TRANS MOUNTAIN EXPANSION PROJECT: FISH-BEARING ATLAS Pipeline and Power Lines Supplemental Fisheries (British Columbia) Technical Report: Appendix B1
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TRANS MOUNTAIN EXPANSION PROJECT: FISH-BEARING ATLAS Pipeline and Power Lines Supplemental Fisheries (British Columbia) Technical Report: Appendix B1 Prepared for: Trans Mountain Pipelines ULC Calgary, Alberta Submitted by: Triton Environmental Consultants Ltd. Kamloops, British Columbia December 2014 SREP-NEB-TERA-00030 FISH-BEARING ATLAS Pipeline and Power Lines PREPARED AS APPENDIX B1 OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL FISHERIES (BRITISH COLUMBIA) TECHNICAL DISCIPLINE REPORT GLOSSARY AND KEY OF TERMINOLOGY, ABBREVIATIONS, AND SYMBOLS USED IN THE FISH-BEARING ATLAS FOR PIPELINE AND POWER LINES Channel Morphology Pattern The path of a channel in relation to a straight line. A qualitative method of assessing sinuosity. Confinement The ability of the channel to migrate laterally on a valley flat between surrounding slopes. Bank Shape The shape or form of the identified channel bank described when the observer is facing downstream. Habitat Unit Description of the morphological unit observed within the section investigated. Gradient The slope or rate of vertical drop per unit of length, of the channel bed. Main Stem The name of and distance to the nearest watercourse known to be fish-bearing (FB) habitat, as measured from the approximate proposed crossing location. Wetted Width The width of the water surface at the time of survey; measured at right angles to the direction of flow. Channel Width The distance between the ordinary high water mark of both right and left banks. Bank Height The height measured from the channel bottom at the watercourse’s deepest point at the transect to the bank’s break in slope at its top, such that the grade beyond the break is flatter than 1:3 (rise:run) at any point for a minimum of 15 m measured perpendicularly to the bank. Where banks are not well defined (e.g., in the case of wetlands, gently sloping inside bend or beaver ponds), the top of the bank is equivalent to the ordinary high water mark. Pool Depth Maximum pool depth as measured from the current surface level to the deepest point in the unit. Water Quality/Quality Water Temperature The ambient stream water temperature. Conductivity The ability of a solution to carry electric current. pH A measure of hydrogen ion concentration on a scale of 0 (highly acidic) to 14 (highly basic) with a pH of 7 as neutral. Dissolved Oxygen The concentration of oxygen dissolved in water, measured in milligrams per liter. Discharge The volume of water transported past an arbitrary point in a set amount of time, expressed as cubic meters per second. Flow Regime The pattern of channel flow in time and space. Turbidity A visual assessment of the concentration of suspended sediments and particulate matter in the water. Substrate Described as a percent composition over the LSA. Organics Size: N/A – leaf litter, sticks Fines < 2 mm Small Gravel 2-16 mm Large Gravel 17-64 mm Cobble 65-256 mm Boulder > 256 mm Bedrock > 400 mm Cover Dominant The dominant type of structure that provides cover for hiding, resting or feeding fishes. Subdominant The subdominant type of structure that provides cover for hiding, resting or feeding fishes. Riparian Described as the vegetation on land adjacent to the top of the bank of a watercourse. Type Grasses (G); Shrubs (S); Coniferous (C); Deciduous (D); Mixed Conifers and Deciduous (M); None (N); Wetland (W). Maturity State of maturity of riparian vegetation. Initial Stage is <5% tree cover, Shrub is <10% tree cover, Pole Sapling is <15- 20 years old, Young Forest is forest canopy is differentiated into distinct layers, and stand age is 30-80 years, Mature Forest with a well-developed understory, Not Applicable is riparian veg is absent and area dominated by grassland or wetland. Crown Closure The amount of canopy closure provided by riparian vegetation which projects over the stream channel, directly above the thalweg, and is > 1 m above the water surface. Binned into ranges for estimation purposes: 0%; 1-20%; 21-40%; 41-70%; 71-90%; > 90%. Fish Presence and Life History Stage YOY Young of the year; fishes less than 1 year old. Juv Juvenile; fishes greater than 1, but not able to spawn. Adult Fishes at spawning age. Unknown Age was not discernable externally. Species Acronyms are provided on Page xii of the Supplemental Fisheries (British Columbia) Technical Discipline Report. Fish Habitat Potential Description of the assessed habitat potential per species and life stage considered. N None L Low M Moderate M-H Moderate - High H High Sampling Effort EF Backpack Electrofishing. Effort measured in seconds (s). FLEF Float Electrofishing. Effort measured in seconds (s). MT Minnow trap. Effort measured in hours (h) of