Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program Site C Clean Energy Project December 22, 2015 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program Site C Clean Energy Project Table of Contents Revision History ....................................................................................................................................3 1.0 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program .............................................. 4 2.0 Background ................................................................................................................................5 3.0 Objective and Scope .................................................................................................................. 5 4.0 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring ................................................................................... 8 4.1 Overview of Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring Programs .............................................. 13 4.2 Analyses Supporting Development of the Monitoring Plan ........................................................ 17 4.2.1 Power Analysis ..............................................................................................................17 4.2.2 Diagnostic Tools ............................................................................................................18 4.3 Indicator Summaries ................................................................................................................. 18 4.3.1 Bull Trout Summary .......................................................................................................21 4.3.2 Kokanee Summary ........................................................................................................25 4.3.3 Mountain Whitefish ........................................................................................................27 4.3.4 Goldeye Summary .........................................................................................................29 4.3.5 Walleye Summary ..........................................................................................................31 4.3.6 Fish Community Status Summary ..................................................................................33 5.0 Procedure to Evaluate and Implement Future Compensation Actions ...................................... 36 5.1 Tributary Mitigation Opportunities Evaluation ............................................................................ 37 6.0 Implementation and Reporting .................................................................................................. 37 7.0 Qualified Professionals ............................................................................................................. 37 8.0 Revisions to the Plan ................................................................................................................ 38 9.0 References ............................................................................................................................... 38 Appendices Appendix A – Mon-1a Site C Reservoir Fish Community Monitoring Program Appendix B – Mon-1b Site C Reservoir Tributaries Fish Community and Spawning Monitoring Program Appendix C – Mon-2 Peace River Fish Community Monitoring Program Appendix D – Mon-3 Peace River Physical Habitat Monitoring Program Appendix E – Mon-4 Site C Reservoir Riparian Vegetation Monitoring Program Page 1 of 40 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program Site C Clean Energy Project Appendix F – Mon-5 Peace River Riparian Vegetation Monitoring Program Appendix G – Mon-6 Site C Reservoir Fish Food Organisms Monitoring Program Appendix H – Mon-7 Peace River Fish Food Organisms Monitoring Program Appendix I – Mon-8 Site C Reservoir Water and Sediment Quality Monitoring Program Appendix J – Mon-9 Peace River Water and Sediment Quality Monitoring Program Appendix K – Mon-10 Site C Fish Entrainment Monitoring Program Appendix L – Mon-11 Site C TDG Monitoring Program Appendix M – Mon-12 Site C Fish Stranding Monitoring Program Appendix N – Mon-13 Site C Fishway Effectiveness Monitoring Program Appendix O – Mon-14 Site C Trap and Haul Fish Release Location Monitoring Appendix P – Mon-15 Site C Small Fish Translocation Monitoring Appendix Q – Mon-16 Site C Reservoir Constructed Shallow Water Habitat Areas Monitoring Program Appendix R - Mon-17 Peace River Water Level Fluctuation Monitoring Program Appendix S – Tributary Mitigation Opportunities Evaluation Program Appendix T – Fisheries and Aquatic Monitoring and Follow-up Program Background Acronyms AB Alberta CEMP Construction Environmental Management Plan DFO Department of Fisheries and Oceans EAC Environmental Assessment Certificate EAO BC Environmental Assessment Office EIS Environmental Impact Statement FAHMFP Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program FLNR BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations LAA Local Assessment Area MOE BC Ministry of Environment QEP Qualified Environmental Professional Page 2 of 40 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program Site C Clean Energy Project Revision History Version Date Comments draft October 23, 2015 draft Dec 15, 2015 Address agency and FN comments Page 3 of 40 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program Site C Clean Energy Project 1.0 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program This Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program (FAHMFP) has been developed in accordance with the Condition 7 of the Environmental Assessment Certificate (EAC). The Conditions in the EAC contemplate three plans and programs that relate to fish and fish habitat. These are summarized below to provide context for the FAHMFP. 1) Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Management Plan: Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Management Plan (submitted to the CEA Agency and BCEAO in June 2015) in accordance with EAC Condition 4 and federal Decision Statement Condition 8 includes standard mitigation measures (e.g., erosion and sediment control measures) described in the CEMP and project-specific mitigation measures (e.g. reservoir shoreline habitat enhancement works and capping of dam site material relocation site with fish habitat features). 2) Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program: The FAHMFP is a requirement of EAC condition 7 and is described below. 3) Fish Passage Management Plan: The Fish Passage Management Plan included in the EIS (Volume 2 Appendix Q) describes the approach to manage fish passage. Following EAC condition 6, a Fish Passage Management Plan, which will include updates since submission of the EIS, will be prepared by QEPs and submitted prior to Project activities that may affect upstream fish passage. The EIS (Volume 2 Section 12) identified the river diversion phase of construction as the first Project activity that is expected to affect upstream fish passage. The planned monitoring for fish movement and fish passage is described in this FAHMFP. Condition 7 of the EAC requires development and implementation of a FAHMFP that provides for:1 a) monitoring fish and fish habitat during construction and operation of the Site C Clean Energy Project (the Project), and b) an outline for a procedure to evaluate and implement future mitigation and compensation options during operation of the Project. The types of monitoring and the outline of procedures for evaluation and implementation required by Condition 7 of the EAC are provided for in this FAHMFP. The monitoring will provide information that can be used to assess the effectiveness of the mitigation measures described in Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Management Plan. The types of monitoring required by Condition 7 are provided for in this FAHMFP through a Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring Program (Monitoring Plan) which consists of 18 spatially and logistically distinct monitoring programs. Those 18 monitoring programs are also provided for in the Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Management Plan. That plan was submitted to the CEA Agency and BCEAO in June 2015 in accordance with EAC Condition 4 and federal Decision Statement Condition 8. An outline of the procedure to evaluate and implement future mitigation and compensation options during operation of the Project is provided in Section 5 of this FAHFMP. As described further, below, the information collected from the Monitoring Plan provided for in this FAHMFP will be taken into account in the evaluation and implementation of future mitigation and compensation options. 1 The requirements under Condition 7 of the EAC are listed in Section 3 of this FAHMFP Page 4 of 40 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program Site C Clean Energy Project 2.0 Background On October 14, 2014, the Minister of Environment of Canada issued a Decision Statement confirming that, while the Project has the potential to result in some significant adverse effects including significant effects on fish and fish habitat, the Federal Cabinet has concluded that those effects are justified in the circumstances. The Decision Statement was re-issued on November 25, 2014. The Decision Statement sets out the conditions under which the Project can proceed. Further, the Provincial Ministers of Environment and of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations for British Columbia decided that the Project is in the public interest and that the benefits provided by the Project outweigh the risks of significant adverse environmental, social and heritage effects2. The Ministers have issued an Environmental Assessment Certificate setting conditions under which the Project can proceed. See Appendix S for additional background including 1) Site C Clean Energy Project, 2) Project Benefits, 3) Environmental Assessment Process, 4) Environmental Assessment Findings, 5) Environmental Assessment Conclusion, 6) Fish and Fish Habitat Valued Component, 7) Consultation 8) Fish and Fish Habitat Baseline Conditions, and 9) Potential Effects of the Project on Fish and Fish Habitat. 