AECOM Alberta Flood Recovery Task Force Environmental Overview for Highwood River Basin Appendix J Environmental Overview for Highwood River Basin Rpt-2014-07-04-App_J_Environmental Overview For Highwood River Basin .Docx AECOM Alberta Flood Recovery Task Force Environmental Overview for Highwood River Basin Table of Contents Executive Summary page 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 3 1.1 Grassland Natural Region ................................................................................................................... 3 1.1.1 Foothills Fescue Natural Subregion ....................................................................................... 4 1.2 Parkland Natural Region...................................................................................................................... 4 1.2.1 Foothills Parkland Natural Subregion ..................................................................................... 4 1.3 Rocky Mountain Natural Region .......................................................................................................... 4 1.3.1 Montane Natural Subregion .................................................................................................... 4 1.3.2 Subalpine Natural Subregion .................................................................................................. 5 1.3.3 Alpine Natural Subregion ........................................................................................................ 5 2. Regulatory Setting ....................................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Federal Legislation and Requirements ................................................................................................ 7 2.1.1 Canadian Environmental Assessment Act ............................................................................. 7 2.1.2 Fisheries Act ........................................................................................................................... 7 2.1.3 Navigable Waters Protection Act ............................................................................................ 8 2.1.4 Migratory Birds Convention Act .............................................................................................. 8 2.1.5 Species at Risk Act ................................................................................................................. 8 2.1.6 Canada Wildlife Act ................................................................................................................ 8 2.2 Provincial Legislation ........................................................................................................................... 9 2.2.1 Alberta Land Stewardship Act ................................................................................................ 9 2.2.2 Alberta Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) ......................................... 9 2.2.3 Natural Resources Conservation Board (NRCB) ................................................................. 10 2.2.4 Water Act .............................................................................................................................. 11 2.2.5 Public Lands Act ................................................................................................................... 11 2.2.6 Historical Resources Act ...................................................................................................... 12 2.2.7 Wildlife Act ............................................................................................................................ 12 2.2.8 Provincial Parks Act .............................................................................................................. 12 2.2.9 Wilderness Areas, Ecological Reserves, Natural Areas and Heritage Rangelands Act ...... 12 2.3 Other Pertinent Regulatory-Related Information ............................................................................... 12 3. Protected Areas and Land Use ................................................................................................. 14 3.1 Parks .................................................................................................................................................. 14 3.1.1 Provincial Parks .................................................................................................................... 14 3.1.2 Wildland Provincial Parks ..................................................................................................... 14 3.1.3 Provincial Recreation Areas ................................................................................................. 14 3.2 Wilderness Areas, Ecological Reserves, Natural Areas, and Heritage Rangelands......................... 14 3.2.1 Natural Areas ........................................................................................................................ 15 3.2.2 Heritage Rangeland .............................................................................................................. 15 3.2.3 Ecological Reserves ............................................................................................................. 15 3.3 Rocky Mountain Forest Reserve ....................................................................................................... 15 3.4 Key Range Layers ............................................................................................................................ 15 3.5 Key Wildlife Layers .......................................................................................................................... 16 3.6 Eastern Slopes Land Use Zones .................................................................................................... 16 3.7 Environmentally Significant Areas ................................................................................................ 17 Rpt-2014-07-04-App_J_Environmental Overview For Highwood River Basin .Docx AECOM Alberta Flood Recovery Task Force Environmental Overview for Highwood River Basin 4. Terrain and Soils ........................................................................................................................ 18 4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 18 4.2 Methods: ........................................................................................................................................... 18 4.2.1 Soil ........................................................................................................................................ 18 4.2.2 Soil Agricultural Capability .................................................................................................... 19 4.2.3 Soil Handling Issues ............................................................................................................. 22 4.2.4 Soil Suitability for Reclamation ............................................................................................. 22 4.2.5 Terrain .................................................................................................................................. 23 4.3 Results .............................................................................................................................................. 24 4.3.1 Terrain .................................................................................................................................. 25 4.3.2 Soil ........................................................................................................................................ 26 4.3.3 Agricultural Capability ........................................................................................................... 27 4.3.4 Soil Suitability for Reclamation ............................................................................................. 28 4.4 Discussion ......................................................................................................................................... 30 4.4.1 Soil ........................................................................................................................................ 30 4.4.2 Agricultural Capability ........................................................................................................... 30 4.4.3 Soil Suitability for Reclamation and Handling ....................................................................... 31 5. Vegetation .................................................................................................................................. 35 5.1 Methods ............................................................................................................................................. 35 5.1.1 Desktop Review .................................................................................................................... 35 5.2 Characteristic Vegetation Communities ............................................................................................ 35 5.2.1 Grassland Natural Region .................................................................................................... 35 5.2.2 Parkland Natural Region .....................................................................................................