Environmental Impact Statement Volume 5: Biophysical Impact Assessment Part C – Aquatic Resources Fish and Fish Habitat Submitted to: National Energy Board and the Joint Review Panel Submitted by: Imperial Oil Resources Ventures Limited IPRCC.PR.2004.07 August 2004 Cover photograph courtesy of the Government of the Northwest Territories EIS FOR MACKENZIE GAS PROJECT VOLUME 5, PART C: SECTION 7 CONTENTS Table of Contents 7 Fish and Fish Habitat .......................................................................................7-1 7.1 Introduction ................................................................................. 7-1 7.1.1 Focus ............................................................................... 7-1 7.1.2 Summary of Findings ...................................................... 7-1 7.1.3 Traditional Knowledge .................................................... 7-5 7.2 Assessment Approach ................................................................. 7-9 7.2.1 Key Issues ....................................................................... 7-9 7.2.2 Valued Components and Key Indicators ....................... 7-10 7.2.3 Key Questions and Effect Pathway Diagrams .............. 7-21 7.2.4 Effect Descriptions ........................................................ 7-21 7.2.5 Study Areas and Boundaries ......................................... 7-24 7.2.6 Analytical Approach ..................................................... 7-24 7.3 Effects on Fish ........................................................................... 7-31 7.3.1 Effect Pathways ............................................................. 7-31 7.3.2 Overview of Project Design and Mitigation ................. 7-67 7.3.3 Niglintgak ...................................................................... 7-73 7.3.4 Taglu .............................................................................. 7-90 7.3.5 Parsons Lake ................................................................. 7-95 7.3.6 Gathering Pipelines and Associated Facilities ............ 7-100 7.3.7 Pipeline Corridor ......................................................... 7-124 7.3.8 Northwestern Alberta .................................................. 7-145 7.3.9 Infrastructure ............................................................... 7-148 7.3.10 Significance of Effects ................................................ 7-179 7.4 Monitoring ............................................................................... 7-189 7.4.1 Compliance Monitoring .............................................. 7-189 7.4.2 Effects Monitoring ...................................................... 7-190 7.5 Watercourse Crossings ............................................................ 7-191 References Glossary August 2004 Page i EIS FOR MACKENZIE GAS PROJECT VOLUME 5, PART C: SECTION 7 CONTENTS List of Figures Figure 7-1: Local Study Areas and Project Components – North ............... 7-26 Figure 7-2: Local Study Areas and Project Components – Central ............. 7-27 Figure 7-3: Local Study Areas and Project Components – South ............... 7-28 Figure 7-4: Effect Pathways – Fish .............................................................. 7-31 Figure 7-5: Process for Screening Effect Pathways for Fish ....................... 7-32 Figure 7-6: Crossing Method Selection ....................................................... 7-69 Figure 7-7: Effect Pathways Assessed – Niglintgak .................................... 7-73 Figure 7-8: Effect Pathways – Niglintgak Barge-Based Gas Conditioning Facility ................................................................. 7-74 Figure 7-9: Niglintgak Survey Sites ............................................................. 7-79 Figure 7-10: Effect Pathways – Taglu ........................................................... 7-91 Figure 7-11: Taglu Survey Sites .................................................................... 7-93 Figure 7-12: Effect Pathways – Parsons Lake Field ...................................... 7-96 Figure 7-13: Parsons Lake Survey Sites ........................................................ 7-99 Figure 7-14: Effect Pathways – Gathering Pipelines and Associated Facilities .................................................................................. 7-101 Figure 7-15: Index Map – Anchor Fields and Gathering Pipelines ............. 7-106 Figure 7-16: Niglintgak Lateral Watercourse Crossing Survey Sites .......... 7-107 Figure 7-17: Taglu Lateral Watercourse Crossing Survey Sites .................. 7-108 Figure 7-18: Parsons Lake Lateral Watercourse Crossing Survey Sites ...... 7-109 Figure 7-19: Storm Hills Lateral Watercourse Crossing Survey Sites ........ 