BIPOLE III AGRICULTURE TECHNICAL REPORT Selection and Environmental Assessment (SSEA) November 2011 Manitoba Hydro MMM Consultants Ltd. James G. Nielsen, B.S.A., M.Sc., P.Ag. J&V Nielsen and Associates Ltd. Box 149 Goodlands, Manitoba R0M 0R0 Bus: (204) 658-3427; Fax: (204) 658-3585; Cell: (306) 421-6463 Bipole III Agriculture Technical Report TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 3 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................ 7 2.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 7 2.2 TRANSMISSION LINE LOCATION AND CONCERNS ................................................ 7 2.3 IRRIGATION ................................................................................................................... 10 3.0 METHODS AND PROCEDURES ................................................................................ 14 3.1 SCOPE .............................................................................................................................. 15 4.0 THE STUDY AREA BOUNDARIES ........................................................................... 17 4.1 AN AGRICULTURAL DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA .................................. 17 4.1.1 Agricultural Setting ............................................................................................... 17 4.2 DEVELOPMENT OF ROUTE ALTERNATIVES FROM NOVEMBER 2007 TO MARCH 2009 ......... 21 5.0 SOIL CAPABILITY, PRESENT AGRICULTURAL USE AND ROUTING OPPORTUNITIES ......................................................................................................... 24 5.1 SOIL CAPABILITY AND AGRICULTURAL USE ....................................................... 24 5.1.1 Summary ............................................................................................................... 26 6.0 ROUTING METHODOLOGY FROM THE JANUARY 19, 2010, BIPOLE III ROUTING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH AGRICULTURAL MANITOBA REPORT; A DISCUSSION OF ALTERNATE ROUTE SEGMENTS .................... 27 6.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 27 6.2 ROUTING METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................... 30 6.3 IDENTIFICATION OF COMPONENTS AND CONSTRAINTS ................................... 30 6.4 AGRICULTURAL IMPACT RATING CATEGORIES .................................................. 30 6.5 TOWER PLACEMENT ................................................................................................... 31 6.5.1 Tower Placement (Categories 1 and 2) ................................................................ 31 6.5.2 Tower Placement (Category 3) ............................................................................. 32 6.5.3 Tower Placement (Categories 4-7) ....................................................................... 32 6.5.4 Tower Placement (Category 8) ............................................................................. 33 6.6 FINAL ASSESSMENT .................................................................................................... 34 6.7 DISCUSSION OF ALTERNATE ROUTES .................................................................... 34 7.0 EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVE ROUTES ......................................................... 36 7.1 COMPARISON OF SECTIONS OF THE ROUTES ........................................................ 36 7.1.1 Riel Station to Long Plains Alternative Routes..................................................... 36 7.1.2 Active and Potential Irrigation Area Alternative Routes ...................................... 39 i Bipole III Agriculture Technical Report 7.1.3 Long Plains to Winnipegosis Alternative Routes .................................................. 40 7.1.4 Alternative Routes through Winnipegosis ............................................................. 41 7.1.5 Winnipegosis to Cowan Alternative Routes .......................................................... 42 7.1.6 Cowan to AC2 Alternative Routes ........................................................................ 43 7.1.7 Long Plains to AC2 (Route A and C) .................................................................... 43 7.2 THE PAS ........................................................................................................................... 44 7.3 COMPARISON OF WHOLE ROUTES ........................................................................... 45 7.4 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................. 47 7.5 PREFERENTIAL SEGMENTS ....................................................................................... 47 7.6 PREFERENTIAL COMPLETE ROUTES FROM RIEL STATION TO AC2 ................. 48 8.0 THE PREFERRED ROUTE ......................................................................................... 50 8.1 ISSUES WITH TRANSMISSION LINE ANALYSIS ..................................................... 53 8.2 LINE SECTION ANALYSIS ........................................................................................... 53 8.2.1 Section 13 .............................................................................................................. 53 8.2.2 Section 12 .............................................................................................................. 54 8.2.3 Section 11 .............................................................................................................. 56 8.2.4 Section 10 .............................................................................................................. 57 8.2.5 Section 9 ................................................................................................................ 58 8.2.6 Section 8 ................................................................................................................ 60 8.2.7 Section 7 ................................................................................................................ 62 8.2.8 Section 6 ................................................................................................................ 62 8.2.9 Section 5 ................................................................................................................ 63 9.0 ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ....................... 64 9.1 CONSTRUCTION PHASE ...................................................................................................... 64 9.2 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PHASE ............................................................................ 64 9.3 STRUCTURE PLACEMENT ................................................................................................... 64 9.4 CONSULTATION WITH LANDOWNERS ................................................................................. 65 9.5 TRANSMISSION LINE RIGHTS-OF-WAY .............................................................................. 65 9.6 PROPERTY DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES ...................................................................... 65 9.7 COMPENSATION AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS ................................................................. 65 9.8 EFFECTS OF THE PROJECT ON AGRICULTURE ...................................................... 69 9.8.1 Removal of Agricultural Land from Production ................................................... 70 9.8.2 Extra Cost to the Farmer for Working around the Tower and Cost of Crop Production Lost Within the Immediate Vicinity of the Tower............................... 70 9.8.3 Crop Production Lost Within the Immediate Vicinity of the Towers and Lines as a Result of Restricting Aerial Application of Agricultural Pesticides ..................... 72 9.8.4 Nuisance ................................................................................................................ 74 9.8.5 Presence of Towers and Lines May Restrict or Complicate the Conduct and Development of Certain Agricultural Activities such as Irrigation or the ii Bipole III Agriculture Technical Report Production of Taller Crops ................................................................................... 74 9.8.6 Routine Maintenance and Emergency Access ...................................................... 74 9.8.7 Transmission Lines in Pastures ............................................................................ 75 9.8.8 Effects of the Project on Agriculture .................................................................... 76 9.8.9 A Photo Analysis of the Impact of Transmission Lines on Field Operations ....... 79 9.9.9.1 Large Transmission Lines on Road Allowances ............................................................................. 79 9.9.9.2 Tame Hay Production ..................................................................................................................... 81 9.9.9.3 The Impact of Transmission Towers within Fields ......................................................................... 81 9.9.9.4 Diagonal Transmission Lines .......................................................................................................... 90 10.0 GROUND ELECTRODE ............................................................................................... 92 10.1 21-11-6E1