3.0 Objective and Scope The objective and scope of the Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program (FAHMFP) is to set out the monitoring and procedures that will be implemented as required by Condition 7 of the EAC. The monitoring and procedures provided for in this FAHMFP and the requirements of Condition 7 are described in the table 1 below. Table 1. EAC fish and fish habitat requirements and FAHMFP reference. EAC Requirement Plan Reference Condition FISH AND FISH HABITAT 7 The EAC Holder must develop a Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program to assess the effectiveness of measures to mitigate Project effects on healthy fish populations in the Peace River and tributaries, and, if recommended by a QEP or FLNR, to assess the need to adjust those measures to adequately mitigate the Project’s effects. The Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring This requirement is addressed in Section and Follow-up Program must be developed by 9.0 of this FAHMFP, Qualified 2 Available at: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2014/10/site-c-project-granted-environmental-assessment- approval.html Page 5 of 40 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program Site C Clean Energy Project EAC Requirement Plan Reference Condition a QEP. Professionals. The program must include monitoring during construction for at least the following: • Effectiveness of standard mitigation These requirements are addressed in Mon- measures for reducing sedimentation and 3 Peace River Physical Habitat Monitoring fish stranding in the construction Program and Mon-12 Site C Fish Stranding headpond and proximal reach of the river Monitoring Program which are included as downstream of the dam. Appendices C and M, respectively to this FAHMFP • Accuracy of predictions about physical This requirement is addressed in Mon-3 changes to habitat in the reservoir area Peace River Physical Habitat Monitoring during the development and operation of Program, which is included as Appendix C the construction headpond during the to this FAHMFP. diversion stage of the Project. • Documenting, at an appropriate scale, This requirement is addressed in Mon-3 spatial and temporal changes occurring Peace River Physical Habitat Monitoring in physical environmental conditions Program which is included as Appendix C resulting from headpond hydrology, and to this FAHMFP. in localized areas in relation to the effects of construction activities and mitigation procedures. • Effectiveness of mitigation measures These requirements are addressed in Mon- for management of predicted effects of 3 Peace River Physical Habitat Monitoring sediment and fish stranding, and Mon-12 and Site C Fish Stranding provide information required to adjust Monitoring included as Appendices C and the mitigation program to reduce M to this FAHMFP. unforeseen adverse effects, as required. • Total dissolved gas. This requirement is addressed in Mon-11 Site C Total Dissolved Gas Monitoring Program, which is included as Appendix L to this FAHMFP. • Fish habitat areas where periodic This requirement is addressed in Mon-12 exposure of side channel and Site C Fish Stranding Monitoring Program, mainstream margins occurs as a result which is included as Appendix M to this of water fluctuations. FAHMFP. The Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program must include monitoring during operations for a period of twenty years for at least the following: • Continued effectiveness of This requirement will be met through environmental protection measures implementation of the Site C Fisheries and undertaken during construction to Aquatic Habitat Monitoring Program as mitigate effects on fish and fish habitat. described in FAHMFP Section 6 and the supporting monitoring plans, which are Page 6 of 40 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program Site C Clean Energy Project EAC Requirement Plan Reference Condition included as Appendices A - Q of this FAHMFP. • Total dissolved gas. This requirement is addressed in Mon-11 Site C Total Dissolved Gas Monitoring Program, which is included as Appendix L to this FAHMFP. • Meeting monitoring commitments as per This requirement is addressed in: the Fish Passage Management Plan. 1) Mon-13 Site C Fishway Effectiveness Monitoring, 2) Mon-14 Site C Trap and Haul Fish Release Location Monitoring Program; 3) and MON-15 Site C Small Fish Species Translocation Monitoring Program These monitoring plans are included as Appendices N – P to this FAHMFP. • Implement on-site monitoring of fish These requirements are addressed in Mon- habitat areas in the side channel and 3 Peace River Physical Habitat Monitoring mainstream margins, resulting from and Mon-12 Site C Fish Stranding water fluctuations. Monitoring, which are included as Appendices C and M to this FAHMFP. • Fish and fish habitat productivity, for This requirement is addressed in: reservoir, reservoir tributaries, and for 1) Mon-1a Site C Reservoir Fish downstream Peace River. Community Monitoring Program 2) Mon-1b Site C Reservoir Tributaries Fish Community and Spawning Monitoring Program 3) Mon-2 Peace River Fish Community Monitoring Program 4) Mon-3 Peace River Physical Habitat Monitoring Program 5) Mon-4 Site C Reservoir Riparian Vegetation Monitoring Program 6) Mon-5 Peace River Riparian Vegetation Monitoring Program 7) Mon-6 Site C Reservoir Fish Food Organisms Monitoring Program 8) Mon-7 Peace River Fish Food Organisms Monitoring Program 9) Mon-8 Site C Reservoir Water and Sediment Quality Monitoring Program 10) Mon-9 Peace River Water and Sediment Quality Monitoring Program The monitoring plans are included as Appendices A – J to this FAHMFP. The Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring This requirement is addressed in Section Page 7 of 40 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program Site C Clean Energy Project EAC Requirement Plan Reference Condition and Follow-up Program must outline a 7.0 of this FAHMFP, Framework to procedure for