Mackenzie Valley Highway Environmental Scoping Document January 2013 Department of Transportation, Government of the NWT Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Project Number: 123510598 Mackenzie Valley Highway Environmental Scoping Document Table of Contents January 2013 Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 PROJECT OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 PROJECT APPROVALS............................................................................................................... 1-3 1.3 PURPOSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING DOCUMENT............................................... 1-5 2 PROJECT BACKGROUND .......................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 PURPOSE OF THE MVH PROJECT ........................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 PREVIOUS STUDIES ................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.3 PROPONENT ............................................................................................................................... 2-3 3 DEVELOPMENT SCOPE ............................................................................................................. 3-1 3.1 DEVELOPMENT LOCATION ....................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 PREFERRED ALIGNMENT AND ALTERNATIVES ..................................................................... 3-2 3.3 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS ..................................................................................................... 3-11 3.3.1 Operational Design Parameters ................................................................................. 3-11 3.3.2 Site Specific Considerations ....................................................................................... 3-11 3.3.3 Incorporation of Traditional Knowledge ...................................................................... 3-12 3.4 DEVELOPMENT PHASES AND SCHEDULE ............................................................................ 3-13 3.4.1 Pre-Construction ......................................................................................................... 3-13 3.4.2 Construction ................................................................................................................ 3-14 3.4.3 Operation and Maintenance ....................................................................................... 3-15 3.5 HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION APPROACH................................................................................ 3-15 3.5.1 Embankment Construction ......................................................................................... 3-17 3.5.2 Watercourse Crossings .............................................................................................. 3-19 3.5.3 Borrow Sources .......................................................................................................... 3-21 3.5.3.1 Gwich’in Segment ................................................................................... 3-22 3.5.3.2 K’ahsho Got’ine Segment ....................................................................... 3-23 3.5.3.3 Tulita Segment ........................................................................................ 3-25 3.5.3.4 Dehcho Segment..................................................................................... 3-26 3.5.4 Support Infrastructure and Activities ........................................................................... 3-28 3.5.4.1 Camps and Maintenance Areas .............................................................. 3-28 3.5.4.2 Staging Areas .......................................................................................... 3-28 3.5.4.3 Access/Haul Roads ................................................................................. 3-29 3.5.4.4 Airstrips and Helipads ............................................................................. 3-29 3.5.4.5 Barge Landings ....................................................................................... 3-29 3.5.4.6 Explosives ............................................................................................... 3-30 3.5.4.7 Fuel and Fuel Storage ............................................................................. 3-30 3.5.4.8 Water Use ............................................................................................... 3-31 3.5.4.9 Waste Management ................................................................................ 3-31 3.6 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE ......................................................................................... 3-33 3.7 PROGRESSIVE CLOSURE AND RECLAMATION .................................................................... 3-33 4 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 BIOPHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................................. 4-1 4.1.1 Climate and Climate Change ........................................................................................ 4-1 4.1.2 Air Quality ..................................................................................................................... 4-2 i Mackenzie Valley Highway Environmental Scoping Document Table of Contents January 2013 4.1.3 Terrain ........................................................................................................................... 4-2 4.1.4 Permafrost and Ground Ice .......................................................................................... 4-3 4.1.5 Vegetation ..................................................................................................................... 4-3 4.1.5.1 Taiga Plains Ecozone ............................................................................... 4-4 4.1.5.2 Taiga Cordillera Ecozone .......................................................................... 4-5 4.1.5.3 Rare Plants ................................................................................................ 4-5 4.1.6 Wildlife .......................................................................................................................... 4-6 4.1.6.1 Barren- Ground Caribou ............................................................................ 4-7 4.1.6.2 Woodland Caribou, Boreal Population ...................................................... 4-8 4.1.6.3 Moose ........................................................................................................ 4-8 4.1.6.4 Grizzly and Black Bears ............................................................................ 4-8 4.1.6.5 Wolf ........................................................................................................... 4-9 4.1.6.6 Red Fox and Arctic Fox ............................................................................. 4-9 4.1.6.7 Wolverine .................................................................................................. 4-9 4.1.6.8 Lynx ........................................................................................................... 4-9 4.1.6.9 Marten ..................................................................................................... 4-10 4.1.6.10 Beaver and Muskrat ................................................................................ 4-10 4.1.7 Birds ............................................................................................................................ 4-10 4.1.7.1 Waterfowl and Waterbirds ....................................................................... 4-10 4.1.7.2 Raptors .................................................................................................... 4-12 4.1.7.3 Upland Birds ............................................................................................ 4-12 4.1.8 Amphibians and Reptiles ............................................................................................ 4-13 4.1.9 Hydrology .................................................................................................................... 4-13 4.1.10 Fish and Fish Habitat .................................................................................................. 4-14 4.1.10.1 Burbot ...................................................................................................... 4-14 4.1.10.2 Lake Whitefish ......................................................................................... 4-18 4.1.10.3 Round Whitefish ...................................................................................... 4-18 4.1.10.4 Cisco ....................................................................................................... 4-18 4.1.10.5 Inconnu .................................................................................................... 4-18 4.1.10.6 Mountain Whitefish .................................................................................. 4-19 4.1.10.7 Northern Pike .......................................................................................... 4-19 4.1.10.8 Lake Trout ..............................................................................................