Great Bear River Bridge Construction Geotechnical and Granular Materials Investigation Project Description Report Government of the Northwest Territories – Department of Infrastructure January 2019 Table of Contents 1.0 APPLICANT’S NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS ................................................................................... 1 1.1 Applicant ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Contractor ..................................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 FIELD CONTACT ................................................................................................................................. 1 3.0 OTHER PERSONNEL ........................................................................................................................... 1 4.0 ELIGIBILITY ......................................................................................................................................... 1 4.1 Current Land Ownership ............................................................................................................... 1 5.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ...................................................................................................................... 2 5.1 Summary of Operation.................................................................................................................. 2 5.1.1 Purpose, Nature and Location .............................................................................................. 2 5.1.2 Access to Test Pit and Borehole Locations............................................................................ 5 5.1.3 Investigation of Sites by Drilling ............................................................................................ 6 5.1.4 Investigation of Granular Prospects by Test Pits .................................................................. 7 5.1.5 Investigation of Prospects by Geophysical Survey ................................................................ 7 5.1.6 Investigation Data ................................................................................................................. 7 5.1.7 Safety .................................................................................................................................... 8 5.2 Camps and Helicopter Landing Areas ........................................................................................... 8 6.0 SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND RESOURCE IMPACTS......................................... 9 6.1 Environment Overview ................................................................................................................. 9 6.1.1 Climate .................................................................................................................................. 9 6.1.2 Terrain ................................................................................................................................... 9 6.1.3 Water .................................................................................................................................... 9 6.1.4 Fish ........................................................................................................................................ 9 6.1.5 Vegetation ........................................................................................................................... 10 6.1.6 Wildlife ................................................................................................................................ 10 6.2 Potential Impacts ........................................................................................................................ 18 6.2.1 Air Quality ........................................................................................................................... 18 6.2.2 Noise ................................................................................................................................... 18 6.2.3 Climate Change ................................................................................................................... 19 6.2.4 Permafrost .......................................................................................................................... 19 6.2.5 Water Quality and Quantity ................................................................................................ 19 6.2.6 Hydrology ............................................................................................................................ 20 6.2.7 Fish and Fish Habitat ........................................................................................................... 21 6.2.8 Vegetation ........................................................................................................................... 21 6.2.9 Wildlife ................................................................................................................................ 21 6.2.10 General Wildlife Effect Mitigation ...................................................................................... 22 6.2.11 Archaeological Resources ................................................................................................... 25 6.2.12 Socio-Economic Effects ....................................................................................................... 25 6.2.13 Traditional Knowledge ........................................................................................................ 26 7.0 PROPOSED RESTORATION PLAN ..................................................................................................... 26 8.0 OTHER RIGHTS, LICENCE OR PERMITS ............................................................................................ 27 8.1 Land Use Permit .......................................................................................................................... 27 8.2 Water License.............................................................................................................................. 27 8.3 Solid Waste Disposal ................................................................................................................... 27 8.4 Access to Sahtu Lands ................................................................................................................. 27 8.5 Conformity Requirements, Sahtu Land Use Plan ........................................................................ 27 9.0 PROPOSED DISPOSAL METHODS .................................................................................................... 29 10.0 EQUIPMENT .................................................................................................................................... 29 11.0 FUELS ............................................................................................................................................... 31 12.0 CONTAINMENT FUEL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLANS ......................................................................... 31 13.0 METHODS OF FUEL TRANSFER ........................................................................................................ 32 14.0 PERIOD OF PERMIT ......................................................................................................................... 32 15.0 LOCATION OF ACTIVITIES BY MAP COORDINATES .......................................................................... 32 16.0 FEES ................................................................................................................................................. 32 17.0 CONSULTATION AND ENGAGEMENT .............................................................................................. 32 18.0 SUPPORTING STUDIES ..................................................................................................................... 33 18.1 Heritage and Archaeological Resources ..................................................................................... 33 19.0 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................... 33 List of Tables Table 5-1 Proposed Sites for Investigation ............................................................................................... 4 Table 6-1 Wildlife Species of Management Concern which may occur in the Project Area................... 16 Table 6-2 Wildlife Effects Mitigation ...................................................................................................... 23 Table 6-3 Archaeological and Heritage Resource Summary ................................................................... 25 Table 8-1 Sahtu Land Use Plan Conformity Requirements ..................................................................... 28 Table 10-1 Equipment List and Specifications ...................................................................................... 30 Table 11-1 Type, Amount and Location of Fuels and Major Tanks ....................................................... 31 List of Figures Figure 1 Proposed Investigation Sites .................................................................................................... 3 1.0 APPLICANT’S NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS 1.1 Applicant Department of Infrastructure (INF) Government of the Northwest Territories P.O. Box 1320 Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9 Attention: