Guideline for wetland establishment on reclaimed oil sands leases

4 Pages·2000·1.8 MB·English

by  Alberta. Environmental Sciences Division

March 2000
C&R/IL/00-2
Conservation and Reclamation
INFORMATION LETTER
Guideline for Wetland Establishment
on Reclaimed Oil Sands Leases
OVERVIEW CONRAD research projects (Canadian scapes, including wetlands on these
Oilsands Network for Research and De- landscapes. Operators must reclaim
velopment).
Wetlands are an integral part of natural disturbed land and in this process wet-
landscapes and will be an integral part of lands are required as an integral part of
The concepts and numerical values pre- the reclaimed landscape.
the reclaimed landscapes at oil sands sented in t he document represent the best
operations. available information at the time the Reclamation activities will be guided
The Guideline for Wetland Establish- report was completed. By necessity the and directed by existing policy, legisla-
ment on R eclaimed Oil Sands Leases guideline will be subject to further re- tion and p lanning initiatives, including:
provides an approach to the development view and refinement as new knowledge the Report and Recommendations of the
of wetlands on reclaimed landscapes in is g ained through research, pilot-scale Oil Sands End Land Use Committee, the
the oil sands region. It was developed tests, monitoring and experience with Fort McMurray- Athabasca Integrated
by the Oil Sands Wetlands Working using the guideline. Through adaptive Resource Plan, the Recommended Wet-
Group which had representation from management this new knowledge will be land Policy for Alberta, the Environ-
used to improve the process and methods mental Protection and Enhancement Act
government, industry, consulting, uni-
versity and aboriginal communities. for establishing wetlands at oil sands (EPEA), the Water Act and the Oil Sands
Strategy.
operations. Regional Sustainable Development
This Information Letter provides a b rief
introduction to the guideline and how it An overview of the various parts of the
will be used. More details are available guideline follows: EPEA requires oil sands operators to
in the full document, including its ap- reclaim disturbed land to an equivalent
1. Introduction
pendices. land capability that will support the in-
tended end land uses on the reclaimed
The guideline comprises seven main The Introduction highlights that wetlands
area. Consideration of the design and
parts (as well as references and a g los- are an important component of the natu-
requirements of wetlands must be an
sary): ral landscape in the Athabasca Oil Sands
Region. Bogs, fens, and marshes occur integral part of mine planning and de-
1 . Introduction sign, as well as mine closure planning.
throughout the area, with bog and fen
2. Background peatlands being the characteristic wet- The guideline presents an approach to
land type in the region. wetland reclamation in terms of:
3. Objectives of the Guideline for
Various Users Wetlands are integral components of • planning and design
4. Wetland Development Approach natural landscapes. They provide di- • development and management
verse habitats and productive environ-
5. Performance Assessment ments. Wetlands enhance environmental
• performance assessment
6. Reclamation Certification quality by increasing landscape diver- • reclamation certification
sity, providing habitat for a variety of
7. Research Recommendations
fish and wildlife species, protecting and
This approach will allow the establish-
A s et of appendices offers further infor- improving the quality of surface water ment of e cologically viable wetlands in
mation on natural wetlands in the oil and groundwater, controlling soil erosion
landscapes impacted by oil sands min-
sands region, landscape design consid- and providing flood control. In addition,
ing. Managers and technical staff re-
erations, hydrology and vegetation con- wetlands provide important economic
quire this information to design and de-
siderations, fish a nd wildlife considera- resources and heritage values, including velop wetlands and, subsequently, to
values associated with traditional land
tions, salinity, water quality from
evaluate them through performance as-
drained peatlands, constructed wetlands use.
