De Beers Snap Lake Project -2007 Monitoring Program
chercheur principal: Huebert, Ed (2)
Nᵒ de permis: 14112
Organisation: De Beers Canada Inc.
Année(s) de permis: 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2002 2001 2000 1999
Délivré: févr. 14, 2007
Équipe de projet: Paul Vecsei, Amber Lahti, Paula Smith, Sophia Granchinho, Sharon Vogel, Hilary Machtans, Edward Lem, Christopher Pullen, Katherine Gerein, John Virgl, Damian Panayi, Kelly Bourassa, Chris Madland, Richard Schryer, Brent Topp, Mark Ealey, Chad Willms, Lasha Young, Margaret Squires, Ken DeVos, Bill Purdy, Mark Digel, Allison Humphries, Jean Bussey

Objectif(s): To meet requirements under the Snap Lake Project's Environmental Agreement, Land Use Permit, Water Licence, and Fisheries Authorization, as well as to meet De Beers' corporate commitments to the environment.

Description du projet: The objective of this environmental monitoring program is to meet requirements under the Snap Lake Project's Environmental Agreement, Land Use Permit, Water Licence, and Fisheries Authorization, as well as to meet De Beers' corporate commitments to the environment. Information collected during field sampling and observations will build on existing data and will be used towards: 1) contributing to monitoring data available for assessing and managing future potential environmental effects during construction and operations; 2) determining the natural range of variability for a number of environmental parameters; 3) identifying potential mitigation to reduce impacts to the surrounding environment; 4) refining the monitoring program for measuring environmental effects associated with the Snap Lake Project; and 5) contributing to regional studies for assessing and managing potential cumulative effects. The monitoring program will cover an assessment of aquatic and wildlife resources, vegetation, and air quality. Aquatics assessment will involve monitoring of water quality, zooplankton and phytoplankton communities, benthic communities, sediment quality, and fish health as outlined under the Aquatics Effects Monitoring Program (as stipulated in the Water Licence). Wildlife resources assessment will consist of a monitoring program which incorporates all Valued Ecosystem Components, involving the evaluation of direct and indirect effects of mining activity on caribou, grizzly bear, wolverine, wolf, and falcons through visual surveys (ground and aerial). Vegetation assessment will occur within Ecological Land Classification units and will involve monitoring permanent plots in test and control areas to determine species composition and plant health, as well as the effects of various reclamation methods on re-vegetation and soil properties. Air quality assessment involves operation of dust samplers on site, the collection and processing of meteorological data, and the collection of lichen and vascular plants to measure contaminant uptake levels from areas in proximity to dust fall. Transportation for these various activities includes truck, foot, helicopter, fixed-wing planes, snowmobiles, and boat. Results of these studies become part of the public record following review and acceptance by the appropriate government agencies, along with the Snap Lake Working Group (which is made up of government agencies and aboriginal community members). All affected communities will receive reports of the monitoring results. The monitoring program will take place from February 14 to December 31, 2007 in the following locations: Snap Lake (63? 39' 9.5" N 110? 59' 39. 4"W); Northeast Lake (63? 39' 31.2" N 110? 46' 40.1"W); King Lake outlet (63? 46' 19.0" N 110? 38' 36.3"W); and Stream 47 (63? 36' 7.3" N 110? 57' 26.3"W).