evaluating future mitigation and Implement Future Compensation Actions. compensation options after reservoir development and follow-up monitoring, as well as procedures for how compensation options that are technically and economically feasible will be implemented. The Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring This requirement is addressed in Section and Follow-up Program reporting must occur 8.0 of this FAHMFP, Implementation and at least annually during construction and Reporting. operations beginning 180 days following commencement of construction and operations phases, or in accordance with the applicable Fisheries Act authorization(s). The EAC Holder must provide the draft Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program to FLNR, MOE and Aboriginal Groups for review within 90 days following the commencement of the construction and operations phases. The EAC Holder must file this final Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program with EAO, FLN, MOE and Aboriginal Groups within 150 days following the commencement of the construction and operations phases. The EAC Holder must develop, implement and adhere to the final Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program, and any amendments, to the satisfaction of EAO. 4.0 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring The following sections provide an overview of the Monitoring Plan and the general layout, which is organized into 18 spatially and logistically distinct monitoring programs. The specifics of each of the 18 monitoring programs are discussed within the programs themselves which are included as Appendices A - R, and provide further rationale for the proposed monitoring tasks through a series of Fisheries Management Questions, hypotheses, and tasks used to address these hypotheses. An indicator-specific summary of the Monitoring Plan is presented to allow orientation to a particular key indicator such as Bull Trout or Mountain Whitefish. The framework of a plan (Monitoring Plan) for monitoring of physical habitat, lower trophic levels, fish abundance, and community composition during construction and operations, as required by Condition 7, is described below. Page 8 of 40 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring and Follow-up Program Site C Clean Energy Project The framework has been developed in consideration of baseline data as well as provincial and federal objectives for the area. Many of the baseline studies conducted for the environmental assessment of the Project were developed with future monitoring in mind such that the sample sites and methodologies could be repeated to monitor potential changes to fish and fish habitat during construction and operation of the Project. This framework for monitoring is expressed as a series of questions (see Table 2). Note that a procedure for the evaluation and implementation of future mitigation and compensation options is described in the section of this Plan which follows. Table 2. Framework for Site C Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Monitoring. Questions about the Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Where are the answers? Monitoring Program What are federal and provincial objectives for the BC Government 2009; Peace River? BC Government 2011; Fisheries Act Requirements What are the potential changes due to Site C? Baseline data collection; EIS predictions; F Conceptual models of fish species is h indicators S Where/how will we monitor for these changes and Monitoring Programs (Fisheries p e c evaluate the effectiveness of Project mitigation Management Questions, ie measures? Hypotheses) s I n How well can we detect changes? Power Analysis (Ma et al. 2014) ; d What are possible causes of observed changes Diagnostic Tool ( Compass and ic a (both Site C and others)? ESSA 2015) to r What can be done to mitigate for and/or offset Fish Passage Management Plan; S u effects of the Project? Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat m m Management Plan; a Tributary Mitigation Opportunities rie Evaluation Program; s Harvest Management How will decisions on future mitigation actions as FAHMFP Section 7.0, Framework well as revisions to the Monitoring Plan be made to Implement Future with input? Compensation Actions The following sections explain the rationale used in developing the Monitoring Plan, the structure of the Monitoring Plan, the tools used to refine the Monitoring Plan (Power Analysis and Diagnostic Tool), and concise summaries of how the monitoring programs that comprise the Monitoring Plan relate to key fish species indicators. The flow of information used in developing the Monitoring Plan is described in Figure 1. The Peace River area affected by the Project (Site C Local Assessment Area; LAA) was characterized using baseline monitoring information. This baseline information helped inform provincial objectives, which are reported in BC Government (2009) and BC Government (2011; Figure 2). The EIS defines the Site C impact pathways and predictions about indicator status and trends taking into account First Nations input and associated traditional ecological knowledge received during the EIS development and consultation process. The Monitoring Plan has been designed to monitor certain changes to fish and fish habitat that may result from the Project, as required by EAC Condition 7. The Monitoring Plan includes a Page 9 of 40