sessment and certification. The guide-
for water treatment, traditional plants, Oil sands mining results in large-scale, line will be used to prepare and review
reclamation research priorities, and
extensive disturbance of natural land- applications for wetlands, to evaluate
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Page 1 of 4
performance, and to aid in the certifica- The creation of shallow marshes in the Aboriginal peoples use wetlands for sub-
tion process once reclamation of the reclaimed landscape is feasible and can sistence hunting, trapping, and food and
wetland is considered complete. The be done in a m anner that should provide medicinal plant collection, as well as for
guideline will also assist the public, in many functions and values comparable spiritual and cultural purposes. The de-
particular aboriginal communities, to to wetlands in the region. The ultimate sire and need to maintain their culture is
understand the function and value of closely linked to the ability to practice
objective is to provide sustainable, bio-
traditional activities even if they are not
wetlands and to participate in the estab- logically diverse and productive wet-
2 lishment ofw etlands on reclaimed land- lands in t he reclaimed landscape. Al- living a completely traditional life style.
scapes. though created wetlands will be different
The guideline provides discussion on
The guideline provides an engineering from pre-development wetlands, they subsistence activities, cultural heritage
should ensure a c ontinuation of tradi-
and biological approach, supported by and traditional use of reclaimed wet-
tional uses as much as possible. lands.
technical information, for the develop-
ment of t he wetland types that are likely There are a n umber of guiding principles
. to characterize the post-development that are essential to wetland develop- 3. Objectives of the Guideline
landscape at oil sands mines. The ment. These principles highlight: for Various Users
guideline does not provide, at the present
time, detailed criteria for certification of • recognition of wetland functions The general objectives of the guideline
are to:
reclaimed wetlands. It does, however, • recognition of wetland values
discuss the framework for certification
and provide draft interim reclamation • the importance of wetlands to abo- • promote understanding of wetland
establishment and successful recla-
criteria as a starting point for the further riginal communities mation
development of criteria. • the need to conserve wetlands
• provide for the sharing of knowl-
• the requirement for established edge among operators, government,
wetlands to be sustainable consultants, academic institutions,
The term “wetlands” as used in the tchoem mpuubnliitc y at large and the aboriginal
• the need for proper planning
guideline means “marshes” and “peat-
lands” and the connecting watercourses • the need for practical methods
between these wetlands. The document • foster the basis for communication
B
a does not address guidelines for creating • the need for adaptive management among oil sands developers
c
k
g lakes in the reclaimed landscape; how-
rou ever, the s hallow, littoral zones around • the neemednt an df rore c plearmaftoiromna n ccee rt iafsisceastsi-o n • prioritize and focus research
n lakes are considered in the guideline as In addition, the guideline will meet the
d criteria
one of the wetland types in the reclaimed needs of managers, technical staff,
landscape.
• recognition that constructed wet- regulatory agencies and aboriginal com-
The guideline recognizes that surface lands malya m aetixonh rielbeaiset w aetfefresc t sb u tf r owmi ll r ebce- and other msunitties, aas wkeelhlo l dase r slo.c al communities
mining of oil sand leases leads to signifi-
biologically active and inhabited by
cant alteration of landscape structure.
4. Wetland Development
Therefore, wetland reclamation goals a sustainable community of organ-
isms
will need to be compatible with condi-
tions in t his new landscape. Oil sands • the need to promote biological di- Approach
mining removes ecosystems on the versity and use native species The guidoeplmeinnt ea pp rpoarcoh v fiodre s c r etahtei n bga s iac v adreiveetly-
mined site and alters ecosystems off-site,
including the bog/fen ecosystem which The guideline provides an overview of of wetland types on a reclaimed land-
scape. Itd iscusses key functions and
dominates much of the wetland habitat in the government policy, regulatory re-
values of wetlands, landscape compo-
the oil sands region. quirements and p lanning initiatives that
relate to wetland reclamation in the oil nents, the g eneral approach to wetland
The peatlands that will be removed can- sands region. development, and the establishment of
not be r eplaced after mine closure since specific wetland types. The format in-
their development was the result of thou- The guideline specifically acknowledges cludes tables, flow charts and wetland
sands ofy ears of evolution. In addition, the traditional use of wetlands by abo-
planning sheets.
