PÉRIBONKA HYDROELECTRIC POWER PROJECT CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ACT COMPREHENSIVE STUDY REPORT PREPARED BY FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA QUEBEC REGION JANUARY 2004 Canada Canadian Environmental Assessment Act Comprehensive Study Report Péribonka Hydroelectric Power Project General information Date: January 2004 Proponent: Hydro-Québec Project Type: Péribonka Hydroelectric Power Project Trigger(s): Fisheries Act, subsection 35(2) Navigable Waters Protection Act, section 5(1) Responsible Authority: Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada Study Type: Comprehensive Study Report pursuant to the Comprehensive List Study Regulations Fisheries and Oceans Canada ii January 2004 Quebec Region Canadian Environmental Assessment Act Comprehensive Study Report Péribonka Hydroelectric Power Project Summary Hydro-Québec plans to build a new facility on the Péribonka River including a run-of- river generating station with an estimated installed capacity of 385 MW. The rationale for this hydroelectric power project on the Péribonka River is based on the initiatives of Hydro-Québec's strategic plan for 2002-2006. Among the various options reviewed for the positioning of the structures (4 alternatives), the alternative located at KP 151.8 was determined to be the most economically and technically advantageous solution while also proving to be environmentally and socially acceptable. The project provides for the construction of a dam 80 m high, two dikes and one spillway with a capacity of 4 900 m3/s immediately upstream of the mouth of the Manouane River. These structures would create a reservoir 35 km in length with a surface area of up to 31.62 km2. The proposed generating station would be located between the Chute-des-Passes station and the Chute-du-Diable station, and its management would be linked with that of the Chute- des-Passes station. The level of the reservoir would be maintained close to its maximum level of 244.2 m to optimize hydroelectric production. The generating station would be integrated into the Hydro-Québec transmission network via a 161 kV biternate line approximately 120 km long. The underground generating station would be accessible from the Chute-des-Passes Road via a permanent road, 25.6 km long, whose first segment would follow the imprint of existing forest roads. The project's main impacts would arise from the construction of the reservoir, the encroachment caused by the various facilities as well as changes in hydrological conditions. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has determined that the project would cause fish habitat losses requiring an authorization under subsection 35(2) of the Fisheries Act (FA), which triggers the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA). Several of the structures to be built in navigable waters would also require the issuing of formal approval under the Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA), which is also a trigger of the CEAA. Thus, DFO has prepared this report in consultation with the Federal Authorities concerned (Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Health Canada, Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Parks Canada). This report fulfills the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ (DFO) obligation as a Responsible Authority established under the CEAA, to conduct an assessment of the project’s environmental effects in consultation with other Federal Authorities who have the appropriate expertise. The report presents the assessment of the project's effects on the Valued Environment Components: ichthyofauna and fish habitat; avifauna, wetlands, human health (quality of drinking water and consumption of fishery products), navigation, recreational use, use of resources by non-Aboriginals (fishing), current use of lands and resources for traditional purposes by Aboriginals (trapping, subsistence fishing; and heritage sites). The environmental assessment also includes study of effects caused by potential accidents or malfunctions and the cumulative effects that the project, Fisheries and Oceans Canada iii January 2004 Quebec Region Canadian Environmental Assessment Act Comprehensive Study Report Péribonka Hydroelectric Power Project combined with the existence of other structures or other projects or activities, is likely to have on the environment. Considering the proposed mitigation and compensation measures, and the follow-up program, as well as the proponent’s commitments, DFO has determined that the proposed project, as defined by the scope of the study, is not likely to cause significant negative environmental effects. Fisheries and Oceans Canada iv January 2004 Quebec Region Canadian Environmental Assessment Act Comprehensive Study Report Péribonka Hydroelectric Power Project Table of contents General information ......................................................................................................... ii Summary........................................................................................................................... iii Table of contents ...............................................................................................................v List of tables.................................................................................................................... viii 1 Introduction.............................................................................................................. 1 2 Project description................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Project context and rationale.......................................................................... 3 2.2 Facility alternatives reviewed ........................................................................ 4 2.3 Chosen alternative.......................................................................................... 8 2.3.1 Infrastructures .................................................................................... 8 2.3.2 Reservoir operating level ................................................................... 9 2.4 Permanent access road ................................................................................. 10 2.4.1 Chosen alternative............................................................................ 10 2.5 Temporary access road ................................................................................ 11 2.6 Cost and schedule of the undertaking .......................................................... 11 2.6.1 Cost ........................................................................................ 11 2.6.2 Schedule ........................................................................................ 11 3 Environmental assessment and applicable regulations...................................... 12 4 Scope of the environmental assessment ............................................................... 13 4.1 Scope of the project ..................................................................................... 13 4.2 Aspects for review ....................................................................................... 13 4.3 Study area..................................................................................................... 14 5 Public hearings....................................................................................................... 14 5.1 Hydro-Québec communications program and provincial public hearings .. 14 5.1.1 Hydro-Québec communications program........................................ 14 5.1.2 Provincial public hearings................................................................ 15 5.1.3 Concerns and issues raised by the community ................................ 15 5.1.4 Measures taken by the proponent with respect to the concerns expressed by the public.................................................................... 19 5.2 Public consultations under the Navigable Waters Protection Act ............... 20 5.3 Public consultations under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act .. 20 5.4 Consultations with Aboriginal groups ......................................................... 21 5.4.1 General concerns raised by the Mashteuiatsh community............... 21 5.4.2 Concerns raised by owners of trapping grounds.............................. 21 5.4.3 Measures adopted by the proponent with respect to Aboriginal concerns ........................................................................................ 22 6 Current state of the environment ......................................................................... 24 6.1 Physical environment................................................................................... 24 6.1.1 Hydrology and hydrodynamics........................................................ 24 6.1.2 Riverbed and bank stability ............................................................. 25 6.1.3 Thermal and Ice regimes.................................................................. 26 6.1.4 Water quality.................................................................................... 27 Fisheries and Oceans Canada v January 2004 Quebec Region Canadian Environmental Assessment Act Comprehensive Study Report Péribonka Hydroelectric Power Project 6.2 Biological environment................................................................................ 28 6.2.1 Riparian and aquatic vegetation....................................................... 28 6.2.1.1 Terrestrial habitat........................................................... 28 6.2.1.2 Wetlands .......................................................................