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EA REPORT SECTION 4 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT LAKE ST. MARTIN ACCESS ROAD LAKE ST. MARTIN ACCESS ROAD ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS 4.0 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................... 4-1 4.1 INFORMATION SOURCES ...................................................................... 4-1 4.2 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................... 4-2 4.2.1 Atmospheric conditions.......................................................... 4-2 4.2.1.1 Climate ..................................................................... 4-2 4.2.1.2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions ...................................... 4-4 4.2.1.3 Air Quality ................................................................ 4-6 4.2.1.4 Noise and Vibration .................................................. 4-9 4.2.2 Terrain and Soils ................................................................... 4-10 4.2.3 Geology and Soils ................................................................. 4-13 4.2.4 Groundwater ........................................................................ 4-16 4.2.5 Surface Water ....................................................................... 4-17 4.2.6 Water Quality ....................................................................... 4-17 4.3 AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT.................................................................... 4-20 4.3.1 Fish and Fish Habitat ............................................................ 4-20 4.3.2 Species at Risk ...................................................................... 4-21 4.4 TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT ............................................................. 4-21 4.4.1 Vegetation ............................................................................ 4-21 4.4.2 Wildlife .................................................................................. 4-25 4.4.2.1 Reptiles and Amphibians ........................................ 4-25 4.4.2.2 Birds ........................................................................ 4-26 4.4.2.3 Mammals ................................................................ 4-29 4.4.3 Species at Risk ...................................................................... 4-30 4.4.3.1 Plants ...................................................................... 4-30 4.4.3.2 Wildlife ................................................................... 4-32 4.5 SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT .................................................... 4-34 4-I LAKE ST. MARTIN ACCESS ROAD ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REPORT 4.5.1 Overview ............................................................................... 4-34 4.5.2 Communities, Municipalities and Population ...................... 4-34 4.5.3 Land Use ............................................................................... 4-36 4.5.3.1 Land Use Planning .................................................. 4-36 4.5.3.2 Land Use ................................................................. 4-36 4.5.3.3 Traffic and Infrastructure ....................................... 4-37 4.5.4 Parks, Protected Areas, and Areas of Special Interest ......... 4-40 4.5.5 Agriculture ............................................................................ 4-41 4.5.6 Forestry ................................................................................. 4-41 4.5.7 Mineral and Aggregate Resources ....................................... 4-42 4.5.8 Cottages ................................................................................ 4-42 4.5.9 Lodges and Outfitters ........................................................... 4-42 4.5.10 Hunting ................................................................................. 4-45 4.5.11 Trapping ................................................................................ 4-46 4.5.12 Fishing ................................................................................... 4-47 4.5.13 Public Safety and Human Health .......................................... 4-47 4.5.14 Heritage Resources ............................................................... 4-50 4.5.15 Indigenous Communities and Population ............................ 4-51 4.5.15.1 Dauphin River First Nation ..................................... 4-51 4.5.15.2 Dauphin River Northern Affairs Community .......... 4-51 4.5.15.3 Lake St. Martin First Nation ................................... 4-52 4.5.15.4 Little Saskatchewan First Nation ............................ 4-52 4.5.15.5 Pinaymootang (Fairford) First Nation .................... 4-52 4.5.15.6 Peguis First Nation ................................................. 4-53 4.5.15.7 Fisher River Cree Nation ........................................ 4-53 4.5.15.8 Kinonjeoshtegon First Nation ................................ 4-53 4.5.15.9 Lake Manitoba First Nation .................................... 4-53 4.5.15.10 Métis .................................................................. 4-53 4-II LAKE ST. MARTIN ACCESS ROAD ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REPORT LIST OF MAPS Map 4-1. Ecodistricts Encompassing the Proposed LSM Access Road ................................... 4-11 Map 4-2. Regional Bedrock Geology ...................................................................................... 4-14 Map 4-3. Dominant Soil Series in the Vicinity of the Project ................................................. 4-15 Map 4-4. Water Quality Sampling Sites in Proximity to the Project ...................................... 4-19 Map 4-5. Historical Distribution of Forest Fires in the Project Region ................................... 4-22 Map 4-6. Vegetation Survey Plot Locations ........................................................................... 4-24 Map 4-7. Communities, Municipalities and First Nations in the Project Area ....................... 4-35 Map 4-8. Infrastructure in the Lake St. Martin Region .......................................................... 4-38 Map 4-9. Forest Management Units and Integrated Wood Supply Areas in the Project Region ........................................................................................................... 4-43 Map 4-10. Quarries and Leases in the Project Region ........................................................... 4-44 LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS Photograph 4-1. Representative Terrain and Topography in the Project Assessment Area . 4-12 Photograph 4-2. Aerial Photograph of Trumpeter Swans Taken Outside the PAA ................ 4-26 Photograph 4-3. Moose observed during Aerial Survey outside PAA .................................... 4-30 Photograph 4-4. Photograph of Dragon's Mouth Orchid Observed Outside the PAA .......... 4-31 Photograph 4-5. Aerial View of PR 513 and the Dauphin River Community ......................... 4-52 LIST OF TABLES Table 4-1. Information Sources for the Environmental Assessment........................................ 4-1 Table 4-2. Climate Normals Summary for Lundar, Manitoba (1981-2010) .............................. 4-3 Table 4-3. GHG Emissions by Province and Territory for 1990, 2005 and 2014 ...................... 4-4 Table 4-4. Summary of GHG Emissions Reported by Facilities in Manitoba 2016 ................... 4-5 Table 4-5. Air Quality Parameters for Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 01, 2016 ................... 4-7 Table 4-6. Common Noise Levels and Typical Human Reactions ............................................. 4-9 4-III LAKE ST. MARTIN ACCESS ROAD ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REPORT Table 4-7. Creek Crossing Site Locations Sampled in 2015 ..................................................... 4-17 Table 4-8. Water Quality Measurements Taken at Creek Crossing a Long Project Sites ....... 4-18 Table 4-9. DO and pH Measurements at Water Quality Sampling Sites................................. 4-18 Table 4-10. Fish Species Potentially in the Assessment Area ................................................. 4-20 Table 4-11. Summary of Habitats Encountered Along Project Alignment during Vegetation Surveys .......................................................................................................... 4-23 Table 4-12. Bird Species Identified within 10 Km of Project Alignment ................................. 4-27 Table 4-13. Summary of Mammal Species Observed During Wildlife Field Studies ............... 4-29 Table 4-14. RM of Grahamdale: Population 2016 and 2011 .................................................. 4-34 Table 4-15. Occupied Private Dwellings in the RM of Grahamdale, 2006 to 2016................. 4-37 Table 4-16. Average Annual Daily Traffic and Average Summer Daily Traffic Counts for PTH 6 and PRs in the Project Region, 2010-2017 .................................................... 4-39 Table 4-17. Rates of Health Care Utilization in the Interlake-Eastern RHA and Manitoba, 2011/12 and 2017/18 ................................................................................... 4-48 Table 4-18. Maximum Response Times for Emergency Medical Services in Communities in the Region, October 1- December 31, 2018 ....................................................... 4-50 4-IV LAKE ST. MARTIN ACCESS ROAD ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REPORT 4.0 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT The description of the exiting environment described in this chapter focuses on the Project Assessment Area (PAA) and the surrounding region illustrated in Map 1-1. The PAA is a 1 km buffer on either side of the proposed Project and is the physical space within which most direct and indirect Project-related