Notice of Determination

October 17, 2023 – Fisheries and Oceans Canada has determined that the proposed Riverton Launch Ramp Reconstruction is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

This determination was based on a consideration of the following factors:

• community knowledge;
• comments received from the public; and
• technically and economically feasible mitigation measures.

Mitigation measures taken into account for this determination are:

Measures to protect fish and fish habitat

Comply with the fish and fish habitat protection provisions of the Fisheries Act by incorporating measures to avoid:

• causing the death of fish
• harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat in your work, undertaking or activityFisheries and Oceans Canada is satisfied that that the carrying out of the project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

Prevent the death of fish

You can prevent the death of fish by:

• avoiding killing fish by means other than fishing
• avoiding using explosives in or near water
• planning in water work, undertaking or activity to respect timing windows to protect fish, including:
• their eggs
• juveniles
• spawning adults
• the organisms upon which they feed and migrate

Maintain riparian vegetation

Measures to maintain riparian vegetation include:

• maintaining an undisturbed vegetated buffer zone between areas of on-land activity and the high water mark of any water body
• using existing trails, roads or cut lines wherever possible
• avoiding tree removal
• using methods to prevent soil compaction, such as swamp mats or pads

Carry out works, undertakings and activities on land

You can prevent the harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat by avoiding:

• fording of the watercourse
• disturbing or removing materials from the banks, shoreline or waterbody bed, such as:
  • sand
  • rocks
  • aquatic vegetation
  • natural wood debris
• building structures in areas that:
  • may result in erosion and/or scouring of the stream bed or banks
  • are inherently unstable, like:
    • bends
    • meanders
    • floodplains
    • alluvial fans
    • braided streams

Maintain fish passage

Maintain fish passage by avoiding:

• changing flow or water level
• obstructing or interfering with the movement and migration of fish

Ensure proper sediment control

Ensure proper sediment control by:

• avoiding introducing sediment in the water, like:
  • silts
  • clays
  • sands
• developing and implementing an erosion and sediment control plan
  • installing effective erosion and sediment control measures to stabilize all erodible and exposed areas
  • regularly inspecting and maintaining the erosion and sediment control measures during all phases of the project
  • keeping the erosion and sediment control measures in place until all disturbed ground has been permanently stabilized
  • installing settling basin and/or filtration system for water flowing onto the site and water being pumped or diverted from the site, including:
    • holding back runoff water until suspended sediment has resettled in the settling basin and runoff water is clear
    • dewatering gradually to prevent sediment resuspension and bank destabilization
• disposing of and stabilizing all excavated material above the high water mark or top of bank of nearby waterbodies and ensuring sediment re-entry to the watercourse is prevented
• heeding weather advisories and scheduling work to avoid wet, windy and rainy periods that may result in high flow volumes and/ or increase erosion and sedimentation
• regularly monitoring the watercourse for signs of sedimentation during all phases of the work, undertaking or activity and taking corrective action if required
• using biodegradable erosion and sediment control materials whenever possible and removing all exposed non-biodegradable erosion and sediment control materials once site is stabilized
• operating machinery on land in stable dry areas
• stopping work and containing sediment-laden water to prevent dispersal
• installing temporary clear span bridges to accommodate expected high water flows and to not damage erodible banks
• limiting the impacts to stream or shoreline banks

Prevent entry of deleterious substances in water

Prevent entry of deleterious substances in water by:

• avoiding depositing any deleterious substances in the watercourse
• developing a response plan to be implemented immediately in the event of a spill of a deleterious substance
• keeping an emergency spill kit on site
• stopping work and containing deleterious substances to prevent dispersal
• reporting any spills of sewage, oil, fuel or other deleterious material whether near or directly into a water body
• ensuring clean-up measures are suitably applied so as not to result in further alteration of the bed and/or banks of the watercourse
• cleaning up and appropriately disposing of the deleterious substances
• planning activities near water such that materials and chemicals don't enter the watercourse, including:
  • grout
  • paint
  • primers
  • degreasers
  • rust solvents
  • poured concrete
  • blasting abrasives
  • or other chemicals
• maintaining all machinery on site in a clean condition and free of fluid leaks to prevent any deleterious substances from entering the water
• washing, refueling and servicing machinery and store fuel and other materials for the machinery in such a way as to prevent any deleterious substances from entering the water
• disposing all waste materials (including construction, demolition, excavation, commercial logging) above the high water mark of nearby waterbodies to prevent entry
• ensuring that building material used in a watercourse is handled and treated in a manner to prevent the release or leaching of substances into the water that may be deleterious to fish

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is of the opinion that the project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

As a result, Fisheries and Oceans Canada may carry out the Project, exercise any power, perform any task or function, or provide financial assistance to enable the Project to be carried out in whole or in part.