the characteristics of the post-mining riginal communities. Wetlands, includ-
landscape will not be conducive to the ing both marsh and peatland types, cover The design of wetlands on a reclaimed
establishment of peatlands (e.g., changes a significant portion of the undisturbed landscape will be determined by a vari-
landscape in the oil sands region. These ety of f actors, including wetland features
in salinity). Currently, there are no tech-
wetland areas are extremely important to (e.g., hydrology, substrate, habitat), land
niques available to recreate bogs and use at both the wetland and watershed
fens on the reclaimed landscape. the regional First Nations and Metis
communities. level (e.g., recreation), watershed char-
acteristics (e.g., h ydrology) and drainage
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regime (e.g., downstream effects). There • slope length, angle, aspect 1 . general description to provide an
can be a f air degree of control over some • soil overview, rationale and comments
on the wetland type;
factors (e.g., geometry) while others will
have less control (e.g., hydrogeolgy). • vegetation cess;
2. development flow chart to outline
The ability to influence the various fac-
tors needs to be considered with the most General Approach to Wetland Devel- the design and implementation pro-
effort directed at parameters that make opment. The g uideline identifies five
the most difference and are subject to the wetland types, as well as spatial and 3. key issues checklist and selected
most control. temporal factors in wetland establish-
design recommendations to be con-
ment. The five types are: sidered in w etland planning;
Wetland creation must be an interdisci-
1 . altered wetlands : onsite and offsite
plinary team effort. It will require a va- 4. development approach sheet to pro-
wetlands not directly removed by
riety of e ngineering and environmental vide a f orm that can be used to de-
mining but potentially affected; con-
disciplines (e.g., mine planners and en- sign the wetland.
servation and mitigation measures
gineers; water management engineers;
may be needed in some instances; The development approach used in this
hydrologists; hydrogeologists; water
guideline establishes the principal func-
quality scientists; wetland ecologists; 2. opportunistic wetlands : wetlands tion required for each wetland type as
microbiologists; botanists; wildlife, wa- that are not formally planned but
the basic guide for wetland development.
terfowl and fisheries biologists, etc.), as arise in the landscape; they can pro-
It does not provide detailed construction
well as assistance from those with tradi- vide functions related to habitat,
designs but rather provides a f ramework
tional knowledge.
flood control or water quality im-
and supporting technical information that
Landscape Components. Wetland provement; can be used by wetland planners.
planning and design must recognize the 3. constructed wetlands : wetlands
interrelationship between the wetland 5. Performance Assessment
designed on the landscape for spe-
being established and the overall land- cific primary functions such as flood Performance assessment evaluates the
scape. This requires consideration of the control, water quality improvement,
landforms that are created during oil or habitat; establishment and development of wet-
lands on reclaimed areas. Performance
sands mining and the various design
factors that operate at a l andscape level. 4. vegetated watercourses : wetlands assessment, as used in this guideline,
means the monitoring of physical,
designed as vegetated channels on
A k ey point for closure planning is that the reclaimed landscape for the pur- chemical, and biological factors and the
an integrated final landscape should be pose of c onveying water to wet- evaluation of predicted performance or
conceptually developed at the beginning lands, between wetlands, and off- target values with observed performance
of the mine planning process. The clo- site; they p rovide valuable riparian and trends, as well as draft interim rec-
habitat;
sure plan will require wetlands as an lamation criteria
integral part of the reclaimed landscape.
