Science Response 2012/017

Review of downstream spatial boundaries for fish and fish habitat assessment areas, Site C Hydroelectric project

Context

BC Hydro is proposing to construct a hydroelectric dam at Site C on the Peace River near Fort St. John, BC The dam will be the third and furthest downstream plant on the river and will largely be operated as a run-of-river facility. In its draft ‘Environmental Impact Statement Guidelines’ BC Hydro has proposed that the downstream boundary of the local assessment area for fish and habitat effects (LAA) be at Many Islands AB, about 125 km downstream of Site C, and the regional assessment area (RAA) be at Vermillion Chutes, about 740 km from Site C. For reference, the LAA is defined by CEAA as the area that potential adverse effects will be assessed within, and the RAA is the area within which cumulative effects (with other projects) will be assessed.

DFO Science Branch (Pacific Region, with assistance from Central and Arctic Region) has been asked to comment on the proposed downstream spatial boundaries for evaluating the potential effects of Site C on fish and fish habitat.

This Science Response report is from the Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, Regional Science Special Response Process (SSRP) of May 7-14, 2012 on the determination of downstream boundaries for fish and fish habitat assessments for the Site C project.

The downstream boundaries for the review of the impacts of the Site C project were determined to be reasonable, although some revision to the LAA may be needed if further analysis indicates impacts to fish and fish habitat could occur downstream of the proposed boundary. Based on the information provided the incremental impacts of the Site C project on the Peace River are predicted to be largely attenuated within a few hundred kilometers downstream of the damsite and no meaningful impacts are expected at the proposed location of the RAA boundary.

Complete document (PDF, 77 KB)

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