Donlin Gold Project Chapter 3: Environmental Analysis Final Environmental Impact Statement 3.13 Fish and Aquatic Resources 3.13 FISH AND AQUATIC RESOURCES SYNOPSIS This section describes conditions and evaluates potential impacts to fish and aquatic resources from the proposed action and alternatives. Each alternative is examined by major project component (Mine Site; Transportation Corridor; and Pipeline) by project phase (Construction, Operations, and Closure). An Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Assessment is provided in Appendix Q. EXISTING CONDITION SUMMARY Fish and aquatic resources are of central importance to the livelihood of residents of the proposed project area. While other chapter sections (Section 3.5, Surface Water Hydrology, Section 3.7, Water Quality, and Section 3.21, Subsistence) discuss topics associated with fish and aquatic resources, this section characterizes aquatic habitat and the diversity, abundance, and distribution of fish in the Kuskokwim River and the drainages affected by the proposed project. The section also describes the regulatory framework associated with the management and protection of area fisheries and aquatic habitats and presents an analysis of expected consequences of the proposed project and alternatives. Both federal and state laws protect fish and aquatic resources that would be affected by components of the proposed project. Key laws and regulations include: the Clean Water Act (CWA), including Sections 402 and 404, which govern discharges to waters of the U.S.; the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act), which governs protection of EFH; and state regulation of mining and water use and discharge permits as well as fish habitat protection requirements. The Kuskokwim River and many of its tributaries, including tributaries in the Crooked Creek drainage, are designated as EFH for Pacific salmon. In Crooked Creek, populations of Chinook, chum, and coho salmon and limited numbers of sockeye and pink salmon have been recorded. In addition, 12 species of resident fish, including Dolly Varden, rainbow trout, Arctic grayling, burbot, and two species of whitefish, have been documented in Crooked Creek. The Kuskokwim River aquatic habitat is characterized by sediment-rich, low-gradient, meandering channels of water depth that fluctuates with tides and seasons. Changing flow paths create sandbars and erode riverbanks. Downed trees line many eroding banks and provide refuge for fish. The shallowest stretches of the Transportation Corridor generally lie upstream of Kalskag. At least 27 species of anadromous and resident freshwater fish are found in the Kuskokwim River drainage. Chinook salmon are a special concern in recent years due to low populations, but no endangered or threatened fish species are found in the Kuskokwim River drainage. The Pipeline crosses the Cook Inlet, Yentna, Skwentna, and Kuskokwim river drainages. Of the streams along the proposed route, those located in the Kuskokwim and Skwentna river drainages support the largest number of fish species (20 and 13 species, respectively). Streams in the Cook Inlet and Yentna drainages are also intersected by the proposed route but provide habitat to fewer fish species (12 and five species, April 2018 P a g e | 3.13-1 Donlin Gold Project Chapter 3: Environmental Analysis Final Environmental Impact Statement 3.13 Fish and Aquatic Resources respectively). No endangered or threatened fish species are found in the Cook Inlet, Yentna, or Skwentna river drainages. The Kuskokwim River subsistence fishery is one of the largest in Alaska. The Kuskokwim drainage contains about 4,600 households within 38 communities. More than 1,500 households engage in subsistence fishing, and the catch is shared with more still. Subsistence salmon fishing on the Kuskokwim has not involved licenses or permits beyond the requisite year of Alaska residency. Although there are generally no limits on individual or household take of subsistence salmon, urgent conservation measures have limited harvest of Chinook salmon in recent years. See Section 3.21, Subsistence, for further details. Commercial harvest of chum is generally greater than subsistence, and commercial use of coho far outweighs subsistence harvest. Sport fisheries also occur in this part of the Kuskokwim, and both commercial and subsistence use of aquatic resources extend into Kuskokwim Bay. EXPECTED EFFECTS SUMMARY Alternative 1 - No Action There would be no new effects on fish and aquatic resources. Alternative 2 - Donlin Gold’s Proposed Action Effects at the Mine Site component during all three phases include direct habitat removal, wetland removal, streamflow and temperature changes, and sedimentation. These effects would impact migration, spawning, or