Crofton Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) Cycle Five Interpretive Report March 2010 Prepared for: Catalyst Paper Corporation Crofton, British Columbia Suite 200 – 850 Harbourside Drive, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V7P 0A3 • Tel: 1.604.926.3261 • Fax: 1.604.926.5389 • www.hatfi eldgroup.com CROFTON ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS MONITORING (EEM) CYCLE FIVE INTERPRETIVE REPORT Prepared for: CATALYST PAPER CORPORATION CROFTON DIVISION PO BOX 70 CROFTON, BC V0R 1R0 Prepared by: HATFIELD CONSULTANTS #200 - 850 HARBOURSIDE DRIVE NORTH VANCOUVER, BC V7P 0A3 MARCH 2010 CR1327.2 #200 - 850 Harbourside Drive, North Vancouver, BC, Canada V7P 0A3 • Tel: 1.604.926.3261 • Toll Free: 1.866.926.3261 • Fax: 1.604.926.5389 • www.hatfieldgroup.com TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................... v LIST OF APPENDICES .............................................................................. viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................. ix EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................ x 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 1-1 2.0 MILL, STUDY AREA, AND CYCLE FIVE DESIGN UPDATE .......... 2-1 2.1 MILL OPERATIONS .............................................................................................. 2-1 2.1.1 Process Description and Update ..................................................................... 2-1 2.1.2 Effluent Quality ................................................................................................ 2-4 2.1.3 Spills to the Receiving Environment ................................................................ 2-5 2.1.4 Study Area Updates ......................................................................................... 2-5 2.2 CYCLE FIVE STUDY DESIGN UPDATE .............................................................. 2-5 3.0 SUBLETHAL TOXICITY TESTING OF MILL EFFLUENT ............... 3-1 3.1 SUBLETHAL TOXICITY TEST METHODS .......................................................... 3-2 3.1.1 General Methods and Definitions .................................................................... 3-2 3.1.2 Sublethal Toxicity Test Methods ....................................................................... 3-3 3.2 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .............................................................................. 3-4 3.2.1 Topsmelt Growth and Survival Test ................................................................. 3-4 3.2.2 Echinoderm Fertilization Test ........................................................................... 3-5 3.2.3 Algal Reproduction Test ................................................................................... 3-6 3.2.4 Potential Zone of Sublethal Effect ................................................................... 3-7 3.3 CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................... 3-8 4.0 FISH POPULATION SURVEY .......................................................... 4-1 4.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 METHODS ............................................................................................................. 4-2 4.2.1 Modifications to Sampling Design ................................................................... 4-2 4.2.2 Control/Impact Design ..................................................................................... 4-2 4.2.3 Sampling Locations and Collection Dates ....................................................... 4-3 4.2.4 Field Sampling Procedures ............................................................................. 4-5 4.2.5 Laboratory Procedures .................................................................................... 4-6 4.2.6 Analytical Approach ......................................................................................... 4-8 4.3 RESULTS ............................................................................................................ 4-14 4.3.1 Mussels ......................................................................................................... 4-14 4.3.2 Oysters .......................................................................................................... 4-25 4.3.3 Supporting Environmental Variables .............................................................. 4-35 4.4 DISCUSSION ...................................................................................................... 4-38 Crofton EEM Cycle Five i Hatfield 5.0 FISH TISSUE SURVEY .................................................................... 5-1 5.1 TISSUE ANALYSES: DIOXINS AND FURANS .................................................... 5-1 5.1.1 Sediment ......................................................................................................... 5-1 5.1.2 Crab Hepatopancreas ...................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 TAINTING EVALUATION ...................................................................................... 5-3 6.0 BENTHIC INVERTEBRATE COMMUNITY SURVEY ....................... 6-1 6.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 6-1 6.2 METHODS ............................................................................................................. 6-2 6.2.1 Modifications to Sampling Design ................................................................... 6-2 6.2.2 Gradient Design ............................................................................................... 6-2 6.2.3 Sampling Locations and Collection Dates ....................................................... 6-2 6.2.4 Field Sampling Procedures ............................................................................. 6-3 6.2.5 Field Processing Procedures ........................................................................... 6-7 6.2.6 Laboratory Procedures .................................................................................... 6-8 6.2.7 Analytical Approach ......................................................................................... 6-9 6.3 RESULTS ............................................................................................................ 6-13 6.3.1 Benthic Invertebrate Communities ................................................................ 6-13 6.3.2 QA/QC and Verifications ................................................................................ 6-24 6.3.3 Supporting Environmental Variables .............................................................. 6-24 6.4 DISCUSSION ...................................................................................................... 6-36 6.4.1 Effects Along the Exposure Gradient ............................................................. 6-36 6.4.2 Grades of Impact Along the Exposure Gradient ............................................ 6-38 6.4.3 Characterizing Cycle Five Effects .................................................................. 6-41 7.0 CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................ 7-1 8.0 CLOSURE ......................................................................................... 8-1 9.0 REFERENCES .................................................................................. 9-1 10.0 GLOSSARY .................................................................................... 10-1 Crofton EEM Cycle Five ii Hatfield LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1 Annual results for process effluent quality variables, Catalyst Paper, Crofton Division, 2007 to 2009. ...................................................... 2-3 Table 3.1 Potential Zone of Sublethal Effect, Catalyst Paper Corporation, Crofton Division, EEM Cycle Five. ............................................................. 3-8 Table 4.1 Bivalve survey control/impact sampling design, Crofton EEM Cycle Five, 2009. ....................................................................................... 4-2 Table 4.2 Bivalve survey sampling locations and collections, Crofton EEM Cycle Five, 2009. ....................................................................................... 4-3 Table 4.3 Statistical analyses performed to evaluate effects on bivalves, Crofton EEM Cycle Five, 2009. ............................................................... 4-13 Table 4.4 Whole-organism metric summary statistics for Pacific blue mussels, Crofton EEM Cycle Five, March 2009. ..................................... 4-16 Table 4.5 Whole-organism indices summary statistics for Pacific blue mussels, Crofton EEM Cycle Five, March 2009. ..................................... 4-17 Table 4.6 Tests for differences in mussel whole organism metrics and indices among near-field, far-field, and reference (far-far-field) stations, Crofton EEM Cycle Five, March 2009. ...................................... 4-22 Table 4.7 Response-based effects assessment for mussels using statistical results, Crofton EEM Cycle Five, March 2009. ........................................ 4-22 Table 4.8 Comparison of Post hoc power analysis of ANCOVAs conducted to test for differences in mussel condition and GSI, and a priori analysis of number of samples actually required to achieve sufficient