Water Stewardship Information Sources
| ID | 1760 |
|---|---|
| Citation | Tera Environmental Consultants Ltd. 2013. Wetland evaluation technical report for the Trans Mountain Pipeline ULC, Trans Mountain Expansion Project. Prepared for Trans Mountain Pipeline ULC. |
| Organization | Trans Mountain Pipeline |
| URL | http://transmountain.s3.amazonaws.com/application/V5C_TR_5C8_WETLAND.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | Trans Mountain Pipeline ULC (Trans Mountain) is a Canadian corporation with its head office located in Calgary, Alberta. Trans Mountain is a general partner of Trans Mountain Pipeline L.P., which is operated by Kinder Morgan Canada Inc. (KMC), and is fully owned by Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. Trans Mountain is the holder of the National Energy Board (NEB) certificates for the Trans Mountain pipeline system (TMPL system). The TMPL system has an operating capacity of approximately 47,690 m3 /d (300,000 bbl/d) using 23 active pump stations and 40 petroleum storage tanks. The expansion will increase the capacity to 141,500 m3 /d (890,000 bbl/d). The proposed expansion will comprise the following: ﾕ pipeline segments that complete a twinning (or ﾓloopingﾔ) of the pipeline in Alberta and BC with about 987 km of new buried pipeline; ﾕ new and modified facilities, including pump stations and tanks; and ﾕ three new berths at the Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby, BC, each capable of handling Aframax class vessels. The expansion has been developed in response to requests for service from Western Canadian oil producers and West Coast refiners for increased pipeline capacity in support of growing oil production and access to growing West Coast and offshore markets. NEB decision RH-001-2012 reinforces market support for the expansion and provides Trans Mountain the necessary economic conditions to proceed with design, consultation and regulatory applications. Application is being made pursuant to Section 52 of the National Energy Board Act (NEB Act) for the proposed Trans Mountain Expansion Project (referred to as ﾓTMEPﾔ or ﾓthe Projectﾔ). TERA Environmental Consultants (TERA) was commissioned to prepare the following Wetland Evaluation Technical Report. Provided in this report are the results of the desktop and literature review and the field programs conducted for the Project in 2012 and 2013. The report also provides the results of Aboriginal participation during the wetland field surveys. A desktop review and analysis of overflight photographs and satellite imagery was conducted for the entire proposed pipeline corridor. Wetland data collection for the Project during the 2012 and 2013 field programs utilized both helicopter reconnaissance and ground-based wetland surveys where ground access was available. The helicopter reconnaissance was used to gather high-level delineation and classification information for wetlands. Wetlands identified during the helicopter reconnaissance were ground-truthed where land access was available. The ground-based surveys allowed wetland ecologists to collect site-specific wetland function information (e.g., habitat, hydrological and biogeochemical) and confirm wetland classification and delineation. The field program focused on the 150 m wide proposed pipeline corridor. During the ground-based wetland field surveys, wetlands were classified to class and form hierarchical levels according to the Canadian Wetland Classification System (NWWG 1997) in Alberta and BC and to the Mackenzie and Moran (2004) Wetlands of British Columbia: A Guide to Identification in BC. Review of overflight photographs and satellite imagery identified a total of 638 wetlands (339 in Alberta and 299 in BC) (94.4 km), comprising approximately 9.6% of the proposed pipeline corridor, as being crossed by the 150 m wide proposed pipeline corridor (percentage will change once the route has been refined). Wetlands crossed by the proposed pipeline corridor include 141 basin marshes, 67 riparian marshes, 4 lacustrine marshes, 7 slope marshes, 2 hummock marshes, 104 flat swamps, 78 riparian swamps, 2 discharge swamps, 6 slope swamps, 45 basin water, 19 riparian water, 13 basin fens, 26 horizontal fens, 13 riparian fens, 2 channel fens, 1 feather fens, 1 slope fen and 1 basin bog. During the 2012 and 2013 ground-based wetland field surveys, conducted on lands where access was granted, 377 out of the 638 wetlands (261 in Alberta and 116 in BC) (66.5 km) were visited. Wetlands visited during the 2012 and 2013 wetland field surveys that are infringed upon by the 150 m wide proposed pipeline corridor include 140 basin marshes, 38 riparian marshes, 2 hummock marshes, 1 slope marsh, 68 flat swamps, 57 riparian swamps, 2 discharge swamps, 4 slope swamps, 12 basin water, 10 riparian water, 11 basin fens, 24 horizontal fens, 7 riparian fens and 1 feather fen. It is important to note that not all of these wetlands will be affected during pipeline construction since the pipeline construction right-of-way (approximately 45 m wide) will be placed within the proposed pipeline corridor in a manner that avoids wetlands to the extent practical. Characterization of the wetlands within the proposed pipeline corridor is needed for establishing baseline setting information. Wetlands located along the proposed Kingsvale power line were identified through review of satellite imagery. This review identified the potential for 23 wetlands to be crossed by this power line. These wetlands include 7 basin marshes, 7 riparian marshes, 3 flat swamps, 3 riparian swamps, 1 basin water and 2 riparian water wetlands. No wetlands were identified along the proposed Black Pines power line. There will be no wetlands directly affected by the construction of the proposed pump station facilities and terminals. Through a review of the stormwater requirements for the Sumas Terminal, it was determined that there will likely be an incremental increase in volume of stormwater discharge. Stormwater at the Sumas Terminal is discharged into a wet area to be a potential shrubby swamp associated with an ephemeral drainage. This area will be further evaluated in 2014. Where feasible, the pipeline construction right-of-way will be routed to reduce potential effects on wetlands. A routing decision framework which meets the intentions of the FPWC will take into consideration factors such as minimising length traversing environmentally significant areas and implementing construction and reclamation mitigation measures that have been shown to reduce disturbance to wetlands and ensure wetland function is not lost. To avoid permanent loss of wetland function, Trans Mountain has developed measures to avoid or reduce the adverse effects of construction on wetland habitat, hydrological and biogeochemical functions. Project mitigation has been developed to allow affected wetlands to return to the same level of functionality as documented during pre-construction surveys following the temporary construction disturbances. |
| Information Type | report |
| Regional Watershed | North Thompson, Thompson, Nicola |
| Sub-watershed if known | |
| Aquifer # | |
| Comments | |
| Project status | complete |
| Contact Name | |
| Contact Email |