Springbank Off-stream Reservoir Project Response to CEAA Information Request Package 2 August 20, 2018 May 2019 ALBERTA TRANSPORTATION SPRINGBANK OFF-STREAM RESERVOIR PROJECT RESPONSE TO CEAA INFORMATION REQUEST PACKAGE 2, AUGUST 20, 2018 Table of Contents IMPACTS TO RIGHTS .................................................................................................................... 1 Question IR2-01: Impacts to Rights ................................................................................. 1 CULTURAL EXPERIENCE .............................................................................................................. 46 Question IR2-02: Cultural Experience - Experiential Values and Importance of Water ........................................................................ 46 REGIONAL CONTEXT FOR TRADITIONAL USE AND EXERCISE OF RIGHTS ............................... 77 Question IR2-03: Regional Context for Traditional Use and Exercise of Rights ................................................................................................... 77 ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES ..................................................................................................... 81 Question IR2-04: Economic Opportunities .................................................................. 81 FEDERAL LANDS ......................................................................................................................... 83 Question IR2-05: Federal Lands .................................................................................... 83 INDIGENOUS AND COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE ....................................................................... 86 Question IR2-06: Indigenous and Community Knowledge ..................................... 86 EFFECTS ON TRADITIONAL LAND AND RESOURCE USE ........................................................... 93 Question IR2-07: Effects on Traditional Land and Resource Use ............................ 93 INDIGENOUS HEALTH AND COUNTRY FOODS ......................................................................... 97 Question IR2-08: Indigenous Health and Country Foods ......................................... 97 PROJECT AREA LAND USE AND ACCESS ............................................................................... 113 Question IR2-09: Project Area Land Use and Access ............................................. 113 PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE ..................................................................................... 116 Question IR2-10: Physical and Cultural Heritage ..................................................... 116 WILDLIFE ................................................................................................................................... 145 Question IR2-11: Wildlife – Culturally Important Species ........................................ 145 Question IR2-12: Wildlife - Regional Assessment Area ............................................ 215 Question IR2-13: Wildlife - Habitat Modelling ........................................................... 217 Question IR2-14: Wildlife - Survey Timing, Detection and Mitigation .................... 233 Question IR2-15: Wildlife - Habitat Connectivity and Wildlife Movement ........... 235 Question IR2-16: Wildlife - Restricted Activity Periods ............................................. 245 Question IR2-17: Wildlife - Elk ....................................................................................... 246 Question IR2-18: Wildlife - Grizzly Bear ....................................................................... 252 i ALBERTA TRANSPORTATION SPRINGBANK OFF-STREAM RESERVOIR PROJECT RESPONSE TO CEAA INFORMATION REQUEST PACKAGE 2, AUGUST 20, 2018 VEGETATION ............................................................................................................................ 256 Question IR2-19: Vegetation - Plants Species of Cultural Importance ................ 256 Question IR2-20: Vegetation - Flood and Post Flood Habitat Fragmentation ................................................................................. 272 Question IR2-21: Vegetation – Reclamation, Revegetation and Land Use ....... 274 SOIL QUANTITY AND QUALITY AND LAND USE ...................................................................... 282 Question IR2-22: Soil Quantity and Quality and Land Use ..................................... 282 NAVIGATION ........................................................................................................................... 288 Question IR2-23: Navigation ........................................................................................ 288 LIST OF TABLES Table IR1-1 Indigenous Group Views on the Conditions that Support the Exercise of their Rights and/or the Importance of the Project’s Location in Relation to the Exercise of their Rights ..................................... 8 Table IR1-2 Potential Effects, Effects Pathways and Measurable Parameters for Traditional Land and Resource Use (from Volume 3A, Section 14, Table 14-1) ................................................................................................. 20 Table IR1-3 Indigenous Group Views on the Pathways for Potential Impacts of the Project (Positive and Negative) on the Exercise of Rights ........... 22 Table IR1-4 Characterization of Residual Effects on Traditional Land and Resource Use (from Volume 3A, Section 14, Table 14-2) ......................... 29 Table IR1-5 Indigenous Group Views on Mitigation Measures that Specifically Address Potential Impacts to Rights and Accommodation Measures .......................................................................... 35 Table IR2-1 Indigenous Group Views on Cultural Experience/Experiential Values ............................................................................................................... 51 Table IR2-2 Indigenous Group Views on Mitigation Measures that Specifically Address Potential Impacts on Cultural Experience/Experiential Values .................................................................... 61 Table IR2-3 Indigenous Group Views on Cultural and Spiritual Importance of Water and the Pathways for Potential Impacts of the Project ............... 69 Table IR2-4 Indigenous Group Views on Mitigation Measures that Specifically Address Potential Impacts on Cultural and Spiritual Importance of Water ..................................................................................... 73 Table IR8-1 Availability of and Access to Country Foods of Importance to Each Indigenous Group within the PDA, LAA and RAA, as Identified by each Indigenous Group ...................................................... 100 Table IR10-1 Physical and Cultural Heritage and Sites of Importance, as Identified by each Indigenous Group ...................................................... 119 Table IR10-2 Indigenous Group Views on Mitigation Measures and Best Practices that Specifically Address Potential Impacts on Physical and Cultural Heritage and Sites of Importance, as Identified by each Indigenous Group .............................................................................. 135 ii ALBERTA TRANSPORTATION SPRINGBANK OFF-STREAM RESERVOIR PROJECT RESPONSE TO CEAA INFORMATION REQUEST PACKAGE 2, AUGUST 20, 2018 Table IR11-1 Summary of Project Residual Effects on Species of Cultural Importance to Indigenous Groups during Construction and Dry Operations ..................................................................................................... 149 Table IR11-2 Summary of Project Residual Effects on Species of Cultural Importance to Indigenous Groups during Flood and Post-Flood Operations ..................................................................................................... 178 Table IR19-1 Area of Cover Types in the PDA and Number of Survey Sites .............. 259 Table IR19-2 Traditional Use Plants Identified in Reviewed Information Sources and Engagement Program, and Presence in the LAA and PDA ......... 265 LIST OF FIGURES Figure IR15-1 Proposed Location of Wildlife Friendly Fencing ...................................... 239 Figure IR15-2 Highway 22 Bridge over the Diversion Channel ...................................... 241 Figure IR17-1 Remote Camera Locations in Relation to Vegetation and Wetland Cover in the LAA .......................................................................... 251 Figure IR22-1 Soil Inspection and Sampling Sites in the LAA ......................................... 285 Figure IR23-1 Location of Proposed Portage Signage and Route ............................... 290 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix IR1-1 Project Engagement Records Appendix IR1-2 Draft Principles for Future Land Use of the Proposed Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir Project Appendix IR19-1 Draft Vegetation and Wetland Mitigation, Monitoring and Revegetation Plan iii ALBERTA TRANSPORTATION SPRINGBANK OFF-STREAM RESERVOIR PROJECT RESPONSE TO CEAA INFORMATION REQUEST PACKAGE 2, AUGUST 20, 2018 iv ALBERTA TRANSPORTATION SPRINGBANK OFF-STREAM RESERVOIR PROJECT RESPONSE TO CEAA INFORMATION REQUEST PACKAGE 2, AUGUST 20, 2018 Abbreviations ABMI Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute ACT Alberta Culture and Tourism AEP Alberta Environment and Parks Agency Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency AVC animal vehicle collision AWA Alberta Wildlife Act BT/K Blood Tribe/Kainai CEA Agency Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency CEAA 2012 Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 CEAR Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry DFO