This means that wetlands cannot be de- 5. littoral zones : wetlands designed Specific performance assessment criteria
signed and developed in isolation from along the shores of end pit lakes; have not been specified at the present
the rest of the landscape. Upland areas, they can enhance habitat, provide time since target values and reclamation
surface drainage systems, and wetlands shoreline protection, and improve criteria require further development.
are all part of an integrated landscape. water quality. However, Section 6 o f the guideline
(Reclamation Certification) provides an
The guideline for wetland establishment The guideline discusses key design is-
overview of general interim reclamation
does not prescribe the overall percent- sues that apply to any wetland. The is- criteria.
age, type or distribution of wetlands at a sues include hydrology; physical, bio-
particular oil sands operation. These logical, and chemical, characteristics; The guideline provides an initial frame-
matters are dealt with site specifically nutrients; and traditional use. Tables are work for p erformance assessment based:
provided that discuss specific factors
through the regulatory approvals opera- 1. key issues (i.e., hydrological, physi-
within each issue, their importance or
tors must obtain and the regional coordi- cal, biological, chemical);
nating role p rovided by the Oil Sands relevance, and design considerations for
Reclamation Advisory Committee. wetland planning. 2. performance indicators;
Establishment of Specific Wetland 3. measurement endpoints;
The guideline provides tables that out-
line key l andscape issues in wetland Types. The guideline provides a wet-
4. performance assessment targets;
planning, including design considera- land management flow chart as an over-
tions for: view and g uide to the establishment of 5. potential cause of failures;
the five wetland types. To facilitate design;
• watershed configuration wetland design, the following informa- 6. prevention of failures through initial
tion isp resented in sequence for each
• surface drainage
type of wetland: 7. mitigation of failures (if they occur)
• sustainability through adaptive management.
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Although performance assessment and The creation of wetlands on reclaimed CONTACTS
reclamation criteria require further de- landscapes must recognize that a p eriod
velopment, wetlands will typically be of time will be required to establish Copies of this document are available
monitored for a number of parameters in them. The establishment period is ex- from:
order to characterize the status of the pected to b e in the order of 10 to 15
Information Centre
wetland and to provide trend evaluation years. At that point, the system should
Alberta Environment
to determine if conditions are improving be set on a p ath of ecological succession
Main Floor, Great West Life Bldg
or trending to acceptable targets. The
and development and be “free to 9920- 108 Street
guideline provides a l ist of suggested evolve.” Wetland systems, including
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2M4
parameters for monitoring. The specifics watercourses, should not require long-
of any monitoring program will need to term maintenance and management. Phone: Toll Free Dial 310-0000 and ask
consider the wetland type, as well as the
The draft interim reclamation criteria for (780) 422-2079
objectives and methods of the program
discuss landscape, soil and vegetation For further information contact:
(i.e., sampling methods, locations, fre-
factors that should be addressed in rec- Alberta Environment
quency).
lamation planning and certification of Environmental Sciences Division
wetlands.
6. Reclamation Certification 4th Floor, 9820 - 1 06 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2J6
7. Recommendations and
The guideline outlines the process and
Phone: [phone]
general information requirements for Priorities for Research
reclamation certification. Fe-amaxil:: l a(n7d8.0m)a4n2a2g-e4m1e9n2t @gov.ab.ca
The guideline provides a n umber of rec-
In the case of wetlands on the reclaimed ommendations toa dvance the framework
Alberta Environment
landscape, specific criteria have not yet for wetland establishment and the scien- Land and Forest Service
been developed; however, draft interim
tific knowledge base. The recommenda- Waterways District, 168 Airport Road
reclamation criteria are provided to give
tions identify a n umber of potential re- Fort McMurray, Alberta T9H 4P 1
general guidance on the desired charac- search projects. Issues associated with
teristics oft he reclaimed landscape in the establishment of wetlands on con- Phone: [phone]
relation to wetlands. Government, in- solidated or c omposite tails (CT depos- Fax: [phone]
dustry and the public will continue to its) were identified as the highest priority
work toward the further development of for research. This included matters re-
criteria for wetlands.
lated to w ater chemistry, biology, hy-
drology, and traditional land use.
http://www.gov.ab.ca/env/protenf/landrec/index.html
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