rearing life stages of Pacific salmon and other anadromous or resident fish species and aquatic habitat. Streams in the Crooked Creek drainage near the mine support Chinook, coho, chum, pink, and sockeye salmon. Just under 8 miles of streambed, (in American and Anaconda creeks and portions of Snow and Lewis gulches) would be eliminated to construct various Mine Site facilities. These, and smaller tributary drainages that would be affected, represent about 8 percent of the Crooked Creek watershed. Most of the segments that would be filled in these tributaries do not support salmon, but in some years, habitat in American Creek supports up to 200 age 0 and age 1 juvenile coho salmon, which would be lost. Streamflow changes would be seasonal, with greatest reductions during winter months, affecting resident fish and overwintering coho salmon. The greatest effects of flow reductions and temperature increase in Crooked Creek would occur upstream of Crevice Creek. Below this, tributary inflows/runoff from unaffected watersheds (e.g., Bell and Getmuna creeks) would overshadow flow reductions resulting from Construction and Operations. Permit-mandated water management practices for the Mine Site component would help avoid and mitigate effects on downstream aquatic resources, including EFH. Along the Transportation Corridor, depending on water conditions, project-related barge/tug wakes and propeller forces along the Kuskokwim River travel route may accelerate bank erosion and create riverbed scour, particularly in narrow and shallow segments of the river during the Construction and Operations phases. In combination with existing boat traffic, this could degrade habitat and disturb or destroy fish eggs, larvae, or juveniles. Along the proposed access road, six streams used by Chinook, coho, and chum salmon would be crossed with bridges resulting in infrequent degradation of water quality that would be minimized by best management practices (BMPs) employed for construction and operations of roads, bridges, and culverts. Similar measures would be used to control potential water quality effects during the Construction and Operation phases at the proposed port site. During the Closure Phase, April 2018 P a g e | 3.13-2 Donlin Gold Project Chapter 3: Environmental Analysis Final Environmental Impact Statement 3.13 Fish and Aquatic Resources areas of habitat alteration could remain and habitat would not be anticipated to return to pre-disturbance character. Effects at the Pipeline component during the Construction Phase include habitat degradation and releases of turbid runoff at numerous crossings within the proposed construction corridor and along nearby stream corridors. Of the streams in the construction corridor, 77 contain habitat used by five species of Pacific salmon (i.e., Chinook, chum, coho, pink, and sockeye salmon). Effects would be limited and mitigated by horizontal directional drilling (HDD) at five of eight crossings constructed during summer months; timing pipe installation at most crossings in winter when salmon are not typically present, resulting in least disruption to aquatic resources; and employing BMPs during and post construction to minimize potential effects. The North Option would have similar effects to fish and fish habitat; HDD would be applied at three of seven crossings constructed during summer months. OTHER ALTERNATIVES - This section discusses differences of note between Alternative 2 and the following Alternatives, but does not include a comprehensive discussion of each alternative's impacts if they are the same as Alternative 2 impacts. Alternative 3A - LNG Powered Trucks Alternative 3A would decrease the total number of barge trips per season during Operations from 122 to 83. This would result in a proportionate decrease in potential impacts on young-of-year seaward migrating salmon, incubating rainbow smelt eggs, and other life stages of resident and anadromous fishes in certain segments of the Kuskokwim River as a result of barge-generated propeller forces, waves, bank erosion, and riverbed scour. Alternative 3B - Diesel Pipeline Alternative 3B would eliminate fuel barging on the Kuskokwim River after the Construction Phase, reducing the total number of barge trips per season during Operations from 122 to 64. This also would result in a proportionate decrease in potential impacts on young-of-year seaward migrating salmon, incubating rainbow smelt eggs, and other life stages of resident and anadromous fishes in certain segments of the Kuskokwim River as a result of barge-generated propeller forces, waves, bank erosion, and riverbed scour. The Port MacKenzie Option would involve similar additional construction infrastructure, but would require crossing of the Susitna River and Little