Phase 1 Desktop Assessment Environment Report TOWNSHIP OF IGNACE, ONTARIO APM-REP-06144-0010 NOVEMBER 2013 This report has been prepared under contract to the NWMO. The report has been reviewed by the NWMO, but the views and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the NWMO. All copyright and intellectual property rights belong to the NWMO. For more information, please contact: Nuclear Waste Management Organization 22 St. Clair Avenue East, Sixth Floor Toronto, Ontario M4T 2S3 Canada Tel 416.934.9814 Toll Free 1.866.249.6966 Email [email protected] www.nwmo.ca November 2013 PHASE 1 DESKTOP ASSESSMENT Environment Report Township of Ignace, Ontario Submitted to: Nuclear Waste Management Organization 22 St. Clair Avenue East, 6th Floor Toronto, Ontario M4T 2S3 T R O P E Report No: 12-1152-0026 (4001) NWMO Report No: APM-REP-06144-0010 Distribution: R pdf Copy - NWMO pdf Copy - Golder Associates Ltd. ENVIRONMENT REPORT - TOWNSHIP OF IGNACE, ONTARIO Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 COMMUNITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ...................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Communities ........................................................................................................................................................ 3 2.2 Infrastructure........................................................................................................................................................ 3 2.3 Protected Areas ................................................................................................................................................... 4 2.3.1 Parks and Reserves ....................................................................................................................................... 4 2.3.2 Heritage Sites ................................................................................................................................................ 4 2.4 Land Use ............................................................................................................................................................. 5 3.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................................................ 7 3.1 Physiography ....................................................................................................................................................... 7 3.2 Geology ............................................................................................................................................................... 7 3.2.1 Bedrock Geology............................................................................................................................................ 7 3.2.2 Quaternary Geology ....................................................................................................................................... 7 3.3 Natural Environment ............................................................................................................................................ 7 3.3.1 Natural Environment Overview ...................................................................................................................... 7 3.3.2 Natural Areas ................................................................................................................................................. 8 3.3.3 Terrestrial Features and Wildlife .................................................................................................................... 8 3.3.4 Aquatic Features and Fish ............................................................................................................................. 9 3.3.5 Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Species ............................................................................. 10 3.3.6 Aboriginal Interests and Traditional Knowledge ........................................................................................... 11 3.4 Background Environmental Conditions .............................................................................................................. 12 3.4.1 Air Quality .................................................................................................................................................... 12 3.4.2 Background Radiation .................................................................................................................................. 12 3.4.3 Soil Quality ................................................................................................................................................... 13 3.4.4 Water Quality ............................................................................................................................................... 13 3.4.5 Lake Sediment Chemistry ............................................................................................................................ 13 3.4.6 Potential Sources of Pollutants .................................................................................................................... 13 3.5 Surface Water Hydrology ................................................................................................................................... 14 November 2013 Report No. 12-1152-0026 (4001) APM-REP-06144-0010 i ENVIRONMENT REPORT - TOWNSHIP OF IGNACE, ONTARIO 3.6 Groundwater and Wells ..................................................................................................................................... 15 3.6.1 Overburden Aquifers .................................................................................................................................... 15 3.6.2 Bedrock Aquifers .......................................................................................................................................... 15 3.7 Climate and Meteorology ................................................................................................................................... 16 3.7.1 Temperature ................................................................................................................................................ 16 3.7.2 Precipitation ................................................................................................................................................. 16 3.7.3 Wind ............................................................................................................................................................. 16 3.8 Natural Hazards ................................................................................................................................................. 17 3.8.1 Earthquakes and Seismicity ......................................................................................................................... 17 3.8.2 Tornadoes and Hurricanes ........................................................................................................................... 17 3.8.3 Drought and Flooding ................................................................................................................................... 17 3.8.4 Snow and Ice ............................................................................................................................................... 18 3.8.5 Forest Fires and Lightning ........................................................................................................................... 18 3.8.6 Landslides and Tsunamis ............................................................................................................................ 18 4.0 SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................................................... 19 5.0 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................................ 21 TABLES Table 1: Population Statistics for the Ignace Area ...................................................................................................................... 3 Table 2: Potential Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Species in the Ignace Area ............................................... 10 Table 3: NPRI Regional Sources of Air Emissions ................................................................................................................... 12 Table 4: Registered Landfills in the Ignace Area ...................................................................................................................... 14 Table 5: Water Well Record Summary for the Ignace Area...................................................................................................... 15 Table 6: Monthly Wind Normals for Atikokan, Ontario .............................................................................................................. 17 FIGURES (IN ORDER FOLLOWING TEXT) Figure 1: Ignace and Surrounding Lands Figure 2: Satellite Imagery of the Ignace Area Figure 3: Ignace Area Land Ownership Figure 4: Ignace – Parks and Protected Lands Figure 5: Forest Management Units of the Ignace Area Figure 6: Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the Ignace Area November 2013 Report No. 12-1152-0026 (4001) APM-REP-06144-0010 ii ENVIRONMENT REPORT - TOWNSHIP OF IGNACE, ONTARIO Figure 7: Bedrock Geology of the Ignace Area Figure 8: Quaternary Geology of the Ignace Area Figure 9: Ignace – Terrestrial Ecology Figure 10: Ignace – Aquatic Ecology Figure 11: Ignace – Background Radiation Levels Figure 12: Ignace Surface Water Drainage and Water Wells Figure 13: Atikokan 1971-2000 Temperature Data Summary Figure 14: Atikokan 1971-2000 Precipitation Data Summary Figure 15: Annual and Seasonal Wind Rose No table of figures entries found. November 2013 Report No. 12-1152-0026 (4001) APM-REP-06144-0010 iii ENVIRONMENT REPORT - TOWNSHIP OF IGNACE, ONTARIO November 2013 Report No. 12-1152-0026 (4001) APM-REP-06144-0010 iv ENVIRONMENT REPORT - TOWNSHIP OF IGNACE, ONTARIO 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Township of Ignace in northwestern Ontario is considering hosting a facility to manage Canada’s Used Nuclear Fuel through the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s (NWMO) Adaptive Phased Management Site Selection Process (NWMO, 2010). This process is seeking to find a site for a deep geological repository that will provide safe long-term containment and isolation with an informed and willing host community. The process is presently at an early stage. Part of the process is focussed on determining if there are environmental features that would preclude the potential for a facility to be constructed in the vicinity of Ignace. To this end, this report provides a general description of the environment in the Township of Ignace and surrounding area. It is complemented by reports prepared in parallel which characterize the geoscientific conditions and community well-being profile of the area. These reports are summarized, with other information, in an integrated Preliminary Assessment Report. This report is not an environmental assessment. Its purpose is to provide a high level description of the current human and natural environment based on readily available sources of data. Additional detailed information for specific locations will be sought at subsequent phases of the work. The area considered here is similar to that used for the Phase I Geoscientific Desktop Assessment for Ignace. This area is shown on Figure 1, and includes the Township of Ignace, as well as areas to the north, south, east and west of this Township. November 2013 Report No. 12-1152-0026 (4001) APM-REP-06144-0010 1 ENVIRONMENT REPORT - TOWNSHIP OF IGNACE, ONTARIO November 2013 Report No. 12-1152-0026 (4001) APM-REP-06144-0010 2