7-110 Figure 7-20: Effect Pathways – Pipeline Corridor ....................................... 7-126 Figure 7-21: Pipeline Corridor Watercourse Crossing Survey Sites – North ........................................................................................ 7-133 Figure 7-22: Pipeline Corridor Watercourse Crossing Survey Sites – South ........................................................................................ 7-134 Figure 7-23: Effect Pathways – Production Area Infrastructure .................. 7-150 Figure 7-24: Effect Pathways – Pipeline Corridor Infrastructure ................ 7-151 Figure 7-25: Production Area Infrastructure Survey Sites ........................... 7-155 Figure 7-26: Pipeline Corridor Infrastructure Survey Sites – North ............ 7-164 Figure 7-27: Pipeline Corridor Infrastructure Survey Sites – South ............ 7-165 August 2004 Page iii EIS FOR MACKENZIE GAS PROJECT VOLUME 5, PART C: SECTION 7 CONTENTS List of Tables Table 7-1: Fish Species Likely Present in the Mackenzie River and Delta Tributaries and Estuary ....................................................... 7-11 Table 7-2: Criteria Used to Select Valued Components for Fish .................. 7-15 Table 7-3: Ranking Results for Potential Valued Components ..................... 7-18 Table 7-4: Key Questions, Related Issues and Valued Components ............. 7-22 Table 7-5: Definitions of Effect Attributes for Fish ...................................... 7-23 Table 7-6: Study Areas and Geographic Extent ............................................ 7-25 Table 7-7: Summary of Effect Pathways Considered for Fish ...................... 7-34 Table 7-8: Mitigation Strategies for Fish ....................................................... 7-70 Table 7-9: Periods of Sensitivity to In-Water Work ...................................... 7-72 Table 7-10: Effects of Niglintgak on Fish ....................................................... 7-76 Table 7-11: Baseline Information for Lakes – Niglintgak ............................... 7-77 Table 7-12: Baseline Information for Large River Channels – Niglintgak ..................................................................................... 7-78 Table 7-13: Effects of Taglu on Fish ............................................................... 7-90 Table 7-14: Baseline Information for Taglu Lakes ......................................... 7-92 Table 7-15: Effects of the Parsons Lake Field on Fish .................................... 7-95 Table 7-16: Baseline Information for Lakes in the Parsons Lake Field .......... 7-97 Table 7-17: Effects of the Gathering Pipelines on Fish ................................. 7-102 Table 7-18: Baseline Information for Watercourse Crossings of Large River and Active I Channels – Gathering Pipelines ................... 7-104 Table 7-19: Direct Habitat Effects of the Gathering Pipelines Crossing Construction ............................................................................... 7-112 Table 7-20: Potential Effects of Frost Bulb Formation at Watercourse Crossings .................................................................................... 7-113 Table 7-21: Gathering Pipeline Watercourse Crossing Methods – Large River and Active I Channels ...................................................... 7-120 Table 7-22: Effects of Sediment Deposition from Crossing Construction .... 7-121 Table 7-23: Effects of the Pipeline Corridor on Fish ..................................... 7-124 Table 7-24: Baseline Information for Watercourse Crossings of Large River and Active I Channels – Pipeline Corridor ...................... 7-128 Table 7-25: Number of Potential Water Sources Identified in Each Settlement Region ...................................................................... 7-137 Table 7-26: Large River and Active I Channel Crossing Methods – Pipeline Corridor ........................................................................ 7-140 Table 7-27: Estimated Severity of Ill Effects Scores for Open-Cut Pipeline Construction at 1, 15, 30 and 45 Bankfull Widths Downstream of the Crossing ...................................................... 7-143 Table 7-28: Baseline Information for Watercourse Crossings of Large River and Active I Channels – Northwestern Alberta ................ 7-147 Table 7-29: Large River and Active I Channel Crossing Methods – Pipeline Corridor ........................................................................ 7-148 August 2004 Page v EIS FOR MACKENZIE GAS PROJECT CONTENTS VOLUME 5, PART C: SECTION 7 Table 7-30: Estimated Severity of Ill Effects Scores for Open-Cut Pipeline Construction at 1, 15, 30 and 45 Bankfull Widths Downstream of the Crossing – Northwestern Alberta ............... 7-149 Table 7-31: Number of Primary