trap deployment. All traps were Gee Type minnow traps (baited). Provincial Window of Least Risk Species and region specific windows established to protect sensitive life history stages of species of management concern, outlined in Section 4.1.5 of Technical Report 5C-7 in Volume 5C, Fisheries (British Columbia) Technical Report (Triton December 2013; Filing ID A3S2C1). Least Risk Biological Window Proposed QAES-recommended preferred period of time for construction, with consideration for the associated Provincial Window of Least Risk and habitat potential identified within each Fish and Fish Habitat LSA. Construction Timing Expected timing of construction, as defined by engineering. Stream Classification BC Navigability The ability of the watercourse to be traversed by any type of floating vessel for the purpose of transportation, recreation or commerce, as determined by the field crew. Navigability status definitions and the screening criteria used to make field based determinations are outlined in Section 3.3 of the Fisheries (British Columbia) Technical Discipline Report. Barriers to Fish Movement Describes if there are objects in the channel that will limit fish migration (i.e., a perched culvert and subsurface flow). Active Beaver Dams Describes if active beaver dams were observed during the field investigations. Historical Fish Presence Lists fish presence previously documented for that watercourse over its entirety. Sensitivity A qualitative measure of the sensitivity of a watercourse to disturbance, based on the type and diversity of fish species present, their respective life-history stages and the habitat potential across all seasons. Definitions related to Low and High Fish Habitat Sensitivity ratings are provided in Table 3-6 of the Fisheries (British Columbia) Technical Discipline Report. Low Fish Habitat Sensitivity High Fish Habitat Sensitivity Miscellaneous Abbreviations NCD Non-Classified Drainage NVC No Visible Channel NRC Natural Resources Canada PPC Proposed pipeline corridor PPLC Proposed power line corridor (c) Site in community watershed, default stream classification to FB (1) Work should be completed within the least risk biological window proposed (2) Site Requires Stage Two Engineering Review (3) Timing Variance May Be Required (DFO Self-Assessment of Serious Harm and NEB/DFO Review) (4) DFO Self-Assessment of Serious Harm and NEB/DFO review is required - No data to report View upstream through centre of the PPC (02-10-14) View downstream through centre of the PPC (02-10-14) View of left bank approach at centre of the PPC (02-10-14) View of right bank approach at centre of the PPC (02-10-14) Channel Morphology Water Quality/Quantity Pattern: Irregular Water Temperature (oC): - D. Oxygen (mg/L): - Provincial Window of Least Risk: Confinement: Occasionally Confined Conductivity (µS/cm): - Discharge (m3/s): - July 15 August 15 Bank Shape LB: Sloping pH: - Flow Regime: Perennial Least Risk Biological Window Proposed: RB: Sloping Turbidity: Clear July 15 August 15 Habitat Unit at PPC: Riffle-Pool Substrate (PPC) Construction Timing: Habitat Unit through ZOI: Riffle-Pool Organics: 0 Cover Summer/Winter Gradient (%): 3 Fines: 0 Dominant: OHV Main Stem: Fraser River, FB, 1.3 km DS Sml Gravel: 10 Subdominant: Boulders Stream Classification BC: S2 Lrg Gravel: 10 Navigability: Potentially Sml Cobble: 20 Riparian Navigable Mean (m) Range (m) Lrg Cobble: 20 Type: Mixed Width >5 m; Wetted Width: 5.20 3.50 - 13.50 Boulder: 30 Maturity: Mature Forest Reason for Decision: Potential Obstacles Channel Width: 6.10 4.00 -14.00 Bedrock: 10 Crown Closure: 21-40% Barriers to Fish Movement: No Bank Height: 0.40 - Res. Pool Depth: 0.20 - Source: NRC, Centre for Topographical Information. 2013 (1:125,000) Fish Presence and Life History Stage Fish Habitat Potential Recommended Primary Pipeline Crossing Method: Recommended Vehicle Crossing Method (Non-Frozen): (1) Species YOY Juv Adult Unknown Species Spawning Rearing Wintering Migration Isolation with fish salvage and water quality monitoring Existing or Clear-Span Bridge RB - 9 5 - RB M M M M Recommended Contingency Pipeline Crossing Method: Recommended Vehicle Crossing Method (Dry/Frozen): BT - 8 - - BT M M M M Isolation with fish salvage and water quality monitoring Existing or Clear-Span Bridge (3) during low flow Historical Fish Presence: RB, BT Sampling Effort Method Time Distance Date Comments: EF 670 s 420 m 08-07-09 Baer Creek has moderate fish habitat potential; seven RB captured in 2009; RB and BT captured in 2013; suitable EF 2930 s 80 m 07-09-13 rearing habitat is attributed to high instream channel complexity, abundant cover, frequent pools, perennial discharge and a lack of permanent barriers. Frequent pools offer moderate overwintering potential; pockets of gravels provide suitable spawning habitat although limited by sections of large cobble and boulder substrate.