fishing in the water bodies affected, wade fishing in Gordon Creek, etc.?; ❖ What communication and safety measures will the developers take during the blasting operations needed for construction of the tunnel between Lake aux Brochets and Lake Timiskaming?; ❖ Will the new infrastructure account for climate change and its possible effects on annual rainfall in the sector concerned?; ❖ What is the plan for disposing of the materials excavated from the tunnel and ensuring their safety for the environment?; ❖ How does the project intend to improve habitat fragmentation due to the presence of existing infrastructures?; ❖ In what ways will the work affect the communities involved (in Québec and Ontario)?; ❖ What are the main challenges the developer will face ?
6.3 Preliminary list of stakeholders involved in the Onimiki project:
- Municipalities: o Témiscamingue Regional County Municipality; o Témiscaming; o Kipawa; o Laniel; o Thorne; o Wyse-Poitras Highway Traffic Board. - First Nations : o Wolf Lake; o Kebaowek;
77 o Timiskaming. - Environmental and community sectors: o Environmental organization; o Waterfront homeowners’ associations; o Users’ associations; o Hunters, anglers; o Citizens of Québec and Ontario. - Economic sector: o Outfitters; o Tourism companies; o Industries; o Témis-Accord Chamber of Commerce.
6.4 Similarities with the Val-Jalbert project in Lac-Saint-Jean
The Onimiki project is similar in many ways to the project proposed by the Société de l’énergie communautaire du Lac-Saint-Jean. It will also involve major changes and the construction of facilities that will significantly alter the current surrounding environment. These facilities will need to be integrated in a similar manner in order to reflect the current and future use of the infrastructure and of the immediate environment. The project will change the flow rate in part of the ecosystem; as such, it will need to consider the environmental impacts on the population, the use of the territory, the aquatic ecosystems affected, and the visual aspect of the natural and built elements. For example, like the Val- Jalbert project, the users of the water bodies affected, including the Kipawa River, will need to be consulted on the acceptability of the project. As with the Onimiki project, the Val-Jalbert project also showcased the existing historical facilities. This project is a 100% public partnership. It was recommended by the BAPE in 2012, and the power plant was built in 2016 (Société de l’énergie communautaire du Lac Saint-Jean, 2011).
78 7 Conclusion
This project appears to meet most of the criteria for environmental and social acceptability. Several studies will need to be done to confirm the minimal impact anticipated in this preliminary assessment and the possibility of preserving the other important aspects of sustainable development. The developers will need to be able to answer many of the questions listed in this preliminary assessment during the pre project study phase.
Because of the lack of environmental data (in particular, about the BMI communities, sediment composition, and surface water quality in the water bodies affected) and the mostly general description of the Onimiki project at this stage of development, we are unable to predict with certainty the impact this project will have on the environment. However, according to the information currently available, it is reasonable to believe that greenhouse gas emissions will be low and that there will be little risk of effects on groundwater recharge. Since the Gordon Creek bed is stable and past water flows have been higher that those planned for the Onimiki project, it is reasonable to believe that the new flows will not increase the amount to sediment to a level that is harmful to the ecosystem. However, a study will be needed to confirm this assumption. It will be important to assess the effects of flow changes on the water temperature, nutrient cycle, and water quality in the water bodies affected, and to select flow rates and infrastructure types that will minimize these impacts on the aquatic ecosystem and on the habitats of the different species that live in these water bodies. The fact that the power plant will be connected to the local network increases its likelihood of having a positive effect on the economy of the Témiscamingue region.
The developers will need to consider the cumulative effects of the Tee Lake dam and Lake Timiskaming power plants on the entire ecosystem and on humans. It is important to specify that, preliminarily, due to the risks associated with the migration of certain invasive exotic species, the biologists consulted were hesitant about defragmenting these ecosystems and saw no immediate ecological benefit to doing so. The developers will need to make the right decisions about the connectivity of existing ecosystems and request expert recommendations on the current situation.
A comprehensive study of the planned diversion channel is needed to determine the geological nature of the rock to be extracted and the risks associated with its extraction and disposal, as well as the solubilization of elements that could have harmful effects on the downstream aquatic ecosystems and on the health of people who get their drinking
79 water from downstream.
The presence of transformers, high-voltage lines, and electricity transmission infrastructure can also have an impact on the landscape and the health of the people nearby, and these facilities will need to be studied and approved by the residents of the sector. The First Nations communities involved in the project as investors will need to make sure the various structures are not built on territories currently or previously used by Aboriginal communities.
The beneficial effects on the Québec and Ontario communities affected will need to be documented by the developer, for example, job creation, road construction, profits and their reinvestment in the communities, economic development, and the medium- and long-term benefits of investing in the existing infrastructure.
The project must undergo an environmental impact assessment before it can move forward. The results of this study should be shared with the communities affected early in the project development process, in order to consider the needs of the citizens, who expect transparency when it comes to energy projects. An assessment of the water footprint and the greenhouse gas emissions over the lifecycle of the Onimiki project could be used to compare it to other hydroelectric projects that have been approved in Québec and the rest of Canada.
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